So where are all these Iraqis who would welcome American occupation for years - as was posted in The Cellar about last Oct 2003? Iraq now sounds more like Somolia to me. At least in Somolia, we had an American president more interested in the facts than in a political agenda. A president who was willing to make a tough decision based upon facts rather than a political agenda. What is worse, we have installed a dictator in Iraq (Bremmer) who stupidly fired all the smart people. People without jobs and constant electric blackouts are now ripe for fighting the common enemy. (Yes rolling blackouts across some entire towns were still common in Iraq - despite the administration's rhetoric.)
Quote:
from the NY Times of 9 Apr 2004 Signs That Shiites and Sunnis Are Joining to Fight Americans
When the United States invaded Iraq a year ago, one of its chief concerns was preventing a civil war between Shiite Muslims, who make up a majority in the country, and Sunni Muslims, who held all the power under Saddam Hussein.
Now the fear is that the growing uprising against the occupation is forging a new and previously unheard of level of cooperation between the two groups — and the common cause is killing Americans.
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Only two critical Shi'ite cities are fighting Americans. Karbala and Najaf. But each day the fighting continues is one more day for Iraqis to more hate Americans. It is nonsense to believe that 80% of Iraqis are pro-American or neutral as this administration was saying even 3 months ago. At what point do we admit Rumsfeld does not tell the truth?
Many Iraqis do not want to fight. But there is very little appreciation for Americans. Dislike for Americans in Iraq is widespread and almost universal in both Shi'ite and Sunni regions. Even worse, their anti-American comments are getting bolder and more public.
After one year, this administration created jobs in Iraq about as fast as it did in America. Too many people without work means Americans are the problem - from the Iraqi perspective. Then there is another reason for rising tempers. Summer is coming. Its about time those UT posts about how Iraqis love Americans are acknowledged as mostly fiction or propaganda. Sooner or later, the public is going to have to come to grips with administration propaganda and start demanding a real solution. Things are deteriorating quickly. Things will only get worse with each day of battle.
Currently it would take very little to make things fall apart. One Ayatolla reversing himself on American cooperation could be a disaster.
Always read the entire article. All those damning facts and testimonies at the end of the above NY Times article represent the real situation. But much worse, the George Jr administration is in denial - and without a realistic exit strategy or a realistic solution to a deteriorating situation. Apache gunships don't win hearts and minds - no matter what George Jr's resolve may be.
(Anyone notice the resemblence between Rumsfeld and McNamara?)