Taking Stock: Iraq War 3 years on...
1. Naturally, there was a protest downtown on yesterday's anniversary - I didn't participate. [ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/BAGNDHQONV1.DTL ]
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4821618.stm ... Iraq's former PM declares "If this isn't Civil War, God knows what is."
3. A series of insightful opinions from different slivers of the political spectrum on the future of Iraq and the US's role in it:
3a. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/MNG3SHQOCR1.DTL
3b. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/19/national/w080956S40.DTL [Cheney: "there is no spoo...Civil War, I mean"]
3c. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/MNG3SHQOCN1.DTL [ Motivations of the US soldiers - not surprising that this marriage to Army is breaking open their holy wedlock to wives and lovers. Grim when Death beats Love with an M-16, metaphorically speaking.]
3d. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQAA1.DTL [ A detailed article on Cindy Sheehan, but the writer creates an easy false dichotomy on her motives. I just wonder whether the horror of the idea of a religious, patriotic, classically conservative American mother turning anti-war activist waiting in the wings of every Republican household has quite faded in their Republican minds yet. Sadly, it is so very easy to write-off a person like Cindy Sheehan in the mainstream hearts and minds of the ruling class ... but she nevertheless is a potent example of the human cost, one that ultimately every parent with a child in war can feel. I simply don't know yet whether her engagement of the political process is a good idea or ultimately corrupting of her personal agenda, and the universal interest of loss. ]
3e. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGMIHNEHC44.DTL [ Multiple thinking heads offer their comments on Iraq. ]
3f. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQA61.DTL [ Scorecard for Iraq on ethical grounds ]
3g. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOTJS1.DTL [ Local opinion on the future of the war in Iraq ]
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On a different note: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4816662.stm ... besides more lipless white guys with dreams of Presidency on their minds for the 2008 Republican ticket, the journalist poses a weird thought pattern here: "But it still has a heart and the heart beats here in Iowa, where the Republican ladies sell cheap coffee and a man who would rule the world must drink that coffee - and wait his turn." On the whole, I don't think US politicians needs to have their world-dominating egos stroked any more, thank you very much.
Regarding St. Patrick's Day evening: glad we managed to catch a cab at all, and was getting progressively more weary by drunken youths using the presence or absence of green as their entree to charm the ladies, or fight the lads.
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4821618.stm ... Iraq's former PM declares "If this isn't Civil War, God knows what is."
3. A series of insightful opinions from different slivers of the political spectrum on the future of Iraq and the US's role in it:
3a. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/MNG3SHQOCR1.DTL
3b. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/19/national/w080956S40.DTL [Cheney: "there is no spoo...Civil War, I mean"]
3c. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/MNG3SHQOCN1.DTL [ Motivations of the US soldiers - not surprising that this marriage to Army is breaking open their holy wedlock to wives and lovers. Grim when Death beats Love with an M-16, metaphorically speaking.]
3d. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQAA1.DTL [ A detailed article on Cindy Sheehan, but the writer creates an easy false dichotomy on her motives. I just wonder whether the horror of the idea of a religious, patriotic, classically conservative American mother turning anti-war activist waiting in the wings of every Republican household has quite faded in their Republican minds yet. Sadly, it is so very easy to write-off a person like Cindy Sheehan in the mainstream hearts and minds of the ruling class ... but she nevertheless is a potent example of the human cost, one that ultimately every parent with a child in war can feel. I simply don't know yet whether her engagement of the political process is a good idea or ultimately corrupting of her personal agenda, and the universal interest of loss. ]
3e. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGMIHNEHC44.DTL [ Multiple thinking heads offer their comments on Iraq. ]
3f. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQA61.DTL [ Scorecard for Iraq on ethical grounds ]
3g. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOTJS1.DTL [ Local opinion on the future of the war in Iraq ]
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