Two Reports, You Decide
Two reports of this morning, offered for your consideration. Read closely, then tell me which of the two--given all that we know about the Arabs' tribal culture and long history of extreme sectarian violence, given all the beheadings, hangings and young men pumping their blood-soaked fists around dead bodies, given all the reports from the front we have read since 2003--sounds more true, more the essence of the thing, to you.
1) From Ralph Peters's "Myths of Iraq", courtesy of RealClearPolitics:
2) From CNN's story "Bloody Baghdad, 86 Bodies Found in 30 Hours":
Tell me again how many schools we have built. How many hospitals.
Tell me and I'll tell you the bloody (literally) obvious: these people don't give two goddamns about hospitals, let alone schools. Freed from the dictator's lash, they are eager to settle scores, as it was so shall it ever be. The only thing stopping them are the rifles of our sons and daughters.
Who here would give the lives of their son or daughter to prevent two Stone Age tribes from tearing each other apart?
In the meantime, I propose we send Peters back to Sadr City, except this time without the U.S. Army escort and convoy. Then he can explain to us why, exactly, after three years of occupation the capital city is not secure enough for a Westerner to walk openly in the streets.
But perhaps I'm over-reacting. After all, we all remember how dangerous Berlin and Tokyo were for U.S. troops circa 1948.
UPDATE: The news just keeps getting better! For example, the following story was posted over at NRO's The Corner as evidence that the war is going well:
Our entire strategy is premised on "as the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down." Yet, it appears that the Defense Ministry is shot through with Islamist fanatics.
Imagine my intense surprise at this revelation.
1) From Ralph Peters's "Myths of Iraq", courtesy of RealClearPolitics:
During a recent visit to Baghdad, I saw an enormous failure. On the part of our media. The reality in the streets, day after day, bore little resemblance to the sensational claims of civil war and disaster in the headlines.
No one with first-hand experience of Iraq would claim the country's in rosy condition, but the situation on the ground is considerably more promising than the American public has been led to believe. Lurid exaggerations and instant myths obscure real, if difficult, progress.
I left Baghdad more optimistic than I was before this visit. While cynicism, political bias and the pressure of a 24/7 news cycle accelerate a race to the bottom in reporting, there are good reasons to be soberly hopeful about Iraq's future.
2) From CNN's story "Bloody Baghdad, 86 Bodies Found in 30 Hours":
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Authorities said at least 86 bodies were found in the Iraqi capital during a 30-hour period ending midday Tuesday, sparking fears that sectarian reprisal killings are continuing at a grisly pace.
With Iraq's newly elected parliament set to meet Thursday, officials announced a vehicle curfew. Authorities will stop any car or truck in Baghdad between 8 p.m. (noon ET) Wednesday and 4 p.m. (8 a.m.) Thursday.
* * *
The latest wave of killings follows Sunday's string of car bombs in Sadr City, Baghdad's huge Shiite slum, that killed at least 46 people and wounded more than 200 others.
Tell me again how many schools we have built. How many hospitals.
Tell me and I'll tell you the bloody (literally) obvious: these people don't give two goddamns about hospitals, let alone schools. Freed from the dictator's lash, they are eager to settle scores, as it was so shall it ever be. The only thing stopping them are the rifles of our sons and daughters.
Who here would give the lives of their son or daughter to prevent two Stone Age tribes from tearing each other apart?
In the meantime, I propose we send Peters back to Sadr City, except this time without the U.S. Army escort and convoy. Then he can explain to us why, exactly, after three years of occupation the capital city is not secure enough for a Westerner to walk openly in the streets.
But perhaps I'm over-reacting. After all, we all remember how dangerous Berlin and Tokyo were for U.S. troops circa 1948.
UPDATE: The news just keeps getting better! For example, the following story was posted over at NRO's The Corner as evidence that the war is going well:
The interior minister said Tuesday authorities had foiled an al-Qaida plot that would have put hundreds of its men at critical guard posts around Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the U.S. and other foreign embassies as well as the Iraqi government..
A senior Defense Ministry official said the 421 al-Qaida fighters were actually recruited to storm the U.S. and British embassies and take hostages. Several ranking Defense Ministry officials have been jailed in the plot, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabr, in an interview with The Associated Press, said the 421 al-Qaida recruits were one bureaucrat's signature away from acceptance into an Iraqi army battalion whose job is to control the gates and main squares in the Green Zone. The plot was discovered three weeks ago
Our entire strategy is premised on "as the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down." Yet, it appears that the Defense Ministry is shot through with Islamist fanatics.
Imagine my intense surprise at this revelation.
