Article

2004-07-05 Iraq-Jordan

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Zenster 2004-07-05 2:37:47 PM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 As Yogi Berra sagaciously opined,
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"

Perhaps Allawi recognizes the "Arab Way" is worth reconsidering. We'll see. The amnesty idea has never been fully reported - who, said what, when, why, etc. Maybe it's essentially a press thingy. And, if so, prolly an Al Jizz ploy. We shall see. Until then, pfeh.

Posted by .com 2004-07-05 3:03:19 PM|| 2004-07-05 3:03:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 I'd like to think this whole "amnesty" concept was merely a trial balloon to test the waters for readily available converts. However, its timing was entirely wrong, as may be its intentions too. It appears as more of an appeasement than any sort of functional disarmament tool and that is the biggest problem of all.

Allawi would gain more "street cred" by going full bore against the insurgents before handing out any free passes. While he's pretty shorthanded at the moment, carefully husbanding Iraq's limited troop strength and making a good show of force in even just one select area (i.e., Fallujah) would make more sense than simply taking it laying down.

Unfortunate as it is, many Middle Eastern cultures apparently respond best to fairly ruthless application of force. While it's important for them to eventually get over such a primative modus operandi, if it remains the only way of telegraphing serious intent, then Allawi must needs be consider doing so.

Sadr's thugs display Neanderthal levels of finesse at best and don't deserve anything else in return. Flowery diplomacy seems pretty well lost on Sadr himself, so hoping that his cadres will comprehend much more than naked application of force is a lot to expect.

Posted by Zenster 2004-07-05 3:26:04 PM|| 2004-07-05 3:26:04 PM|| Front Page Top

17:51 jules 187
17:34 Seafarious
17:33 Sock Puppet of Doom
17:27 Anonymous6584
04:34 Anonymous6390
04:43 Howard UK
04:03 Tobacconist
00:50 Anonymous4617
00:27 Super Hose
00:25 Super Hose
00:21 Super Hose
00:21 Lucky
00:20 Mark Espinola
00:19 Super Hose
00:18 Anonymous5430
00:18 Super Hose
00:15 Super Hose
00:14 Edward Yee
00:13 Lucky
00:12 Super Hose
00:09 Super Hose
00:07 Frank G
00:00 Super Hose
23:54 Super Hose