[PRINTER-FRIENDLY] Welcome! Our goal is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from the global War on Terror that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. The briefing is being split today. This post will focus on Iraq, while its counterpart handles The Wider War.
TOP TOPICS
* Chief Administrator Paul Bremer explains what's next in Iraq. Max Boot says one of the things that has to be next is a change in Bremer's CPA (login: laexaminer/laexaminer).
* Speaking of needed changes, Chief W. in Iraq is kicking in doors to get a bunch of Iraqi generals released. Here's why (he was their interrogator). Here's how you can help.
* Trent Telenko briefed me on this, and it finally migrated from TNR.com to a fully public site. Martin Peretz's "Passive Saboteurs" notes that the U.N. and NGOs appear to be bugging out of Iraq on ideological grounds. That's why this conservative believes in the Cuban relief model instead.
Other Topics Today Include: Iraq's education & court systems; Cheering for the smut peddlars; Much debate on the road ahead from left and right; Zogby poll of Iraqis; Salam Pax's thoughts; How 'Chemical Ali' escaped Baghdad; Which 'Baath Poker' cards have we got; How to support the troops.
IRAQ: Reconstruction & Renewal
* Boomshock has an excellent piece about Iraq's new education system and its challenges, including de-Ba'athification (use laexaminer/laexaminer to log in). Is there a better way to reduce the influence of radical Islam? Boomshock says one Iraqi university may already be pointing the way.
* Another Boomshock article explains why he's cheering for the smut peddlars in Iraq.
* Baghdad Bulletin runs an article on the struggles of Iraq's court system as violent crime rates remain high. Considering the fact that the system was packed with Ba'athists and that Saddam emptied the jails just before the allied attack, it's a wonder things aren't worse.
IRAQ: The Road Ahead
* Criticism from Kristol & Kagan: "In short, it is foolish--and we believe irresponsible--for the administration to place all its bets on being able to find tens of thousands of foreign forces to fill the dangerous gap in Iraq in the coming months.... the fact is that, at the end of two months of U.N. diplomacy, the United States is unlikely to have found real help. And then what will the administration do?"
* Oxblog grasps what's behind this article. Speaking as someone of the neocon persuasion, I think he's generally correct - except for the part about Rumsfeld.
* If you want a preview of Gen. Wesley Clark's coming talking points re: Iraq as he campaigns for the Democrats, Ara Rubyan has an article for you. Ara himself also insists on unconditional surrender before reconstruction, a position I believe to be unwise.
* Newsweek's Richard Wolfe explains what to expect at the U.N. over the next couple of months. Meanwhile, Jack Kelly sounds like Trent Telenko as he describes a scenario of history repeating itself. Or was it all just the muddled product of bureaucratic infighting? Doesn't matter. Question is now how events will unfold, and how the U.S. Administration will use those events as it makes new decisions.
* The U.N. may not even matter - India, the big prize for going the U.N. route, says it's too busy in Kashmir to spare troops anyway. Diplomatic posturing, or a signal that even a U.N. resolution won't be enough to get meaningful international help?
* Steven Den Beste sees solid progress - in Iraq, and with respect to the global strategy. He also looks at the role of the U.N., and what's behind the positions of the various global players. Mark Steyn agrees, in fewer words, less detail, and trademark style.
* Stephen Schwartz suggests a better and more reliable form of help: patriotic American Muslims. He names names, and the depth of feeling in the wake of the Najaf bombing is very interesting.
IRAQ: General
* Dean's World links to this Zogby Poll of the Iraqi people. Interesting.
* It isn't a poll, but Salam Pax has been offering a wide-ranging perspective on Iraq via online Q&A sessions. They're pretty good. It's useful to understand that Salam's father was a high-ranking Ba'ath Party member, and that Salam leans strongly leftward.
* Baghdad Bulletin has a story on how "Chemical Ali" escaped from Baghdad as American troops captured the city. He's now in custody.
* Which "cards" have we captured so far? The CENTCOM list. And the visual version of "Ba'ath Poker."
* The troops are still there. So is the Winds of Change.NET consolidated directory of ways you can support the troops. American, British and Australian. Anyone out there with more information, incl. the Poles and Czechs? [updated August 19, 2003]
Yes, the article by Col. Mike Turner said it all.
