I fail to see the logic of turning against the Interim Government.
Why are the Iraqi people not turning on the "foreign fighters", the Jihadi, Sadr and his gang, the Ba'athi remnants and rest of the insurgency?
What could be gained by pulling support from the Interim Government just months before the election?
Are the streets of Baghdad really that fired up and irrational?
Seems to me that the long put off offensive against Fallujah is due now; damn good thing our elections are about over. If you're talking like this from Baghdad I doubt that Iraq could withstand more months of stalling on that.
(Yes, I'm among those who believe, or at least strongly suspect, that the crackdown on Fallujah has been delayed so's not to interfere with Bush's chances at re-election.)
Push the Sunni population over the border to Saudi Arabia. That's who is behind the Wahhabis. Let them deal with the filth they created.
20% of the population is royally screwing a golden opportunity for Iraq. Sunni Arabs = Shit.
Maury=racist
Rachel=twit
Maury doesn't hate Sunni's. Maury doesn't hate Arabs. But,the Sunni Arabs of Iraq have gone Wahabbi. And,Maury does hate Wahabbi's..
Maury thinks Saudi Arabia is a good place for Rachel the dimwit Brit too....
It just needs to hold together for another 9 days, which is *exactly* what many of the terrorists *don't want. Much of what is going on right now is as much about impacting the U.S. election as it is Iraq.
Either way, this latest barbarity was more heartbreaking than most. 50 of the people Iraq most needs rounded up and slaughtered... I'd have trouble believing that there was not inside assistance on this attack.
It is incorrect to say that the situation is based solely on American elections. You also have to consider that Iraqi elections are coming.
It is quite conceivable that the pulback in Fallujah was due to Iraqi political concerns as much as, if not more than, American. If you remember the president of Iraq, al-Yawar, complained loudly at the time.
Allawi also managed to give speeches in America that used specific language commonly used as buzz words by the Bush administration.
Such credibile evidence as I've seen says Bush personally okayed the first assault on Fallujah and then personally ordered it stopped just days later. I rather doubt that Allawi told him what to do there.
We shall see if your theory is correct however; my theory is that the assault will begin after our elections but before theirs are held.
Time will tell us won't it?
Mauri, you don;t know Iraqi and Iraqi people to categorize 20 percent of iraqis as twits and deserve to be kicked out.....
u think that sunni arabs all support the resistance and these cowardly acts,... trying expressing ur opinions with a gun to ur head and spies all around u .........
this is such an unfair statement to make and as an iraqi whose not even sunni arab i find it insulting you would generalise about a whole segment of iraqi's population based on the actions of the unedcuated brainwashed few who are in it only for the money and not the idealogy
Alaa, I wonder if you might comment on this article by Tom Friedman of the NY Times. Do Iraqis really refer to the americans as "the jews"?
Scott,
I don't know which article you refer to as you have not put up the link. The kind of Iraqis who refer to americans as "the jews", are the very same kind who are likely to perpetrate the atrocities that are happening. As far as most of us are concerned we don't refer to americans in this way nor do we particularly "dislike" the jews either.
Alaa
Scott,
To follow up on the previous comment regarding the jews. What I really meant is that we make a clear distinction between the attitude to a person due to his religion or race, and a political problem such as the Palestinian issue.And the Jewish people as a people are a lot older than this problem, and besides, are very closely related with Mesopotamia in their origin.
Alaa
Alaa...Bravo. You are so right about the sectarianism and the danger of turning against the government. People are angry at Sunnis and blaming them. This is Al Queda's goal. Be careful.
Alaa,
"The mood of the people is quite near to boiling point, and they might turn even against the Interim Goverment."
I can understand how fear can cause people to surrender and help terrorists advance their goals (as they did in Spain). But I would think if it was more rage than fear the "enraged" people would fight against Zarqawi's ambitions. What can they hope to possibly acheive by turning against the Interim Goverment? How would this honor those who have been slaughtered by Zarqawi?
Salaam
Hello Alaa,
I think I have even heard wahabbis refer to Shia as 'jews' , i.e. almost everyone except them is a jew. This indicates an obvious mental defect. Sensible Arabs need to scrutinize this bizarre childish mentality which is not suitable for adults.
