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November 02, 2003
Sunday Cartoon
I guess this cartoon is to be contrasted with the Bush Admistration's happy talk about progress in its reconstruction efforts in Iraq.
Alan Moir
Moir buys into, and plays around with, the Bush administration's spin that is the resistance to their enlightened occupation of Iraq comes from a motley bunch of criminals, die-hard Saddam loyalists and terrorists full of blind rage and fanatical hatred who pour in from Syria.
This delves into the psychology of a terrorist.
Moir's image overlooks the Islamic resistance that would enshrine Islam as the religion of state and make Islamic law the basis for national law. This resistance would establish a new Islamic regime would refuse to recognize Israel and would be antagonistic to the West.
This raises the question of US strategy and tactics. Things are not going well for the US. The recent memo on Iraq by Donald Rumsfeld, the US Secretary of Defense, did draw a distinction between short and long term (the "long, hard slog" ahead). Short term would deal with the current bombings. Presumably long-term has to deal with the push for an Islamic Iraqi state. Rumsfeld deals with this in military terms: 'a grab 'em by the balls and their hearts and minds will follow' as this article in the Los Angelos Times puts it.
The previous week indicates something more than the cartoons show. The US does not control Iraq. It's a blunt and direct message.
Update
The news out of Iraq this morning was of 15 United States soldiers killed and 21 injured when their helicopter was shot down. It is beginning to look as if Iraq is going to become an expensive war with eroding domestic legitimation. The response by the Bush administration seems to be toughen it out, with its talk of war involving tragic days and being tested by foreign infiltrators. It is all about muscling up, taking it on the chin and giving it back to them.
My judgement is that US will not stay the course. It will cut and run.
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at November 2, 2003 07:42 AM
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