News – Official War’s End

Not really better or worse in general, by my overall estimation. Disorder continues in some places in Iraq, calming in others. US authorities are purported to be imminent in arrival to take thing sin hand, but even if they do, can one place all trust in them to do the job and do it properly(giving the Iraqi people what they want, instead of what we think they need)?

Tikrit, birthplace of Saddam and the last of the disputed cities, is in US hands now. With that, I would say, ends the US excuse of pacification of hostile forces in evading blame for the anarchy in already taken cities. Yes, that does have a spiteful tone to it. Personally, I think it’s earned, but focused largely at the brass, not the ground pounders. They can’t act without authorization from on high.

US troops are taking souvenirs they find. Largely ‘worthless’ items in general(nothing like museum treasures or retail merchandise), but with collectable value. Some plan to keep them, others to sell them on Ebay. Meanwhile UK troops in Brasa are reportedly taking a zero tolerance polity on looting now. About damn time. Iraqis in Baghdad are helping US forces finds caches of small arms and explosives that are set around the city. They’re also demanding that they put a stop to the looting and lawlessness as well as restore basic services cut off during the fighting.

Another dispatch from Northern Iraq. Some good, some bad. An honest look, talking to several people on different sides of recent events. Good and bad, happy and sad. A story written again and again throughout the country.

But considering Rumsfeld’s casual dismissal of such things as ‘to be expected’, I don’t see a large hurry. After all, Iraqis are free now. “..free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things”, as he said. Sure. But the bad things they do continue to tarnish the good made out of a lot of bad.

The seven POWs, the engineer team and two helicopter pilots, were found this weekend. According to reports I’ve heard, they were being held by a leaderless body of Iraqi troops who gave them up without violence. They also revealed further details about their time in custody. It is said they were beaten at first when captured, but afterward treated better, their wounds attended to. It seems to me the initial captors were likely caught up in the base savagery of war, their later handlers more cool headed. Which is good. It likely kept them alive to be in more capable hands afterward. But that’s my speculation on the matter. 😉

Today’s Papers have many notes of what is detailed in today’s news, as well as some other interesting tidbits. Some local clerics on Baghdad are independently helping keep a dash of order. For example: ” a cleric, sporting two guns strapped to his hips, confiscated booty and reopened a health clinic”. Of course, some are also talking about a religious government and clergyman for president, which I’m sure is far from what is planned by US officials. There are also hints of warlord’s trying to worm into Iraq, much like what reigns today in forgotten Afghanistan. One interesting addition to the Syria situation is that they aren’t signers to the Chemical Weapons convention(the same for N Korea, Egypt and Lybia), so them having such weapons doesn’t break International Law. And more like this. A nice summation of things.

After the much talked about, but seemingly futile Israeli-Palestinian peace ‘road map’, it seems we have another, given by South Korea, involving North Korea. Will this one do better? Only time will tell.

In further Middle East news, an Afgan official has accused Pakistan of backing the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Likely bolstered my US(Bush + Rumsfeld) condemnation of Syria, Israel has come up with a list of grievances against Syria that they are considering demanding be addressed. With the US bringing out the same terrorists + WMD allegations against Syria, it seems too much a replay of what has just happened in the last year. Do we want to add a third Middle East country to our list of military routs? The UK is trying to take a middle ground with Jack Straw saying Syria is not ‘next’, but urging them to cooperate with US allegations. Personally, I think its smart, but I don’t know that either side will listen to this sort of common sense wisdom.

Considering the ways in which reconstruction might be perverted, I don’t see the Bush Administration as beholden to common sense in large quantities. Of course, the above article is quite pessimistic. But in that pessimism is something that can’t be ignored. The potential for abuse, despite possible good intentions. Watch closely your government, my friends.

SARS is still an issue for Hong Kong, a place where it has taken firm root. US hospitals are preparing for more cases as the number of them inches up. SARS seems to be as dangerous to the airline and tourism industries of some countries, an extended lingering of this virus having a serious chance of economic damage to places such as Hong Kong that are hardest hit.

And now, for no apparent reason, a kitten hit man.