ItoBlog

Glimmer of hope

More on optimism in Afghanistan and Iraq, this time from Amir Taheri writing in asharq alawsat. The article is about a poll showing more hopeful attitudes in the Middle East than in Europe and America:

The latest argument for a reassessment of the situation in post-liberation Iraq comes from the WEF's latest "Voice of the People" poll, conducted by Gallup last November and December in 60 countries across the globe...
.....
The... reason for the good figures from the Middle East is the optimism that the pollsters found in two countries: Afghanistan and Iraq.

The WEF report asserts, "In both these countries, respondents were even more optimistic about future prospects. In Afghanistan, three-quarters (77%) think the next generation will live in a safer world, while in Iraq this view is held by six in every ten (61%) interviewed."
.....
To prove that the toppling of Saddam was wrong the politically correct crowd has prayed hard for Iraq to become "another Vietnam" or, fa[i]ling that, at least "a quagmire", or failing even that, a stage for ["]Yankee Go Home" demonstrations.

None of that has happened. Instead, the Iraqis have been forming political parties, writing a constitution, setting up an independent judiciary, learning about pluralist politics, creating privately owned newspapers and TV and radio stations, and holding elections - all that while the most vicious terrorists in recent history have been throwing at them whatever they could.

Via Norm

This referendum is a farce, dummy

After hearing the deep skepticism voiced by radio host and leading anti-war guru Amy Goodman and her guests (including George Galloway, Robert Fisk, Tariq Ali, no less) about the fairness and significance of Iraq's referendum, my mind raced back to October 2002, when the same host and the same program offered an utterly non-skeptical report on Iraq's previous "election," which featured a 100 percent turnout and a 100 percent vote for the only candidate, Saddam Hussein.

via Harry

If...surely...

Jose Ramos-Horta, foreign minister of East Timor:

Time and again as I watch the barbarity inflicted on innocent Iraqi civilians, often women and children, pass with seeming silence and indifference from the rest of the world, I ask where are those who are so quick to take to the streets to protest every alleged US sin, be it real or imaginary?

If they are so appalled at the graphic photos showing the depraved acts committed by a small number of American servicemen – photos that, never let it be forgotten, were unearthed as a result of the US Army's own investigation – surely they should be even more appalled by the daily carnage inflicted on the Shiah majority in Iraq.

(Via Norm)

Jose Ramos-Horta, foreign minister of East Timor:

Time and again as I watch the barbarity inflicted on innocent Iraqi civilians, often women and children, pass with seeming silence and indifference from the rest of the world, I ask where are those who are so quick to take to the streets to protest every alleged US sin, be it real or imaginary?

If they are so appalled at the graphic photos showing the depraved acts committed by a small number of American servicemen – photos that, never let it be forgotten, were unearthed as a result of the US Army's own investigation – surely they should be even more appalled by the daily carnage inflicted on the Shiah majority in Iraq.

(Via Norm)

What were they thinking?

Here's a great column by Tom Friedman taken from Friday's NYT explaining, in a nutshell, the Iraq debacle:

The Bush team, and the C.I.A., not only failed to learn that Saddam had no W.M.D., they failed to appreciate how devastated Iraqi society really was. The Bush team, listening largely to exiles who had not lived in Iraq for years, thought that there were much more of an Iraqi middle class and more institutions than actually existed. So Mr. Bush thought taking over Iraq would be easy. That is the only way I can explain his behavior.

The anti-war movement awakens

Another car bomb blew dozens of Iraqis into smithereens just a couple of hours ago; militiamen loyal to Moqtada Al Sadr were gunned down by US troops yesterday; and the governor of Basra has issued an arrest warrant for two british troops. Things are getting worse by the day and undoubtedly, even the optimists (eg yours truly) are now considering the early-exit option as the most reasonable one. I'm really shilly shally about this. Leaving Iraq could very possibly lead to civil war, increased bloodshed and then total chaos. Or maybe not. Perhaps the departure of coalition troops would trigger an immense sense of national pride, unite the country and lead to national reconciliaiton and re-construction. Hmmm highly unlikely scenario but who knows, just maybe...

If only there was a serious and convincing anti-war movement, maybe those hesitant like me could be swayed into supporting an exit strategy. But when you see and hear some of the loonies at the helm of the movement (see  ANSWER and the Party for Socialism and Liberation) gurgling their utter rubbish in front of hundreds of thousands of loyal marchers (like those demonstrating today), it's easy to understand why they can't attract more mainstream political support.

Here's a thoughtfil blog post by Marc Cooper on the demonstrations today.

Highlights of Hitchens-Galloway debate

In case you missed the "Batte of the Titans" last Wednesday, you can listen to the highlights of the Hitchens-Galloway debate on BBC 4 Radio with good commentary. Click here.

Hitchens-Galloway debate

I just finished listening to one of the most raucous debates on Iraq I have ever listened to . Notorious polemicist and liberal hawk Christopher Hitchens and loud-mouth self-proclaimed spokesperson for the anti-war left George Galloway sparred last night in New York in front of a wild crowd (I blogged about it a while back). Debates like these come round once in a blue moon. The two rhetorical heavyweights hate eachother with a passion (to say the least) and last night they showed it in front of a 1000-strong audience. The venom they spewed at eachother, the political low blows they both landed, their wit and awesome command of the english language made it a memorable debate, albeit one that, in the end, felt more like a verbal boxing match than a serious debate on the crisis in Iraq.

Listen to a sample:
(60min stream)      

Download in mp3 format Part 1 and Part 2

Or view the webcast here (RealPlayer needed).

UPDATE: I just listened to some parts of the debate again and it really struck me how Galloway got away with some of truly mind-numbing statements. Let's face it, a good 2/3 of the audience was clearly cheering him on throughout the evening. And this despite his ludicrous comments on the US and Britain being the world's real rogue states, the "heroic" resistance in Iraq and 9/11 came out of a swamp of hatred created by us." We're talking about a man who has proudly saluted Saddam for his "heroism", has visited Bashar Al-Assad just last month and praised his leadership and is an open apologist of Stalin... Just spit enough insults at Bush and play on the "US and Israel versus the world" clichés and you get a standing ovation. Mind-boggling. What has happened to the libera left? How can anyone take this Galloway seriously? Really.

Debate not to miss if you're in NY

Wednesday, September 14, 7:00 PM

A debate between George Galloway  and Christopher Hitchens on Iraq and U.S. and British foreign policy.

 

Moderated by Amy Goodman

Mason Hall at the Baruch College Performing Arts Center
17 Lexington Ave., enter on 23rd St. New York, NY
more info here

War of the Words

Bush and his clique just don't get it. As the insurgency strengthens in Iraq, Rumsfeld, Cheney and company seem more and more out of touch with reality.