Daily Kos

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  •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (3.60 / 10)

    Fareed Zakaria, in today's Guardian argues that if the US tries to pull out of Iraq too quickly, the country will descend into civil war.  This latest decision by the Bush administration is highly suspect:

    Everyone seems in favour of Iraqification. The President has urged an accelerated training schedule for the Iraqi army. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says more Iraqi troops, not Americans, would be the best answer to his problems. Where once the administration spoke of a three-year process of constitution-writing and institution-building, now it wants to turn things over in 18 months. Even the French love the new, improved schedule.

    This new impulse has less to do with Iraqi democracy than American democracy. The President wants to show, in time for re-election, that Iraqis are governing their affairs and Americans are coming home. It might not work out that way.

    It would be nice if this administration could stick to a plan for longer than a month or two.  But then, the only plan the Bushies are really focusing on is (re)election.

    by pie on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 02:49:35 PM PDT

    •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (3.80 / 5)

      Pie,
      Fareed, for some reason, fails to see that the civil war began the day Saddam fell. Kos is right on about the Shiites stratagy so far--sit back and let the Americans slew off Sunni strength.

      These tribes have no cultural tie to tolerance and discourse. They are inflamed, humiliated after years of repression, and have scores to settle with each other. So democracy is doomed, at least under the present 'national' structure.

      Obama is the more honorable person.

      by oofer on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 03:14:47 PM PDT

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      •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (3.85 / 7)

        These tribes have no cultural tie to tolerance and discourse. They are inflamed, humiliated after years of repression, and have scores to settle with each other. So democracy is doomed, at least under the present 'national' structure.

        Oh, I agree.   Read this article, which discusses their anger:

        While the US authorities maintain that resistance attacks are carried out by former Baathists and supporters of Saddam, they continue to ignore the tribal nature of the insurgency which has grown steadily over recent months. Deeply conservative clans like the 50,000-strong Albueisi have codes of honour which they complain the American army ignores at checkpoints and during raids on houses.

        They also believe that the Koran demands jihad against foreign invaders. Asked how many American lives should be taken if one of their own is killed, the answer is: 'As many as possible.'

        Sadly, the article is titled "Americans Sow Seeds of Hatred."

        Lovely.  Makes me feel so proud of the country ruled by Bush.

        by pie on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 03:32:01 PM PDT

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        •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (none / 1)

          Thank you for the link. I reccomend others to read it, too. It gives an inkling to the complex and, sadly, social structure of the tribes we seem to be ignoring.

          We would be so much better off helping weed the fields than 'protecting' ourselves.

          Obama is the more honorable person.

          by oofer on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 03:46:49 PM PDT

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      •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (none / 1)

        Precisely.  Stanley Hoffman, among others, made this argument, and made it clearly, months before the invasion.
        Too much of America -including many who should have known better- trilled to empire.  Followed a fool to folly.

        by Marisacat on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 05:25:01 PM PDT

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    •  Re: When your puppets don't dance (3.33 / 3)

      Fareed Zakaria, in today's Guardian argues that if the US tries to pull out of Iraq too quickly, the country will descend into civil war

      Sunni's killing Shia' clerics, targeting hospitals and police stations, shootings of citizens seen as cooperating w/ the US ...

      Descend into civil war?

      Too late.

      One Tin Liberal Street Fighter Rides Away ...

      by Madman in the marketplace on Sun Nov 09, 2003 at 03:16:04 PM PDT

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