It's Sunday November the 20 around 2:56PM and

Opinions: "Shadows & Fog"

Whatever your opinion is of the current war in Iraq, and the Global War on Terror more generaly, one journalist is always worth reading. John F. Burns who has been working the Iraq beat for the New York Times since the war began has a very sober and interesting piece in today's paper entitled, "It's Still a Mystery".

Not only have American forces recently found a secret Interior Ministry torture center in Baghad, with it's 173 starving inmates, the word is that they are slowing uncovering a shadowy Shiite religious movement that has infiltrated the police and is responsible for this and other dangerous developments.

What is interesting about Burn's piece is just how realisitic it's assessment is. That unlike the current political debate in Washington over the war, he tells it like it is on the ground - including the good, the bad, and the ugly, which is refreshing. It's especially refreshing to read, since getting accurate news on Iraq is difficult at best. For instance, while talk of some sort of pull out reaches a boiled water pitch, Burns is reporting this:

"Compared to 18 months ago, the American grasp of the war's complex tribal, ethnic, political and religious hinterland has advanced considerably. Intelligence officers now talk assuredly about inter-tribal rivalries and links between Baathist financiers, Islamic militants and criminal gangs. They display "rogues' galleries" of insurgent cell leaders and where they operate."

Austin Bay - someone we read regularly and respect - has some great information on the disconect between reality and the news we watch or read and part of it is recognizing that there is a terrorist problem in Iraq. He points to an article today at Strategy Page by Jim Dunnigan breaking it down. "First, there is definitely a terrorism problem. Not an insurgency, not a guerilla war, not a resistance. A portion of the Sunni Arab population refuses to recognize the Sunni Arab loss of power in early 2003. They are supporting a campaign of terror to either get back power or, more pragmatically, to get immunity for most Sunni Arabs for crimes committed during Saddams decades in power."

And this translates into pretty positive news, suggesting that American commanders on the ground have now been able to broach the real crusp of the problem: coming to terms with who or what they are fighting. The reality is that more and more Iraqis, and therefore Americans, are coming to speak openly about who they are fighting. It's not just forces from without, but also from within, and Iraqis are increasinly uneasy but honest about the fact that thier own people are now bombing and killing them.

And while the death tolls mount, and pressure on America to pull out increases, there are things that the media, and the activists seem to completely leave out of the debate - which is completely frustrating. Newsweek for instance seems to have burried the real story of the situation in thier latest article on the situation.

"it's not entirely clear that U.S. policy has "failed." The TV news, not to mention Al-Jazeera, doesn't regularly summarize the stunning changes in Iraq, many of them morally and politically worthy. Saddam Hussein is gone and awaiting trial. Schools, hospitals and other institutions are operating in most parts of the country. Voters have adopted a constitution. And even many Sunnis are gathering in political parties that are maneuvering in advance of the Dec. 15 national elections. After the elections, the plan is that Coalition forces will use the growing number of capable Iraqi units to "clear, hold and build" a peaceful Iraq." (Via Riding Sun)

So like most subjects these days, a real and more complex debate should be taking place on this - we should be able to handle it. And yet we are completely bombarded with superficial and doomsday reports coming out of the region. What is most surprising is just how much some people want George Bush to fail so badly that it overides any thought or consideration for the long term consequences - and that is a shame whatever your position is on the war may be.

Posted by Jackson Murphy | Link |