>Am I imagining things, or is the Iraqi army kicking a surprising amount of
>ass? The Brits kicked out of Basra, irregulars shooting down Apaches... I'm
>amazed. This could wind up quite humiliating for the US and UK.
Let's not match the breathless propaganda overreach of Rumfeld and company with our own-- it turns out that the Iraqi people's nationalism trumps whatever hatred they have of Hussein, so they are fighting fiercely and imposing casualties that are unexpected. But you still have had a country overrun and its capital city besieged in less than a week-- the casualties from city fighting will no doubt be gruesome and the political costs of victory astronomical, but I wouldn't overdo it.
In fact, the US is rapidly trying to raise expectations of the odds facing them-- throwing out estimates of US casualties of 12,000-- just so when the losses are less they can trumpet their success now, a quick propaganda switch, but it's stupid of the left to help them change the expectations game yet.
The Iraqi forces are being overwhelmed by the most sophisticated army in history and any resistance is impressive, but they will lose.
The real story is that the existence of any resistance by broad sectors of the population shows the lie that this is a war of liberation. It is that political message that is toxic for the Bushies, since that kills the last justification for their flouting of the Security Council.
-- Nathan Newman