General Keane's Iraq Troop Surge Report Card
General Keane came on the radio with Bill Bennet recently,(1070 a.m.) and if you know Bill, you know he is the former Secretary of Education under President Reagan and gets the important info from his guests. From the General, we found out several facts about the troop surge in Iraq and it's effectiveness.
Political Movement is what is necessary in Iraq, and if you heard that their legislature plans on taking a three month vacation this summer, you feel as I do, angry that our men and women are in harm's way there and these politicians don't think it important enough to find a solution before taking their priveledged leave. As Keane says, "Political reconciliation is essential in Iraq", where Sunni, Shiite and Kurd factions in the government can seem to find NO common ground. Keane submits that the people, however, are rejecting Sunni extremism and are resisting Shiite calls for revenge killings in response to violence upon them by agents of destruction that may or may not be Sunni. Although, Iranian hegemony is still a big problem.
In the mixed provinces of Dihyala and Sulhaddin the sheik and tribal mentality has been modified by moderate views being sent out by mullahs, and their great gains are being, like you didn't know this- under reported in the U.S.
In Baghdad, steady, slow improvement and progress in security in neighborhoods once held by Al Qaeda is becoming the norm while extended periods of calm and relative security in other neighborhoods are getting more and more common. The most marked improvements have come in Anhbar Province, once a stronghold of extremists, now has completely turned with leaders actually wanting to be associated with our country's efforts.
When asked what he thought of Senator Biden's remarks that "all is lost" in Iraq, Keane says the real security situation is improving Iraqi's lives and even in neighborhoods such as those war-torn pockets in cities such as Ramadi see a big difference now that territory that has been cleared now has soldiers staying behind to retain control. This is the big difference where the troop surge is most evident, although the question still remains, "can the Iraqi National Government enact reconciliation between Shiite, Sunni and Kurd factions".
Dennis Prager interviews Mid East expert Fouad Ajami
I don't know if you all have heard Dennis, but he's on mid day on 1070 a.m. and he's a great centrist with strong tactical-thinking skills. Dr. Ajami is a professor of Middle East Studies at an academic university in America, was born in Lebanon, grew up there and began his lifelong education at the U.S. University there, then transferred into the U.S.
Dennis reminds us that "there is an adulation of power removed from moral consideration...", a quote he credits to David Price Jones. This statement seems to say that when challenged, most people think it's okay to act in an immoral fashion if they are in a position of power as percieved by their peers. Such as our leaders, and those in other parts of the world, this is how they seem to overlook the suffering their people are going through, and as some lawmakers in countries taking lavish vacations while their people fight, kill and die for freedom and the suppression of liberty.
Dr. Ajami describes a "...belligerent self pity..." in the Arab world, a "...floating aggression, a disappointment in Arab life...". Arabs prettify their history and exaggerate how brilliant and how great it was... the more they look at their sordid present situation, the more they become despondent.
"There is enormous gratitude for America and a strange odd reluctance for people to own up to that gratitude. George Bush has brought to this Arab world, which is addicted to failure, addicted to trouble, he brought them a message of hope and he sacked this terrible regime in Baghdad...", yet most Arabs are reluctant to openly thank him and to thank Americans.
As we all suspected, Arabs really want to experience liberty and, as Americans do, experience the persuit of happiness, they just fear the extremists and cowards who inform on their neighbors who would embrace this "western" mentality. To the extremist, to the Wahabbi-ist, this yearning for freedom of thought is their worst enemy and it is tightly controlled by threats and fear.
This juggernaut that is the mind of the modern Arab is still unexplained.
Hopefully more and more will embrace the openness and freedoms of their western brothers and sisters.
-Katykarter
