> If you look back at a history of Vietnam, this sort of thing became absolutely
> rife in the closing stages, as Kissinger, Schlesinger, Martin, Thieu and all of
> their various staffs started leaking like made against each other. The "Decent
> Interval" has begun, the clock is ticking and if you know anyone who you care
> about and who is an Iraqi living in Iraq you need to be telling them to *not*
> wait for things to get better, *not* assume that a disaster isn't imminent and
> *not* assume that it will be possible to evacuate later on when the shit starts
> hitting the fan. I'm gonna write something about this for the Guardian blog
> and I'd appreciate anyone who can spreading the message as far as possible,
> because as far as I can tell, the coalition does not appear to currently have
> even the minimal and shamefully underprepared evacuation plans for its local
> contacts and employees that the US had in the last days of Saigon.
It ain't over until it's over. I believe what dd's describing will happen and will be messy. But Bush is yet to be unhinged. This is the time when all of us, opposed to the occupation of Iraq should be protesting loudly and frequently. UFPJ, International ANSWER, Not In Our Name, etc. -- please take note: We need many local protests. Many. Out Now! Bug the congress people and local officials with Out Now! Now it's the time to do these things.
Because, based on the noise he's making, it seems to me that Bush is taking himself hostage -- challenging the Democrats to pull the plug. Bush relies on the fear that politicos in the DP have to being perceived as "soft" on foreign policy. Rove whispered in his ears that the Dems will not cut the money and that if he leaves the Dem congress do it, they can attribute the failure to them. Supposedly, in the long run, the U.S. people would not forget McGovernite politicians who want the U.S. "to lose." I think there's some very limited self-fulfilling prophecy kind of truth to that, but -- in a fluid situation like this -- it could also turn into BS. I think a lot of people are ready for a serious change in foreign policy, but serious activism is required to reinforce those feelings.
For now, Bill O'Reilly can ask his panicky interviewees: "Don't you want the U.S. to win?" And the Democrat politicians willing to turn the tables on that question are few and far between. So this is the time for the protests to multiply. Public pressure can make all the difference now.