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You may be right, kingmi. They just released a statement saying that
violent attacks and bombings are down 77% compared to last year's level.
posted by
saul_relative
on November 11, 2007 at 8:10 PM
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saul_relative, I like the question "why is UBL smiling?"
His war can be waged on any front. That last taped message to the Iraqi people where he asked them to forgive the mistakes of his fighters, signaled the end of the Iraq war.
posted by
kingmi
on November 11, 2007 at 6:54 PM
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I really don't think, Corbin, the Pelosi declaration (or whatever the
hell it was) had a lot to do with territorial infringement. I think it may have been a side issue, but I can't see a sovereign nation ready to invade another nation to chase down separtist rebels assaged and diverted simply because of the tabling of some useless and asinine declaration of a century old genocide. There has to be a lot more to it. Still, it couldn't have hurt matters to have that ridiculous distraction taken out of the diplomatic picture. All I have to say about it is this: Since when did Congress (in this case Pelosi and the Armenian Caucus -- yes, there is such a thing) become the dispensers of historical fact? That isn't their damned job. It would do Pelosi and pals well to realize this and get back to legislating in the interests of America.
posted by
saul_relative
on November 3, 2007 at 11:02 AM
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And there you have it, EX TURPI, which is the basis of my reasoning. You
can't stop a homegrown military movement without killing the indigenous population. The last time I checked, there were Geneva Convention statutes against genocide. And the insurgents, militias, and al Qaeda-ists may all be demoralized. It's hard to say. Perhaps luring American into a false sense of victory and complacency? Could be. I don't see this with the rose-tinted glasses some people do; I see this as a gruelling, protracted war of attrition that will ultimately end with Americans leaving Iraq worse than when they invaded, leaving behind a trail of resentment and broken promises.
posted by
saul_relative
on November 3, 2007 at 10:52 AM
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Re:
Notice the situation with Turkey has calmed considerably since Pelosi's resolution was reigned in in Congress......
posted by
Corbin_Dallas
on November 3, 2007 at 10:37 AM
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That's exactly how I see it, Corbin. However, I wonder if this policy,
once these mullahs and warlords and militia leaders get what they want, will end up biting us in the end. Allegiance bought is not true allegiance. I find these mercenary situations quite suspect.
posted by
saul_relative
on November 3, 2007 at 10:35 AM
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Iraq will be further complicated by the situation with Turkey. It could be that the insurgents are exhausted and are demoralized at this point. Yet, nowhere in history, as far as I know, has an insurgency being defeated. They just keep coming back. One is deluded if he concludes otherwise.
posted by
EX_TURPI
on November 3, 2007 at 9:00 AM
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I'll be the first to admit that Rumsfeld had outlived his usefulness......and appointing Petraus was just what we needed. The key has been the coming around of tribal leaders to realized life under Al-Qaeda was going to be much worse that life under the Shiites. As to giving the money to leaders.....we're finally dealing with the in a manner by which they are accustomed. Thousands of years of traditions are still in place and that's how we needed to approach it.....
posted by
Corbin_Dallas
on November 3, 2007 at 8:08 AM
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