Merry Christmas, Dean is Over
Merry Christmas, Dean is Over - The Strib Editorial Board comments about the capture of Hussein.
Not like there's anything new here.
"• In Iraq, as President Bush said in his Sunday address, the people now know that Saddam will never return to power. The Iraqis now can invest themselves fully in working for a post-Saddam Iraq.
But what form will that investment take? All Americans can hope it knocks the wind from the sails of the insurgents who have been killing American troops. But will it? Opinions differ widely on that, and a car bombing Sunday night near the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad did not augur well.
"Did not augur well."
Leave aside the obvious question - "Why? Does a bomb - or a dozen, or a hundred car bombs spell defeat? What do you expect the insurgents to do? Quit being absurd, will you?"
Let me ask this: When have the Strib Editoral Board's "Auguries" been correct? They were wrong about the conduct of the war, wrong about its likely outcome...
Stick with reporting, Strib. Your auguring skills need work.
• Saddam's capture also creates a smaller version of the vacuum that developed after the fall of Baghdad to coalition forces. How will Iraqis respond? By pulling together for a united, democratic Iraq? Or will the Sunnis, the Shiites and the Kurds see this as their best opportunity to stake claims to power, possibly igniting a civil war?
Or, maybe, a little bit of both. We don't know.
But we do know one thing; everything that is a positive development for the Administration will be downplayed or ignored in the Strib (like last week's anti-terror demonstrations in Iraq), unless, like the capture of Hussein it is too big to ignore; such things will be spun (ipse this editorial). Anything that doesn't "fit the plan" will be portrayed as a grave question of Bush's judgment.
Saddam's capture also has the potential to remake the Iraq equation internationally -- provided Bush wants it remade. By virtue of the capture, the United States enjoys renewed clout in the region and in national capitals globally -- including Paris, Berlin and Moscow.
Bzzzzt. We enjoy all the clout we need in the region; we have the power, the planes, the bombs, and the country!
A battle royal has been going on within the administration, however, between the old-line Republican establishment and the neocon coterie gathered around Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The old liners want to internationalize the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. The neocons want no part of that, and have actively tried to sabotage such efforts.
Old-liner James H. Baker's mission thus takes center stage. He departs today on a mission that originally was designed to win concessions from Russia, France and other nations on forgiving debt owed them by Iraq. It was reported Sunday from Washington that Baker's portfolio had been broadened.
Does that mean Bush has grasped the significance of the opportunity Saddam's capture presents? Has he given Baker broad authority to seek an internationalization of Iraq's reconstruction in all respects, including totally open bidding on contracts for U.S.-financed construction work in Iraq? If so, that would be progress of great importance.:
Alternate question: Does the Strib understand that they're essentially asking for "internationalization" for its own sake - it will play no useful role in the redevelopment of the country, and may well be harmful? Remember - the people we are keeping out (nearly the
only people we're keeping out!) are the ones that propped Hussein up for decades in the first place!
There have always been two separable questions about Iraq: Should the United States have invaded and will the United States be successful in launching a peaceful, democratic new Iraq? Saddam's capture gives hope for a positive answer to the second question, but it alone says nothing about the first.
Two possible responses:
- Further proof, were any needed, of Berg's Law: "No liberal is capable of simultaneously addressing more than one of the four justifications for the liberation of Iraq; to do so would render his/her case untenable".
- Perhaps the Strib should be excluded from the reconstruction...
If you'd like
coherent commentary about Iraq,
check out Kaus.
Posted by Mitch at
December 16, 2003 06:21 AM
