Spy Chief: Iraq May Spark Regional Battle

[tocqueville]

By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
12 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - A civil war in Iraq could lead to a broader conflict in the Middle East, pitting the region's rival Islamic sects against each other, National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said in an unusually frank assessment Tuesday.

"If chaos were to descend upon Iraq or the forces of democracy were to be defeated in that country ... this would have implications for the rest of the Middle East region and, indeed, the world," Negroponte said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on global threats.

Negroponte served as U.S. ambassador to Baghdad before taking over as the nation's top intelligence official last April.

Iraqis have faced a chain of attacks and reprisals since bombs destroyed the gold dome of a revered Shiite shrine in Samarra last week. Hundreds, if not thousands, have died, including more than 65 who were killed Tuesday by suicide attackers, car bombers and insurgents firing mortars.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060301/ap_on_go_co/intelligence_congress

[BurtWorm]

1. Did he think this was a good thing or a bad thing?

We know what a breakdown of order in Iraq would mean for the rest of the region. Why is Negroponte piping up about this now? Why didn't he pipe up three years ago? :eyes:

[Armstead]

2. So we'll stay the course

Kind of the reverse of the Pottery Barn Rule of "You break it, you've bought it."

In this case it's "We broke it and we'll keep breaking it until we get it right."

[Clara T]

3. This is all planned. Wake up people.

Iraq: The wages of chaos
By Mark LeVine


"Unless, of course, splitting up Iraq has been the long-range goal all along, as some administration critics have argued since the buildup to the invasion.

Perhaps the most frightening idea is that Iraq is going exactly as Vice President Dick Cheney, former deputy defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz and the rest of the hardcore neo-realpoliticians hoped it would. While such a scenario is indeed hard to imagine, one thing is for sure: the worse things get, the more money the oil, defense and heavy-industry companies, whose profits have soared thanks to the violence, will grow.

Iraq might take down Bush, but in the process it will make ExxonMobil, Halliburton and others richer than ever."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HC01Ak05.html

[tocqueville]

5. But Syria stands firm...

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HC01Ak03.html

[madrchsod]

4. what a load of shit

he`s pissed because hamas won the democratic election in Palestine. that really fucked their plans up and to make things worse for the boys will be Egypt being controlled by the democratically elected muslim brotherhood