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March 31, 2008

Morning Linkie

Peace is for losers.

Foreigners - not so ignorant and primitive! (Via Marginal Revolution.)

Decline and Fall on the emotional costs of war for him personally.

Joyner on Maliki’s famous victory.

Posted by Jim Henley @ 8:44 am, Filed under: Main

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5 Responses to “Morning Linkie”

  1. Comment by Nell —
    March 31, 2008 @ 9:59 am

    Sensible, but shocking that this seems to come as news:

    The Western media division of Iraqis into merely three sects — Shiite, Sunni, and Kurd — is obviously wrong, as there is substantial discord within those groups.

    I guess some observers need it spelled out in blood for them.

  2. Comment by Jim Henley —
    March 31, 2008 @ 10:03 am

    I think James understands that he’s writing for an audience with a . . . simplified view of the Iraq conflict and structures his writing accordingly. NB: I do frequently disagree with his prescriptions. But I don’t think it’s news to James Joyner himself that Iraq’s intra-Shiite politics involves contending gangster broods.

  3. Comment by Doug T —
    March 31, 2008 @ 2:55 pm

    I’m hesitant to make any predictions, given my relative ignorance, but it seems to me that perhaps the best thing that could happen in Iraq, from a US perspective, is for Sadr to score a decisive win in the upcomin gelections and have his party form a coalition as leading partner.

    If that happens, then its likely that one of his first steps would be to demand a timeline for US withdrawal, which would give us a chance to escape from the quagmire in the best possible way. And it’s hard to see any significant group in the US opposing withdrawal, if it’s what the elected Iraqi government is asking us to do.

    I almost posted that pro-war folks would also have trouble pivoting to support for a Sadr-led government, after 5 striaght years of demonizing. But then I thought, who am I kidding? They’re easily capable of that change.

  4. Comment by Avram —
    March 31, 2008 @ 8:09 pm

    And it’s hard to see any significant group in the US opposing withdrawal, if it’s what the elected Iraqi government is asking us to do.

    How significant is the faction that wants permanent American military bases in Iraq?

  5. Comment by Nell —
    April 1, 2008 @ 9:32 am

    @Doug T: Sadr’s plans, as I understand them, involve not forming a party, but stuffing other parties with candidates from his, um, tendency/current/whatever. Best of both worlds: influence and power without the full responsibility.

    His own personal plans clearly involve ayatollah-hood, which rules out holding political office.

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