Forgive me if I take the opportunity to toot my own horn, although the news is not so great, alas. I predicted many months ago that at some point the US would have to massacre a lot of people, especially in the wake of a withdrawal, if not from the entire country, at least from the populated areas (I have also predicted that they would withdraw to more remote bases within Iraq, but "never" leave. I'd like to see the details of the "Enduring Bases" scheme to check this).
That moment may have arrived. This whole episode smells like a premeditated provocation straight out of the Ariel Sharon playbook. And it makes sense - why would the Bushies set a hard and fast date for "handover" (to help get Bush re-elected), only to allow whatever pathetically weak puppet regime they left behind to be immediately overthrown?
No, first they'd have to smoke out the potential opponents and then kill them all. That, I'm afraid, is what has begun now. The official responses from Bush on down seem to have two characteristics: 1) they feel prefabricated and 2) they demand "victory at all costs". The language is revealing, Sadr City is now routinely referred to as a "filthy slum", anti-occupation forces are bulls-eyed as "militants" and "terrorists", demonization of Al Sadr as the new Evil One, and so forth.
The US is, longer term, also angling to provoke an Iraqi civil war where no one wins.
So don't listen to all this naive squawking about Iraq "spinning out of control". Listen to your Veep. Everything is going to plan.
It will lead to the demise of US imperialism, but that is another question.
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On Schwartz, I don't see the point of "conversing" with someone who thinks, if you are not with him, you're with Bandar. Schwartz is a _reactionary_ lunatic, with the emphasis on the politics.
However, if he wants to go and fight to overthrow the Saudi royals, more power to him. In fact, I'll chip in to pay his fare. Go on, overthrow what is probably the oldest US client regime in the world (since the 1930's, it's a New Deal "but they're our bastards" original) ! I'll be there - most assuredly on the sidelines in this inter-imperialist, right-nationalist brawl - cheering on the Schwartz-Al-Ahmed Brigades in their heroic struggle against the Evil Caped Fat Bearded Ones, as they fight them block by block in Ridayh, Jiddah and Mecca. That's right, destroy US imperialism. I've got more rope for that if you need it.
The ultimate in Useful Idiocy. But there is an overabundance of useful idiots in the world today, and Schwartz is surely "surplus product". The projected "Enduring Bases" will do that job.
-Brad