Sour Grapes
Of course we're Fair and Balanced!

2004-04-15

An overview of what's happening in Iraq

I like what Eric Margolis has to say about this a lot [via Thomas Frantz].



Any junior imperialist knows the first thing you do when you conquer someone?s country is to buy the loyalty of its existing armed forces, government and police. Otherwise you will have armies of angry, unemployed potential rebels roaming the streets ? Iraq being Exhibit A.


Bremer?s third horrible blunder came this week. The US Proconsul, who is supposedly bringing the light of democracy to Iraq, shut down a tiny, 10,000 circulation Shia newspaper and arrested its editor for "spreading anti-American views" and calling Bremer rude names. The paper?s publisher was firebrand Shia mullah Muqtada el-Sadr, who has been calling on Iraqis to resist US occupation.


Bremer turned Sadr, a little-respected junior cleric with a limited following, into an overnight hero to restive Shias, and a new American villain.


Another a good reason not to have shut down this little newspaper is that it would have been the right thing to do! Especially since the US is reportedly trying to establish a free and democratic nation there.



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