Iraq edges towards civil war ("playing the ethnic card")

[Barrett808]

Iraq faces the prospect of civil war as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's government loses credibility and violence against U.S. forces increases, according to almost a half dozen former and serving administration officials.

In last Tuesday's suicide bombing attack at a mess tent at Mosul, 22 were killed -- 18 of them Americans -- and 50 wounded.

"We can't afford to keep taking that kind of hit," a Pentagon official said. "We can't afford it in terms of American public opinion, and it causes us to loose credibility with the Iraqi public."

Upcoming January elections will not improve the deteriorating security situation, these sources said, all speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitiveness of the topic.

Plus a new threat has arisen.

"We are starting to play the ethnic card in Iraq, just as the Soviets played it in Afghanistan," said former CIA chief of Afghanistan operation Milt Bearden.

"You only play it when you're losing and by playing it, you simply speed up the process of losing," he said.

(more)

http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20041227-041929-7953r

[freedom_to_read]

1. credibility

"causes us to loose credibility with the Iraqi public"

sorry but this typo is causing me to "loose" credibility with the wpherald! argh! next to "alot" this must be the most common, and most annoying misspelling around.

once again: loose = pronounced "loos" (unvoiced s) as in "these socks are too loose."

lose = pronounced "looz" (voiced s) as in "If I see 'lose' misspelled one more time, I might lose my temper."

sorry had to vent.

[TahitiNut]

7. More than merely a peeve, this error betrays a basic illiteracy ...

... that should disqualify any person even contemplating a job as an editor or journalist. It's unforgivable in the media, imho.

[freedom_to_read]

8. amen, TahitiNut

It suggests to me that they're relying too much on spell checking software, since "loose" would not be tagged as an error.

:)

[TahitiNut]

9. An error like that LEAPS off the page for me.

I can't read past such an error without noticing it, no matter how much I've had to drink. There's no way using a spelling checker comes close to apologizing not reading the text. I can't even call it a typo, in good conscience.

I'm a LOOONG way from being a Grammar Guru -- and make mistakes (especially in punctuation) that'd probably cause teeth grinding for any expert in composition. It's rare that one of my posts doesn't have the small red text, like this one - and even then they're error-ridden. But that kind of error indicates a failure of a 4th grade education, imho. We're sure not talking collegiate, here. Not even close.

[pa28]

16. Actually the WP Herald spelled it correctly: "lose".

I agree that this is probably the most common misspelling out there. Unfortunately it also slips through the spell checker.

[illflem]

2. Ever stop to think that the civil war bogeyman

is just another excuse for more troops and show of force?

[LynnTheDem]

11. Yep.

http://www.stratfor.com

[Barrett808]

17. This is a great graphic -- do you need a subscription to see others?

Stratfor is pretty well regarded, no?

[LynnTheDem]

20. Stratfor is VERY highly regarded

Unfortunately, they're also not cheap; $800 for subscription. :wow:

The 2 best things about having reporter-buddies; access to Lexus-Nexus and Stratfor. :D

[InvisibleBallots]

3. (ahem)

We told you so.

[GetTheRightVote]

4. I wish they would just accept that this war is unwinnable since it is

now partly based on religion which means they will never give up.

Time to get out of there, it is a no win situation for us period. So sorry Georgie boy you are a very terrible Commander in Chief.

:kick:

[The Stranger]

5. Exactly according to the PNAC Plan.

[JNelson6563]

6. So American of them

"playing the race card". Just like Team Bush!

Julie

[LynnTheDem]

10. "ethnic cleansing being undertaken by the Kurds" ...

Now that is something you'll never ever hear about from the US Stenomedia.

[phusion]

12. Did anyone notice

In the quote:
"We can't afford to keep taking that kind of hit," a Pentagon official said. "We can't afford it in terms of American public opinion, and it causes us to loose credibility with the Iraqi public."

He says nothing about "We can't afford this" because of the loss of human life. It's only public image for these assholes.

[yorkiemommie1]

13. it's like he's still playing w/ his little toy soldiers

can't see that real lives are at stake here. everyone's been objectified.

bushco does not see anyone as 'beings'. only entities to serve their purpose.

[NYC]

18. Shows their priorities clearly.

Perception is everything. Reality is nothing.

[damntexdem]

14. 'Edges' toward civil war?

If those are edges, note that they are sharp edges that have been cutting for some time now.

The question is what the Bushista exit strategy will be from the civil war it was triggered in Iraq.

[TexNExile]

15. Edges Toward Civil War

Bush and his hawks are not looking for an exit strategy. They aren't that smart. W, Rummy and Condi think they can win! What they fail to realize is that Iraq has been conquered numerous times throughout history and is still around. The Iraqi's see the US as one more conquerer who will eventually leave. They will then return to their tribal civil wars. It is all a matter of when not if.

Tex N Exile

[ObamaFan2500]

19. This Is Troubling

Hopefully there won't be enthic cleansing like there was when Reagan bombed Herzegobina (sp?) I hope this doesn't result in a war.