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November 18, 2003
Iraq: on losing
In many ways this article says all that needs to be said:
Fear Grows Among Iraqis in U.S. Employ
Several American Allies Killed in Mosul
By Daniel Williams
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, November 18, 2003; Page A14
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54195-2003Nov17.html
The US lacks langauge capacity, going after the "eyes and ears" is easy. I might add that I have not terribly much confidence in the translators themselves. By personal observation in other contexts, the translators people pick up in such circumstances are rarely good, and usually come with agendas. Certainly there is no lack of agendas in Iraq.
However, the real question is how to avoid disaster.
It is harder and harder to think about this question and feel optimistic. Certainly getting monies flowing into Iraq I hope will help. I also hope that the idiocy of this "shock and awe" airstrikes on guerillas will end in favor of more of a spy game. I remain firmly convinced that only by minimizing Iraqi casualties, minimizing "collateral damage" and by engaging in no small bribery can the negative evolution be stopped.
Will that happen?
Sadly I think not, everything I hear suggests the Bush Administration is in a muddle, stumbling along with reactive policies more aimed at trying to get good spin for elections than truly working on the problem.
Posted by The Lounsbury at November 18, 2003 10:32 AM
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Jan-Dec 2003
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