Alaa,
The slaughter of so many people, who were only trying to help their country, is absolutely digusting. The people of Iraq have every right to be furious. I am, and I am not Iraqi. But if you don't direct that anger at the right people, this will just continue.
Sami,
I know it's hard to fight back when you are scared to death. But, if you sit back and do nothing, aren't you dead anyway? Is there any choice? The people who would do this are not the people you want in charge of your country. Nor would you want any of their alies. Whoever they may be.
Hold on, brave Iraqis!
It is now clear that John F. Kerry will be elected President of the United States and the Crusader Bush and his lackys driven from power.
Even before he assumes office, John Kerry will appologize to the United Nations for America's agressive and illegal war against Iraq. He will convene a peace conference that includes the Muslim states and representatives of the Iraqi Resistance. As soon as he is inaugurated (20 January), he will stop all attacks by the American forces and prepare for their quick withdrawal.
Rest assured as well that President Kerry will ensure that the American military forces will no longer have the ability to interfere in the affairs of independent countries.
John Kerry means PEACE ON EARTH!
Hi,Lee C.
Warm greetings to you old friend. It gives me pleasure simply to see your name here.
I have just broken the fast, and you know one is in a kind of stupor after fasting the whole day. So I am trying to muster sufficient energy to answer your question why the people might turn against the goverment. So just give me a little time to digest the food.
Regards.
Alaa
again, though I hate to sound like a petty attention whore, I must point out that there is a campaign underway to try (among other things) to give comfort to the Iraqi Police and Armed Forces that has not been getting ANY attention for some time now.
if you feel that you have something to contribute, or would spare the time to write so much as a short "thank you" to these brave souls, EMAIL ME or go to World Inquiry (also linked on the right of this web page) and drop a line with commments, ideas or contructive feedback. the IP cannot afford to be "summertime patriots" and neither should you.
regards-
Chris
Why would you say such things "BushLied"? Even if you HOPE President doesn't get re-elected, there is very little evidence he won't be. He continues to lead in virtually every opinion poll that is published. Regardless of who wins the election, it will be necessary for the U.S. to finish what was started and provide the required security so the brave Iraqi people can proceed to free, democratic elections in January and move their country forward from there. It does no one any good for you to spout your obvious personal dislike for the U.S. President -- whom I predict will be viewed far more kindly by historians than he is today by people like you. Lets spend our energies on discussing the best ways to help the Iraqi people put a stop to the sort of atrocities being committed by Zarqawi and his bloody henchmen.
I suspect the anti-government reaction is based on "Why aren't you protecting us?" thinking.
I wonder if this will cause a drop or surge in enlistments. So far, these atrocities have not discouraged recruits, but increased their determination to get in there and DO something.
Lee C;
Everything you say about Fallujah is based on the assumption/conclusion the assault is being delayed. Even accepting that (which I don't, particularly) there are lots of other possibilities. How about: it will begin a day or two before the voting to give a boost to Bush's image as a man of action, and highlight the Kerry=Wimp Factor? Or whatever.
From half a world away, I worry that frustration at the terrorism will turn the Iraqi public against the Allawi and the government. They will be seen as not tough enough on crime and my fear is that voters will turn to hard-liners in January at the expense of freedom and justice. This is why I am a broken record about the US getting control over security and fast. Just like the American public is accused of having a limited attention span, I think Iraqis will only put up with this for so long, and my fear is that the backlash will be against their own government. Boy do I hope I'm wrong on this or that somehow these problems are overcome before January.
Alaa,
The Friedman article Scott was referring to is on his "homepage" link.
It's here Jews, Israel and America
I have to say that I've read many articles over the past two years in which reporters interview Iraqis on the street who refer to the U.S. soldiers as "Jews". It may be a minority of people who think and say this but it seems to be a fairly sizable minority, especially among the uneducated.
.
Alaa, I was at a loss today as I saw the photos of the recruits. The flower of the nation butchered like that. I have no words to describe my anger.
Lisa/NY, 'lo. Long time no see.
And Rachel? YOU are the racist, not Maury.
Maury, I know that for a long time you have been advocating that KSA should have been the target, not Iraq. I agree with you that KSA is the head of the snake. They have allowed, no, encouraged, no, created the Islamist monster.
Indeed, the deeper cause of concern for the ME is not so much WMD but Islamism. But you will agree with me that there is NO way an intervention in KSA could ever have been sold politically.
