News – Eye of the Storm

I believe that, with the conflict and resolution in the Middle East, we’re in the eye of the storm. It’s a relative calm spot between the front and back, which is deceptively tranquil. Of course, with the general anarchy in Iraq now, tranquil is a relative term, not a literal one. Step one is largely achieved. That being the war. Now it seems to me that most matters, save for last bits of fighting, are slowing down as sides ramp up for the next great conflict. Rebuilding Iraq which is likely to be a political field day for the major players on the world scene.

I don’t look to any one power with much trust right now. There are those who have agendas when it comes to Iraq. People both inside and outside of the country, with the Iraqis caught in the middle with the alien taste of ‘freedom’ fresh on their lips. Already we can see their initial use of it, to vent the frustrations of decades after the jubilation itself has calmed. And, lacking orders one way or the others, our military forces seem to be taking a hands off approach which is not the best way, though is quite understandable. After all, we’re here to free them. Exerting control now is a thing that must be done carefully to bring back some semblance of peace and security.

This complicated by the fact that there are elements out there who will likely use this lapse of security to conduct action in Iraq. US forces have been too slow to tighten up the borders and quiet the cities. Aid is coming, but slowly. There should have been plans for airdrops into areas that can’t be reached quickly overland. But for now some go without, which only fuels the state of anarchy and opportunism.

The next wave of the storm is coming. Lets hope we’re all ready for it when it gets here.

US and Kurdish forces take Mosul without conflict, but Baghdad remains in chaos as sporadic fighting, looting and lawlessness continue unchecked despite Bush saying Coalition forces will help maintain law and order. It seems the majority of Saddam’s forces have faded away. Which is good, but I can’t shake that ‘this is too easy’ feeling. Of course, I’ll admit I’m mildly paranoid about some things. I can see seeds of dissent already being sewn. If they’ll take root, I know not, but I can only hope they don’t.

But when I read that Abdul Majid al-Khoei, a US backed cleric who had been living in exile in London until last week, was assassinated yesterday in Iraq’s holiest Shia mosque, it makes me wonder. And worry as there seems no real immediate effort to stem the tide of general lawlessness. The UN itself has come out to say the coalition is breeching the Geneva Conventions by not protecting hospitals from being looted, which they are being.

On a side note, the Kurdish action in the North is raising tensions for Turkey, but thus far things are not escalating. The sellout watch for today is lighter on the US side of selling out the Kurds and more wondering how the situation up there will eventually resolve.

International Papers shows news around the world welcoming the defeat of Saddam and Today’s Papers goes on about the Kurds and the anarchy, but has some interesting tidbits besides. Reports say Iran ahs moved materials to the border and might be firing artillery across the border, as well as fighting near the border of Syria with Iraqi forces. And more on such matters as pending reconstruction efforts and another jab at Syria while Powell asserts there is no list of countries that are ‘next’.

So Peacenick, so Warnick: A lengthy musing of aspects of the war, starting and ending with a question to both sides of general public opinion.

The US has issued a most wanted list of 55 people associated with Saddam’s government who are to be pursued and killed or captured.

Gershom Gorenberg muses the reason he and many Israelis are getting poorer and talks a bit of Israel’s socialism and current state in his latest diary entry.

Seems there’s a ‘fan’ site now for the much beleaguered and deluded Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, the Iraqi information minister. Amusing. 😉 Chatterbox has its last item on him as well, unless he resurfaces in Tikrit.

War Stories looks at why the US military is just so good. I skimmed it lightly and will probably read it better later.

The back and forth on Women in Combat continues. Interesting reading on both sides.

N Korea’s Kim Jong-il is still laying out the rhetoric on being ready for perceived future US action. Meanwhile Russia expresses its determination to reconsider their stance on sanctions against N Korea if they continue to be a thorn.

Yesterday Congress passed a bill to expand the AMBER Alert system, a boon for the search for missing children.