Juan Cole reads the Iraq tealeaves
In relation to the WaPo story this morning stating that the Bush administration will request no further funds for Iraqi rebuilding, Juan Cole, who knows a little something about the Iraq situation, says this:
And, Think Progress has a piece pointing out that this cessation of funding runs in direct contradiction to the "Strategy for Victory in Iraq" the Bush administration offered just a month ago.
Who wants to take the first shot?
I'd say this is a good bellwether of administration intentions. If the US were staying in Iraq in a big way, and still hoping to make a significant place for the multinationals there, it would have to bite the bullet and continue to try to do reconstruction. If the Bush administration is throwing in the towel, then whether Iraqis have enough electricity really isn't its problem any more.
And, Think Progress has a piece pointing out that this cessation of funding runs in direct contradiction to the "Strategy for Victory in Iraq" the Bush administration offered just a month ago.
Who wants to take the first shot?
posted by mikevotes at
2:08 PM
2 Comments:
Mike, I just left a comment about this story in response to this post at the Impolitic. What bothers me about this move is Bush's underlying motivation. He pulled out of Afghanistan too soon to pursue his real goal - Iraq. Now that his war is failing to provide him with any good PR, he wants to cut funding. Why? Does he want to pursue Iran - or maybe make another attempt at dismantling social security?
As I said at the Impolitic, President Attention Deficit Disorder is bored and wants a new project. We should all be skeptical.
By
Kathy, at 11:14 AM
Unfortunately, I think Bush is paying attention to Iraq, and he sees what everybody else sees, that all the reconstruction monies in the world will be undone in the civil war. A mid length civil war would lead to repeated attacks on the infrastructure on each side, and but cutting monies now, when it happens he can't be blamed when services degrade even further. I see this as a really bad sign for the people of Iraq.
But I highly agree with your PR assessment and the unforgivable forgetting of Afghanistan. It was the buildup in Iraq that kept troops out of Afghan when we could've actually rounded up Osama and alot of his cohorts.
Now, they're roaming the mental countryside of those who are sympathetic, becoming Bonnie and Clyde. Everyday Al Qaeda gets more popular among its target audience.
Thanks, good points.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 12:21 PM
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