UN hails Iraq election results

[Onkel Neal]

UN hails Iraq election results


Progress in Iraq.

[Jimbuna]

Wishful thinking by the UN I suspect.

It might be viewed as a step in the right direction but the real test will be when the allied troops pull out.

Looks like the UK are seriously considering this now.

[SteamWake]

Wait a minute... the UN approves?

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Wait a minute... the UN approves?

I'd be suspicious about that too

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

It might be viewed as a step in the right direction but the real test will be when the allied troops pull out.

Indeed. To be fair, there is progress in Iraq indeed since Patreus took over (makes you wonder how it would have been if someone like him would have led the whole thing from the very beginning). But whether or not this progress really means something or not, cannot be seen before the Allies pulled out. Iran, Al Sadr, and two or three factions more all just lie in wait and keep a low profile, waiting for the foreigners to leave.

So the real question is whether or not Iraq succeeds until pullout begins in bringing immunity to the religious groups to a wide social public, and whether or not there will be a wide public consensus in supporters of these groups to not assists them, and to resist the Iranian influence. Elections do not mean that Iran , Al Sadr et al all of a sudden have given up their ambitions and disappeared. They just wait for a better day to fight, outsitting the Americans. Of Al Sadr I could imagine that he starts to go into politics and errect a powerful stand inside of it, much like the fundamentalist AKP took over Turkey. the difference is that the AKP does not sleep with Iran, but sees Turkey as a rival to Iran.

[SUBMAN1]

Can it Skybird. A couple years ago you were swearing up and down that we wouldn't get to this point of non-violence and progress in that country.

Once again, you are proven remarkably wrong. Seems to be a common thing around here in between all your essays.

-S

[JetSnake]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Can it Skybird. A couple years ago you were swearing up and down that we wouldn't get to this point of non-violence and progress in that country.

Once again, you are proven remarkably wrong. Seems to be a common thing around here in between all your essays.

-S

[August]

Originally Posted by JetSnake

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by JetSnake

We talk again 2-6 years after the troops have pulled out. Before that, you just do a finger excercise in empty rethorics. I say in 4-8 years we have a coalition government with a hollow democratic government party and a powerful religous right eroding the system and the government from within, comparable to Lebanon. And I stick to my assessement from the very beginning in 2003 that in the end, Iraq will move towards Iran's side and/or become dominated by a faction allied with Iran, and become less "friendly" to the West, with Teheran being the strategic winner of it all.

Iran is still there and will continue to be there, therefore the Iraq war is still scoring as a strategic defeat for the US, even more so if considering the internal and financial cost for the US, and the price it payed in loss of international prestige and trustworthiness. You could be thankful for Obama helping you to repair some of that reputation by the pure good will he is triggering due to the sympathy he is met with here in Europe.

Concerning "wrong essays", you have eradicated your own reputation on that one as if you could lecture others with any authority. For example close to all (if not all) your climate links and essays are a heavily manipulated joke not hiding it's lobbying intention, not to mention your anti-Democrats and anti-Obama tirades. So keep thy lectures for yourself, bright guy.

[Onkel Neal]

Well, it's true the game is not over yat, but I am very encouraged by the way things are going Too bad Rumsfelt fumbled the ball for so long, I was an outspoken supporter of his but it's very clear now that he was off the mark, and McCain was right. More boots on the ground under a smart leader like Patreus was the correct way to go.

It might be viewed as a step in the right direction but the real test will be when the allied troops pull out.

The test will be when they have elections in the areas where they couldn't have elections this time round . Especially since in the areas adjoining those disputed areas the arab nationalist parties made significant gains in this election .
It will be an entirely different scenario than that which just played out , as in this recent election Maliki had the benefit that the main opposition that he had to worry about both electorally and violence wise was under the patronage of the same people his own political group is under .

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Well, it's true the game is not over yat, but I am very encouraged by the way things are going Too bad Rumsfelt fumbled the ball for so long, I was an outspoken supporter of his but it's very clear now that he was off the mark, and McCain was right. More boots on the ground under a smart leader like Patreus was the correct way to go.

Strange, but we agree. However, a final militarily enforced solution to violence triggered by the war itself, and a political or strategical victory - are two very different things. And Tribesman had a fine remark to add.

[rubenandthejets]

Now we just have to find the WMDs and have the war "pay for itself" and everything will be hunky dory, right?

Oh, almost forgot about bringing 600,000+ people back from the dead........

[Jimbuna]

Well I'm certainly going to keep my fingers crossed for peaceful long lasting solution.

Lightning doesn't have to strike in the same place twice if the safeguards and protocols are well thought out.

[Sea Demon]

Originally Posted by August

Yup. Par for the course.