Article

2006-11-24 Iraq

~~Orcs~~ Bombs kill 160 in Baghdad, curfew imposed

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Posted by Fred 2006-11-24 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 A flurry of diplomacy involving Syria and Shi'ite Iran, which Washington says back militants in Iraq, carries high hopes but many question whether any leaders can control the fear and hatred that has taken root in Iraq's heavily armed population.

This is going to be expensive. To the victor go the modern day version of the spoils, I suppose.

Posted by gorb 2006-11-24 03:00|| 2006-11-24 03:00|| Front Page Top

#2 AP sez it's up to 202, now.

Posted by .com 2006-11-24 03:29|| 2006-11-24 03:29|| Front Page Top

#3 If this devolves into civil war, what will happen?

1) break it to 3 states: sunni-stan, shitite-stan and kurd-istan

2) civil war resulting in Iran-controlled shitites having most of the oil, sunnis marginalised, kurds rooted

3) give up on democracy ideal and install a brutal repressive tyrant that is friendly to the west and US interests.

I prefer 1 then 3.

Democracy was too high an ideal here to implement without the necessary force. To build a culture respectful of the rule of law, tolerant and not corrupt or nepotistic required the kind of defeat and occupation Japan and Germany had after WWII. The population NEED to feel utterly defeated to give up their ways and change.
Then they needed martial law, a US soldier on every corner and an occupation - a real occupation - with the US taking control of every aspect of Iraqi life with NO representation. Iraqis do what they're told. Until such time as democratic infrastructure and culture could be built up.

This hasn't happened - of course it couldn't as popular opinion shapes foreign policy in a democracy like America - so now I just want to know if this is going to affect the price of oil and gold?

Oil is cheap now (always goes down when OPEC threatens to 'cut' production) but if civil war in Iraq, will it go up?

Will we be forced to invade Iran?

What do OldSpook and Zenster think of the strategic outcomes likely from Iraq and the Middle East? I respect you guys you are very spot on.

Posted by anon1 2006-11-24 07:53|| 2006-11-24 07:53|| Front Page Top

#4 I say we split our forces, some into Kurdistan where we work with the Kurds to expand their forces and solidify our air bases. The other into the shia oil fields where we defend same and continue the flow of oil, while the sunnis and the shias kill each other with gusto. We should keep control of the skies and track movements of groups on the ground. Eventually, we will catch large numbers crossing into Iraq so we can squash them without warning. After all, why allow the shia to control oil, we won the war, it's ours.

Posted by wxjames 2006-11-24 14:08|| 2006-11-24 14:08|| Front Page Top

23:40 gorb
23:35 Mark Z
23:31 Mark Z
23:28 gorb
23:27 Mark Z
23:21 gorb
23:20 gorb
23:18 Seafarious
23:17 gorb
23:17 Seafarious
23:17 gorb
23:14 Mark Z
23:09 gorb
23:06 gorb
22:59 wxjames
22:57 C-Low
22:48 Zenster
22:44 rjschwarz
22:42 Zenster
22:42 gorb
22:40 Verlaine
22:37 Zenster
22:32 Zenster
22:29 Verlaine