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Appeasement has a terrible price - real lives come to an end because of other peopleís cowardice and/or stupidity. The Iraqis will remember the Michael Moores of this war, and not kindly.

I’m still bloody well convinced that the media coverage in the US is feeding, in large part, the violence caused by foreign fighters. Not particularly because Syrians actually watch CNN, but because they jihadis are using media coverage as a barometer for the political impact of their attacks, and I think the jihadis tend to assume that the media will effectively lead American opinion.

Which then leaves me in the unfortunate position of thinking that if Kerry gets elected, then the media coverage will shift radically as Kerry “fixes” Iraq - and the impetus towards violence will collapse.

Sure as death and bloody taxes.

I strongly believe that the United States and the free people of Iraq are on the brink of winning a decisive victory over the terrorist forces in Iraq.

You want proof?

From an article datelined Thursday by the Post’s leading multi-culti reporter, Robin Wright:

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, July 28 –In talks with Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Saudi Arabia today proposed the creation of an Islamic force to help stabilize Iraq and potentially someday replace at least some of the U.S.-led military coalition, according to senior Arab diplomats here.

The Wahabbis of Riyadh are terrified that a free and democratic Arab country might actually succeed and prosper. They have done their utmost to destabilize Iraq by allowing terrorist recruits to enter the country via the Saudi border. Their efforts have been, apparently, insufficient. Now they propose to send an “Islamic force” into Iraq .

The House of Saud, of course, demands that a set of pre-conditions be met before the first Islamic boot enters Iraq.

The Saudis have listed four conditions they want addressed to facilitate formation of a Muslim force, the senior Saudi envoy said. They include that the force would come under a U.N. umbrella; that it be formally invited by Iraq; that it would help replace some of the coalition troops; and that the United Nations would be in charge of the political process in Iraq, including elections.

Yes, the UN, Wahabbis, and a ‘formal invitation’ for an time-indeterminate fundamentalist occupation by Sunni armies in a predominantly Shiite country.

This is proof-positive that the war and our costly reconstruction programs are succeeding.

Kill this proposal, Mr. President. It is a blatant, reactionary, freedom-killing effort to stifle Iraqi democracy in its cradle.

Why does Bush have to kill it? Allawi’s not that stupid.

the iraqi government, as well as all the members of the coalition of the willing who are trying to help iraq become a stable, prosperous nation, should tell the governments of spain and the philippines: we hope that you will never need the help of foreign nations in the future, but if you do, we wish that you will be luckier with them than we were with you.

(perhaps then they will then realize how shameful were their actions in abandoning a country in need.)

frml

Robin Wright - you’ve been a very busy lady!

It appears yesterday’s WP article has been substantially altered in the last 24 hours. The Saudi ‘four conditions’ excerpt that I posted above has been deleted and replaced with :

“We’re taking this initiative because a) we want to help the Iraqi people get back on their feet and reclaim their sovereignty as quickly as possible, b) because there is a tremendous desire in the Arab and Muslim world to help Iraq and help the Iraqi people get back on their feet and c) we’re doing this because instability in Iraq has a negative impact on Saudi Arabia and stability in Iraq has a very positive impact on Saudi Arabia. We want to stabilize the situation in Iraq,” said Adel Jubeir, chief foreign policy adviser to [Saudi Crown Prince] Abdullah.

Note - about Jubeir’s statement:

a) ‘Reclaim sovereignty’? The June 28 transfer of power never took place?

b) Saudi Arabia could help Iraq enormously by doing a far better job of killing or capturing the terrorists streaming over its Iraqi border into Iraq.

c) See b). Nor is there mention by Jubeir of any desire to see democracy succeed in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi insists that Muslim occupation forces be a component in a ” U.N.-endorsed multinational force”, that would implicitly report to the sovereign Iraqi government. The Saudis prefer a plan to would place prospective Muslim peacekeeping forces under the authority of a more nuanced (and pliable?) UN command structure.

Finally, this excerpt from Ms. Wright’s revised and extended article:

Saudi officials said they launched the initiative to address mounting concerns in the Islamic world about the ongoing deployment of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq as well as Saudi Arabia’s own security concerns.

There’s a whole lot of freedom goin’ on in Iraq despite the best efforts of Baathist die-hards, Saudi fundamentalists, Syrian-based suicide bombers, and Iranian saboteurs.

By the end of January, 2005 the free people of Iraq will elect a parliament by a secret ballot. That is an understandable security concern for the House of Saud’s princelings.