The US is failing in Iraq and hatred of the occupation is greater than ever, writes Jonathan Steele in today's Guardian. Recent massive protests against the American presence, vast areas of the country out of "coalition" hands and largely lawless and the desire of the US to maintain permanent bases in the country all contribute to the impression that Iraq is not welcoming democracy, as we're told by governments and its obedient media minions.
The US is increasingly not wanted in the country and no amount of spin can disguise this brutal fact. How long before Bush, Blair or Howard acknowledge that its troops are no longer wanted?
The US is increasingly not wanted in the country and no amount of spin can disguise this brutal fact. How long before Bush, Blair or Howard acknowledge that its troops are no longer wanted?
3 Comments:
Loewenstein, I thank you. I am so chuffed, I've dedicated a post on my blog to you on this topic. You are a God! :-)
The truth may make break your teddy free.
By Simon Tisdall, in the same issue of the Guardian:
It would not do to get too excited. But last weekend's peaceful demonstration in Baghdad by thousands of supporters of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was one of several recent signs that US-driven attempts to cultivate democracy in Iraq may be approaching a fork in the road, if not quite a turning point.
Mr Sadr's Mahdi army spent much of last year fighting American occupation troops. Even after an October truce, the movement did not renounce the use of force and was distinctly ambivalent about January's election.
But Saturday's demonstration, the largest that postwar Iraq has seen, suggested that the Sadrists' strategy has definitively changed. Instead of a return to shootings and bombings, they said they would be protesting and lobbying the new Shia-led government as part of a non-violent campaign to secure a US and British withdrawal.
Astoundingly optimistic for the Guardian and contrary to Steele's spin.
Nice to see you're still overusing the scare quotes, by the way.
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