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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (43911)	3/30/2003 1:10:09 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50167

The suicide bombing in Iraq Zachary Latif The suicide bombing in Iraq is not indicative of a deep seated ramification to the conflict. It is merely an abberation in Saddam's resistance to the American liberation effort. When in the future a taxi driver approaches a checkpoint and signals for help I doubt that 5 American soldiers will now go to his assistance. Suicide bombings will not turn the tide of any conflict and will not levy unacceptable losses on American soldiers. The Anglo-American garrisons outside Iraqi cities are somewhat cutoff from access and therefore will not be susceptible to the waves of suicide bombings as seen in Israel. Suicide bombings are an effective tactic against civilian population, where it can induce a tense climate of fear however it cannot unseat a military base. The armchair analysts have queried as to why there are no refugees, indeed the questions are being asked whether the Iraqis “want to be liberated?” In such a successful military effort there is no need for Iraqis to take refuge in neighbouring countries. Refugees are a common feature only when there is a instinctive fear of extermination, for instance the ravaging Mongols created waves of refugees in Central Asia, Iran and Iraq. The war effort is going well despite the illusions and drapes being covered around the conflict. Paradoxically despite the micro-coverage by news organisations, analysts are generally lost about the course of the war. Sky News, Fox News, BBC, ITV and CNN have divided the coverage of the war leading to an excessive attention to the minutiae of the war, which has no general relevance to the war effort. When BBC devote a 10mn£ and ITV devotes more than 10% of its annual budget to the war effort, they need to recoup their investment by giving a detailed coverage of the areas where their reporters are based. Thus viewers have no general overview of the war because its reportage has been fragmented by the numerous war efforts. At least during WW2 and the Vietnam War when instant coverage and gratification was not common, there was a general knowledge of the underlying trend of the conflict. I can only say this about the conflict in that the oil fields and terminals are secure. Basra will fall within a few days and with the capture of Najaf and Kerbala the Shi’ites of Iraq will sway towards the Americans. I doubt that Saddam will be able to hold on to Baghdad rather within a week the virgin walls of Baghdad will be violated once again. Baghdad’s wide avenues prevent urban combat and the American troops may have to secure neighbourhood by neighbourhood nevertheless with the capture of Nasyriah the supply route and the logistic operations will ensure that they will be able to persevere. The war is going according to plan and the Allies have captured enough territory to cower Saddam for a lifetime. The north has capitulated, Baghdad is being encircled and the south is in the throes of liberation. I wonder where those armchair analysts get the baloney that the “war is not progressing according to plan”. In this age of instance gratification patience is a virtue especially if you want to get the job done right. The Allies could have taken Iraq within a day but at the cost of 500,000 civilian lives, as the UN report stated. The trade off for negligible casualties is the delayed operation of a few weeks and I personally believe it’s worth it. Iraq is an artificial nation as I highlighted in the Arab East Trilogy. It is not endowed with the historical integrity of Iran, India, Pakistan or Turkey and therefore the seeds of nationalism has not been sown in the Iraqi population for them to perceive it as a war of conquest. The Iraqis are not aware of the concept of nationhood and would have rallied had they believed the Anglo-Americans were threatening Islam. Despite Saddam's overt propaganda they know this not to be true. Suicide bombings, entrenched soldiers and guerrilla fighters are the desperate resorts of a dying regime; the civilian population welcome the Anglo-American troops. A few of Saddam’s henchman can indeed block the advance of Anglo-American troops and that is because the Anglo-Americans place such a premium on life, Iraqi and America. Thus for the first time military objectives have incorporated a direct imperative on preserving the civilian population of Iraq, it is truly a war of liberation! A friend of mine received a SMS, which questioned whether it was a coincidence that the Gulf War started on the third day of the third week of the third month of the third year of the third millennium and the message went on to state that perhaps it was the inauspicious beginnings of world war 3. I tend to see this as world war 3 and Saddam is Hitler Incarnate (here is the link describing his culpability in the genocide of the Marsh Arabs). I decry the loss of life however it must be remembered that good people must be sacrificed to prevent the emergence and indeed continuance of another Nazi tyranny. The Anglo-American blood shed shows the extent to which these two powers are ready to go in order to strengthen the stability of the globe. Thousands may lose their lives but it also sends a message to the world that America and Britain will flex their muscles and lose lives in order to guard their own self-interests and that of civilisation. Blood must be spilt so that every generation may know the cost of liberty and liberation efforts are critical so that the oppressed peoples of the world may know the meaning of hope. For liberation efforts let us remind ourselves of our Afghani brothers and their progress under the new regime. Zachary Latif 15:14