Alaa
I always read everything you write. I just don't always make comments anymore. (I'm fairly unpopular ‘round here for not being a great supporter of Bush and not being shy about it, and this often leads to distractions.)
Brian H wrote: "How about: it will begin a day or two before the voting to give a boost to Bush's image as a man of action, and highlight the Kerry=Wimp Factor?"
That's rather farfetched, but instead of arguing about why, I'll let you stand with that one and we'll soon enough see. Take ‘bout a week.
Didn't say it was especially likely, just pointing out that there is a range of other possibilities. Another is that the preparatory steps for achieving maximum results with minimum damage to civilians and public opinion haven't been completed. There are lots more.
Lots of "reasons" will be given.
Simple matter of fact is I predict that the assault on Fallujah will be undertaken soon after our election (assuming Bush wins as seems likely). I also assume the Bush administration will deny that getting the election behind him had anything to do with the timing.
I further assume you'll choose to believe that.
Kerry was before congress lieing while Americans were in Vietnam dieing.
Stolen Honor
Kerry Lied,
You are right on. I was in one of the biggest anti vietnam demonstrations in DC in the spring of 1971 (my university had been shut down and busses were offered us, so we went). Those were amazing times and I learned a lot about my fellow americans (people of all walks of life were there and all political positions). I clearly remember watching as some were seduced by the power of getting up in front of 100,000 people and speaking into the microphone. The speaches started with cries of "get out of Vietnam" and progressed to "down with Nixon" and finally "down with the US Government" (wuthout any notion of what would replace it). I thought those people and the ones waving North Vietnamese flags were truely wacked in the head. Then last year I found out that Kerry had throwni his medals away st one such rally. That blew any possible support from me for him. Now it is all confirmed in Swiftboat vets testimony (including ALL of the officers in the chain of command to the top, Admiral Hoffman) and in Stolen honor. He should have been prosecuted for treason for what he did. He and a handful of "vets against the war" actually almost slnglehandedly delayed the war (when the North Vietnamese were about to give up on the drive to take South Vietnam...the discovery of the antiwar movement in the US bouyed them up)and then Kerry in his Winter War ploy got families of prisoners of war being held in NV to testify that their sons or husbands had committed acts of atrocities in return for supposed more leniency. But instead it was death to some and more torture for the rest. And this is the man running for our President? This is the one who threatens to sue these brave men who come forward to testify? This is the man who may be in a position to put his hand on the bible and swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States to the best of his abilities? When he is already abusing the first amendment? This is the one who threatens to sue if he doesn't win? Two lawyers running the country...are we nuts? I am a liberal democrat and you couldn't pay me a million dollars to get me to vote for this man. He is being seduced by the power he seeks. You will know a man by his fruits, not his words (for the tongue can decieve)...and his fruits are rotten to the core. God save us from his coming to power.
Hey, Bush Lied...
Your quote?..."John Kerry means PEACE ON EARTH!"
Sorry...John Kerry means NEW WORLD ORDER and the end to humanity as a whole as he stumbles into total addiction to power. Once his tour through the European capitals is complete he sells out our soverignty for a pack of lies and sells out Israel to appease his new european friends. And it will go downhill from there. IF we elect him. Get a clue. He is being seduced by power and peace is merely his public plan. The one he has in his head is New World Order.
{{I have to say that I've read many articles over the past two years in which reporters interview Iraqis on the street who refer to the U.S. soldiers as "Jews".}}
I see the main problem here is the N.Y.Times otherwise known as Al-Jazeera of the West. I do not trust anything that they publish. There policy on Iraq and Bush is to stop both of them at any cost. They are like Kerry. Keep lying and hope some of it sticks. Both of them have to contantly issue retractions due to lies.
When Friedman interviews these people he does not do it in private. What would happen if the person says something good and he is overheard by the "insurgents"?. Friedman walks away and this guy knows he is going to get whacked. Also he could keep interviewing people and showing only the ones that agree with whatever point he is trying to get across. After all, who would know any different. I would like to see any article written by this rag showing the war in a positive light.
I find that these blogs are the most honest since they are able to post without fear of punishment. Plus it offers somewhat anonimity. If it wasn't for reading these blogs, I would be like all the other sheep wanting to pull out because we were not welcome their.
Commenting by HaloScan
