Iraq Getting Worse Again
March 27, 2008 – 9:52 am by AndrewIn news from Iraq, the country was consumed with violence for the third day in a row. From AP:
Tens of thousands of Shiites took to Baghdad’s streets to protest the government crackdown on militias in Basra as heavy fighting between Iraqi security forces and gunmen erupted for a third day in the southern oil port and the capital.
BAGHDAD - Shiite militants are hammering the U.S.-protected Green Zone with rockets and mortars for the fourth day this week.
Thick, black smoke is billowing from inside the heavily fortified home to the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi government.
So yeah, not good. If the Mahdi army cease-fire falls apart, and it’s looking like it might, things are going to get real bad real fast. The cease-fire has been instrumental in the reduction of violence seen over the past six months. The Repubs credit the “surge” (technically, surges end), but a lot of it had to do with this cease-fire. Hopefully it won’t fall apart.
–UPDATE–
More bad news/details from the LA Times:
Scores of people have died since the fighting erupted early Tuesday, including at least 51 in the southern oil port city of Basra, where the Iraqi offensive began. At least 15 people, most of them civilians, were reported killed in attacks today in Baghdad and nearby Babil province to the south. Skirmishes also continued in Basra, where a pipeline carrying oil to the city’s port was hit by a major blast that sent flames soaring into the sky.
Sucks. I can feel myself receding into the shell of middle-class American apathy and broken hope.
Really, how much longer before “at war” becomes synonymous with “American”?
Remember, “Mongol” was just a geographic descriptor once, too.
Reply to baehrI know, when faced with perpetual war, apathy is a tempting venue. I mean, what can we do as individuals? Despite that, I think it’s important that we don’t forget we’re at war and become apathetic because then we really are accepting war as the standard as opposed to a temporary aberration.
Reply to AndrewThe reality is that we are not just individuals. The key is to becoming organized. Otherwise, we are those atomized individuals with little power. Act as organized citizens can, and the democratic and civil base upon which the United States body politic resides will respond.
Organization grows an individual’s power to affect change exponentially.
Instead of sinking into apathy, multiply your individual political power.
Reply to JoshuaCensorship. How low you have fallen.
Also, you spelled Calender wrong.
Reply to anonymousso did you
Reply to AndrewAndrew-
Read this post on Slate:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/03/27/addressing-hypotheticals.aspx
When they describe Obama’s stance on Iraq as the de facto Democratic campaign platform I couldn’t help but think of a BSG link:
Does leaving Iraq = settlement on New Caprica
Politcally expediant solutions that (may) ultimately lead to fatal strategic blunders ???
PS If Obama does win office, I hope they hire Samatha Powers back ASAP. She was a smart lady, even if you don’t agree with her Iraq assesment.
Reply to Gay IncognitoYeah I see what you’re saying, but I have to say I don’t think it’s the same. If leaving Iraq is a strategic blunder that’s only because entering Iraq was a strategic blunder.
I’m throughly convinced that we can’t turn Iraq into a functioning democracy. I think at most, our presence there can sort of hold back the tide of violence (although not much if the past few days, and years, are any indicator), but it can’t fix the systemic cultural and societal issues that are leading to this violence. Partly because the American occupation is once of those issues, and partly because you just can’t fix these types of things with force. If you could we would have no problems.
So we’ve got to get out, and maybe something bad happens, but I think of it not as a blunder ala new caprica, but more like taking a knife out of a wound. Sure leaving it in there is holding off a torrent of bleeding, but while it’s in there US and the Iraqis are slowly bleeding to death anyway. Only once it’s removed can the healing begin.
Plus we’ve got to get out because we’re not fascists who invade and occupy countries. And because we can’t afford it in lives, money, and reputation. And because it’s grossly immoral. I really don’t care how little violence there is, we’ve got to leave. It’s just not us. It’s not what we aspire to be. It’s terrible and ugly and despicable. We have to leave.
Reply to AndrewUnrelated topic:
http://wonkette.com/373444/coy-bloomberg-still-wont-admit-he-hearts-obama
How awesome would this ticket be:
Obama/Bloomberg ‘08
The liberal Jew in me just totally wet himself with glee.
PS I am bored at work.
Reply to Gay Incognito