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Politics : Dutch Central Bank Sale Announcement Imminent? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GUSTAVE JAEGER who wrote (22378)	2/14/2005 9:24:37 AM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81014

Gus > "This is a government that will have very good relations with Iran. Really?! Check again That's not my opinion, that's the Washington Posts' opinion. As far as I am concerned, the US has opened a Pandora's Box and will not be able to close it. Indeed, by removing the stabilizing influence of Saddam, the US has not only lost the best friend it would ever have had in Iraq, it has lost its influence in the region. Sure, it can bully everyone and make a big noise but the real politik lies elsewhere. IMO, the best option the US has now is to slink away with its tail between its legs -- or else it has to commit itself to further punishment, humiliation, loss of face and expense. This extract from your reference to the election coincides with my own view: >>For its part, Iran will continue to exploit the American lack of control on the ground to push its own influence into Iraq. Sovereign or not, Iraq can expect both Iran and the US to have a hand in the elections planned for next January. (The former Al-Qods officer, Haj Sa'idi, has claimed that Iraqi Shiites are being encouraged to support candidates put in place by Iranian intelligence agents.) On the Iranian side, reformers and radicals alike will put forward a religious and political agenda that is simpler and probably more effective than Washington's plan to use Iraq to spread democracy throughout the Middle East. It is a battle of wits that the Americans did not expect, do not welcome, and, in all probability*, cannot win.<< * that's being generous.