And, I've quoted and cited to Robert Kagan before, but William Kristol? Wow, that's when you know Bush is in trouble on this issue.
Yeah, I suppose one can always cheer for smut peddlers. :)
Since when is Salam Pax's father "a high ranking Baath Party member?" Is this proven? Where is your CONCRETE EVIDENCE?
Here we go again. I am very disappointed in you.
Salam Pax has admitted this himself. It's not exactly some obscure fact, or a secret of any kind. You had to be a Ba'athist to be in any position of prominence, and being sent to Geneva as a representative of the regime certainly qualifies as high-ranking. Doesn't mean his dad loved Saddam, but as a statement of pure fact what I said is unassailable.
As for leaning strongly leftward, the guy grew up in a family that was part of a state socialist apparatus, and since the war he has noted a soft spot for the Iraqi Communist party.
That's legitimate in order to the reader make informed judgments. In this case, however, it mostly heightens the contrast with the hopeful and "some things suck but overall good things are happening" tone of Salam's interview responses as he discusses the situation in Iraq.
You know, Joe, I have to tell you that I strongly disagree with you on this issue. So, we'll have to agree to disagree.
I do not think it is appropriate or ok or acceptable to bring Salam's father into a discussion of Salam at all whatsoever. Salam is 30 yrs old and an adult and has lived away from home on his own. More importantly, Salam IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AT ALL WHATSOEVER for anything his relatives or father may or may not have said or done.
Beyond that, you don't seem to realize what kind of a cesspool and hornets' nest you are stepping into with denouncements and twisted motivations and betrayals and phony depictions, etc. You really don't know. And I wouldn't touch that with ten-foot pole. The former nazis who were our assets were supposed to be strongly anti-commie, and then sold our secrets to marcus wolfe and the east german commies. So, don't be so sure that what you believe is true.
I believe nothing. It is called a wilderness of mirrors. And I must insist that whatever you suspect or believe about Salam's father is: 1)irrelevant and 2)your belief which should not be confused with proven, concrete facts.
I am admittedly a real stickler on this issue, starting from the Nuremberg Tribunals.
Dude, Chill.
Salam's dad is not a bad man, and is not responsible for evils to my knowledge, and I've never suggested otherwise. Nor have I said anything about betrayal or poor motives. I'm sure the Iraqi generals I'm campaigning to have released were Ba'athists too. That may be legitimate cause for suspicion absent any other information, but it's hardly definitive. Indeed, "Salam Pax Sr." is actually MORE optimistic that his son about what can be achieved with the Americans (again, in SP's own words).
SP Sr. WAS incontrovertibly a high functionary, and Salam Pax grew up in that environment, and yeah it's highly relevant to understanding where he's coming from. Personally, for me it adds to the surprise when I read SP's measured and optimistic tone, and it also helps snap some of the criticisms into focus. NOT to mention it would be an important omission, just as talking about a political commentator without mentioning, say, an affiliation with the Heritage Foundation would be an important and material omission.
Salam's background, and his dad's, also adds perspective to discussions of the Sunni Triangle area where many former Ba'athists live. If they're like that, perhaps the area isn't so hopeless after all. That's a pretty important insight.
But you'll never think of it if you don't know anything about Salam Pax or his family past.
According to you, the Baath Party now has my address in NJ. And I am not thrilled about that. Fortunately, I have Jerry Bremer's personal email address in case something untoward happens. I hope it doesn't because I already have enough problems without them.
Please drop Jerry a line about the Generals, button. We'd all be grateful.
Meanwhile, you heard the man - Baath Party at his place! wooo hoo! Bring the beer, and wear your bathing suits.
I'll stick with the Wilderness of Mirrors.
Thanks anyway.
JOE:
In what specific location are these abandoned generals? Is there a name or code name for their camp?
Also, who is in charge of them, their supervisory officer?
Such as: The abandoned generals interred in Camp Howdy near Basra under the command of General Whatzitz or Colonel Nudnik.
Do you have any identifying info so that Bremer could locate them? Maybe they fell through the cracks.
They definitely fell through the cracks. This is bureaucratic BS more than anything else.
And re: the specifics, I'll ask The Chief. He may not be allowed to tell me, but it's worth a try.
No wonder.
Its bureaucratic nonsense in that no one with the authority to recommend release wants to be responsible for the decision.