Tuesday, August 28, 2007
I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing
Christopher Hitchens, I think, nails it at Slate today on the three fights in Iraq and our success in two of them. Will the stalemate/slow progress in the third doom all action, even the successful, in Iraq? Only if Democrats get real power.
Here's a taste:
There are currently at least three wars, along with several subconflicts, being fought on Iraqi soil. The first, tragically, is the battle for mastery between Sunni and Shiite. The second is the campaign to isolate and defeat al-Qaida in Mesopotamia. The third is the struggle of Iraq's Kurdish minority to defend and consolidate its regional government in the north.
Taking these in reverse order, we can point to Kurdistan as the most outstanding success of the past four years, with its economically flourishing provinces run along broadly secular lines...
On the second front, everything I hear by e-mail from soldiers in Anbar province and some well-attested other reports suggest...that the venomous rabble of foreign murderers and local psychopaths that goes to make up AQM has insanely overplayed its hand, lost all hope of local support, and is becoming even more vicious as its cadres are defeated...One must not declare victory too soon, but if the United States has in fact succeeded in not only smashing but discrediting al-Qaida in a major Arab and Muslim country, that must count as a historic achievement.
Here's a taste:
There are currently at least three wars, along with several subconflicts, being fought on Iraqi soil. The first, tragically, is the battle for mastery between Sunni and Shiite. The second is the campaign to isolate and defeat al-Qaida in Mesopotamia. The third is the struggle of Iraq's Kurdish minority to defend and consolidate its regional government in the north.
Taking these in reverse order, we can point to Kurdistan as the most outstanding success of the past four years, with its economically flourishing provinces run along broadly secular lines...
On the second front, everything I hear by e-mail from soldiers in Anbar province and some well-attested other reports suggest...that the venomous rabble of foreign murderers and local psychopaths that goes to make up AQM has insanely overplayed its hand, lost all hope of local support, and is becoming even more vicious as its cadres are defeated...One must not declare victory too soon, but if the United States has in fact succeeded in not only smashing but discrediting al-Qaida in a major Arab and Muslim country, that must count as a historic achievement.
Labels: Iraq Successes
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:54 PM 
Comments:
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Ah, if there were only three battles it would be so simple.
Just to point out one glaring omission: the battle for supremacy amongst the various Shia groups, chiefly Badr's and Sadr's.
That will be the mother of all battles when it comes to a head, and it is pretty heavy in the south already.
Why do you listen to these foolish pundits? Crazy ex-pats with a B.A. in Poli Sci can out analyze them.
Sheesh!
Just to point out one glaring omission: the battle for supremacy amongst the various Shia groups, chiefly Badr's and Sadr's.
That will be the mother of all battles when it comes to a head, and it is pretty heavy in the south already.
Why do you listen to these foolish pundits? Crazy ex-pats with a B.A. in Poli Sci can out analyze them.
Sheesh!
duk, it's tougher than the others. Not hopeless. Mike, good to see you are willing to call yourself crazy. Important first step. If the Palestinian template applies, I agree with you, Shia on Shia might become the worst of all. I think however what's going on in the South has been overportrayed as bad. It's not beyond help. Let's hope the Shia majority is smarter than the Palestinians and can accomplish your beloved political reconciliation, whatever that means.
It has nothing to do with Palestinians. Reconcilable or not, it is a battle, and one that is already hot and has the potential to be the hottest, overemphasis notwithstanding.
The point is it is a glaring omission, and nothing in your comment contradicts that most obvious fact...
...irrespective of whether or not a crazy man was the one who pointed it out.
"I'd hate to be considered sane in a fu**ed up world like this one."
--ME
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The point is it is a glaring omission, and nothing in your comment contradicts that most obvious fact...
...irrespective of whether or not a crazy man was the one who pointed it out.
"I'd hate to be considered sane in a fu**ed up world like this one."
--ME
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