Opinion
An ominous victory
Yoram Schweitzer
Published: 25.10.07, 21:04
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7 Talkbacks for this article
1. America reinforced Al-Qaeda by invading Iraq
David L.   (10.25.07)
At least 2000 suicide bombers have attacked Americans, Iraqi military, police and civilians alike since the US invasion. Dozens of thousands of people have died as a result. None of these suicide bombings would have occured had the US stayed out of Iraq. 99% of these suicide bombers were not member of Al-Qaeda before the US invasion. They all decided to go for jihad after the start of the war. Where is the net victory against Al-Qaeda here? Every victory the US claims against Al-Qaeda in Iraq is in fact only a victory against something that was created due to the invasion. All insurgents killed by the americans would not have been insurgents if the Americans were not there in the first place. Americans in Iraq are now only destroying something they build themselves after 9/11.
2. #1- Sport, I recall no shortage of dummies in search.......
Cameron ,   USA   (10.26.07)
of a religious death-wish holding back from joining Al Qaeda before 9-11, before we rolled into Afghanistan, or the move into Iraq. 9-11 was simply the formal green-light for these barbarians to go on the offensive with surreal amounts of murder & mayhem within their own Islamic societies. No apologies for putting an end to those prior vicious, malevolent regimes. Given the poisonous nature & agenda of Al Qaeda and like groups, there will be other arenas we will be forced to enter. For the safety of you & your family, you'd do well to wish the US armed forces all the luck and success they can swing.
3. #1
Bruce ,   Orlando USA   (10.26.07)
Hey Dave, finally someone who realizes that we should have left Sadam Hussien in Power. Yeah, he did not kill, rape, bomb or posion any of his people. Or invade or attack the neighboring countries. The guy was a blessed angel loved by all Iraqis and we killed him. Shame on us.
4. To David #1. Only Government Has MONOPOLY For
Maansingh ,   The Netherlands   (10.26.07)
You write :"All insurgents (i.e. islamofascists) killed by the Americans would not have been insurgents (i.e. islamofascists) ..". AT LEAST those islamofascists have been removed from the scene -- so, that can NOT be a bad thing. THE less islamofascists we have in the world -- the MORE peaceful the world will be. THE Sunnis and Shiites of Iraq have finally realized that there is NO benefit in killing each other. WHY ? Because we have to live TOGETHER with each other on THIS planet Earth peacefully. BTW only the Government of the State has the MONOPOLY for the use of violence. The Government is of course CONTROLLED and checked by the Parliament. SO, anyone else using violence in the country is punishable by the DEATH- penalty. REGARDING (Saddam Hussein of) Iraq : IF you challenge the civilized world -- you pay the price for your STUPIDITY.
5. #1: NOT ONLY THAT: IT ALSO WEAKENED ISRAEL
Gideon   (10.26.07)
6. Schweitzer's Stupefying Spin
new_york_loner ,   Rochester, NY USA   (11.06.07)
Yoram Schweitzer should submit his resume to the White House, the embattled Bush regime is in dire need of a convincing spin-meister. Nobody has ever quite filled the big and shiny shoes of White House Spokesperson, Ari Fleischer, but Yoram should give it a shot. Even the most loyal Bushites shy away from declaring any sort of "victory" in Iraq, but Yoram speaks of an "ominous victory" and "impressive successes achieved by US-led coalition forces against al-Qaeda in their principal strongholds of Anbar and Dialla." With all due respect to the erudite Jaffee scholar, that's putting an unrealistically positive spin on events in Iraq. The truth is, under General Petraeus direction, the Al-Qaeda-fighting "Sunni chieftains" are being bribed into temporary acquiescence. Calling that an "ominous victory" is wishful thinking. With US arms and money pouring in, the former insurgents can now afford to rest, regroup, re-arm and eventually re-emerge - once the US cash flow stops or if the local paradigm shifts. The Iraqis are not stupid, if the US wants to throw more money around, in hopes of purchasing loyalty, the clever Iraqis will take the cash and act the part of a loyal ally. After four years of war and occupation, they certainly know how to play that role. I hope that Yoram Schweitzer is right and that I am proven wrong on this, but I fear that gullible Uncle Sam has "been had" once again.
7.  "American declaration of victory" ??
new_york_loner ,   Rochester, NY USA   (11.06.07)
Yoram Schweitzer referred to a "recent American declaration of victory against al-Qaeda in Iraq". I Googled that and found that no American official has recently issued any such "declaration of victory". Yoram has based his argument on a nonexistant "declaration". The "declaration" that Yoram is so enthused about came from Sheik Omar Jabouri. Here's the cut/paste from Michael Yon's authoritative blog - “Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated,” according to Sheik Omar Jabouri, spokesman for the Iraqi Islamic Party and a member of the widespread and influential Jabouri Tribe. Speaking through an interpreter at a 31 October meeting at the Iraqi Islamic Party headquarters in downtown Baghdad, Sheik Omar said that al Qaeda had been “defeated mentally, and therefore is defeated physically.”
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