From our archives--has the shit hit the fan yet?

[eridani]

A blast from the past, 3-10-04. Hadn't even thought of al Sadr at the time.

The American goal in Iraq cannot be achieved, other than by locking down the population with methods that make Saddam look like Mother Teresa. You might consider asking your congresscritters what they plan to do about it. You might drop the Kerry campaign a line as well.

The goal--

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17923

Garner added, ''Look back on the Philippines around the turn of the 20th century: they were a coaling station for the navy, and that allowed us to keep a great presence in the Pacific. That's what Iraq is for the next few decades: our coaling station that gives us great presence in the Middle East."

http://pilger.carlton.com/print/124759

As for Iraq's alleged "weapons of mass destruction", these were dismissed, in so many words, as a convenient excuse, which it is. "While the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification," it says,

What the most influential leader of 60% of the Iraqi population thinks about that--

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5757.htm

Iraqi Shiite Leader Seyyid Ali Al-Sistani yesterday warned that he would call for an intifada (uprising) if American soldiers stayed in Iraq after the handover of power on June 30, 2004. He also insisted that there should be a significant role for the Shiite in the future administration of the country, as they make up the majority of the population.

Sistani spoke to the German magazine Der Spiegel and said: "The U.S. presence in Iraq should not be prolonged. The Iraqi public knows how to act. If the U.S. presence is drawn out longer than necessary, I will call for an intifada." The necessary posters reportedly have already been printed and are awaiting distribution to every corner of the country.

[RobertSeattle]

1. I think the Shiite and the Sunni are about to hit the fan

I think it's going to become very apparent soon why Saddam was a dictator - (sadly) it's the only way to govern some arab cultures - otherwise they move to radicalism and factionalism.

[PATRICK]

The obvious

The US cannot be a "kinder gentler Saddam". This is an abused people. Unless Bush withdraws or goes Attila the Hun there can be nothing more than a meatgrinder effect.

Bush's absurd freedom rhetoric is enough to rile anyone. I can imagine the effect on the people whose pocket he is picking with limited death and suppression.

This is totally predictable. The chimp has his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

[PATRICK]

2. The obvious

The US cannot be a "kinder gentler Saddam". This is an abused people. Unless Bush withdraws or goes Attila the Hun there can be nothing more than a meatgrinder effect.

Bush's absurd freedom rhetoric is enough to rile anyone. I can imagine the effect on the people whose pocket he is picking with limited death and suppression.

This is totally predictable. The chimp has his hand stuck in the cookie jar.