The Story Gets Worse (NYT Opinion Alert)

The New Yawk Times ^ | 12/13/2003 | NYT team of crack reporters

[diotima]

Isn't this about where we did not want to be at this point? While the Bush administration says things are going well in Iraq, the news from the American-led occupation is looking like a catalog of easily predictable, and widely predicted, pitfalls.

Frustrated by suicide bombings and guerrilla violence, American military officers resort to the kind of harsh tactics that have caused endless ill will in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unable to develop reliable intelligence of its own, the administration has authorized the creation of an internal Iraqi spy agency, which will recruit former Iraqi military and intelligence officials to find those responsible for the attacks. Creating an agency like this at a time when the administration cannot tell friend from foe, and before there is any kind of Iraqi government to control its actions, seems like a road map to more serious trouble.

Meanwhile, the reconstruction effort is tangled up in charges of overbilling by Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton. European allies, who had been making friendlier noises, are angry again, this time about President Bush's misguided decision to turn the rebuilding program into a way to punish nations that did not agree with the war by excluding them from reconstruction contracts.

As if all this was not depressing enough, Eric Lichtblau and Timothy O'Brien reported yesterday in The Times that federal efforts to uncover terrorists' financing networks and smash them had been crippled by bureaucratic wrangling in Washington. It would be unfair to blame Mr. Bush for not having won the war against terrorism in two years, but the creation of the Homeland Security Department, the biggest government reorganization in a half-century, was supposed to have dealt with Washington gridlock on national security.

The way to deal with all that is going wrong in Iraq remains as clear as it was on the day that Mr. Bush declared an end to major combat operations. No amount of razor wire around villages, secret spy agencies, tearing down of Saddam Hussein statues and money for American contractors can fix the problems. Instead of driving away France, Germany, Russia and Canada with financial sanctions, the president should be creating the room for compromise that will lead to those countries' sending money and troops to Iraq. That would help to create a secure enough environment for the United Nations to come in and take over the nation-building responsibilities, giving the occupation an international face.

[diotima]

Insight fromt he NYT!

[diotima]

ping!

[metalboy]

How many here can dispose a psychotic tyrant in a land filled with psychotic terrorists and institute a system of democracy in less than a year raise your hand. Enough said.

[facedown]

NYT team of crack reporters

Yeah, they're on crack alright.

[Hardastarboard]

These kinds of articles in the NYT aren't really news. They're just a clarification of the anti-Bush talking points for the rest of the lib media so that they're all on the same page.

[Mike Darancette]

As if all this was not depressing enough, Eric Lichtblau and Timothy O'Brien reported yesterday in The Times that federal efforts to uncover terrorists' financing networks and smash them had been crippled by bureaucratic wrangling in Washington.

That groups like FAIR and others are constantly screaming about discrimination against ragheads and their charities doesn't help much either.

[joesnuffy]

I'm guessing we will stay for five more years...a dim gets elected withdraws the troops and another great imam Ayatolla or arab-muslim strong man riding a big white horse seduces his gullible people into supporting him...again
And four years after that another pubbie gets elected and we are back in...
Some people are incapable of democratic form of govt....without the internal policeman...
you need an external one....anarchy is not an option...

[Mike Darancette]

FAIR s/b CAIR

[Lazamataz]

The Noo Yawk Times is a stinking, fly-covered turd in the landscape of journalism.

Every word they print is a lie, including "and" and "the".

[Sidebar Moderator]

Regarding your note, NY Times items can be run in full. (Exception: if they were syndicated from a site covered by the settlement, for example the Washington Post).

Thank you for asking.

[diotima]

Can't be too careful these days.....

[Jaysun]

Those foul mouthed reprobates! The NYT is nothing more that an insane asylum that allows the lobotomy and shock therapy patients to "write" articles. Their entire paper is a steaming pile.

[witnesstothefall]

The New York Times reliably advances the interests of anyone opposing the United States. How progress in Baghdad can be achieved by a detour through Paris or Bonn they don't detail, but they insists such a path is the only avenue to success.

Why doesn't the NYT just pick up lock stock and barrel and move to Paris, so they can be closer to home?

[Helms]

"Frustrated by suicide bombings and guerrilla violence, American military officers resort to the kind of harsh tactics that have caused endless ill will in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

They are soooooooo dying to make this analogy, I feel their hate.

[nathanbedford]

a catalog of easily predictable, and widely predicted, pitfalls.

More like a catalog of predictions made by the fiasco prone Old Grey "Lady" which have gone incandescently wrong. I am amazed they would even go there.

[squidly]

These same folks made some horrendous predictions back in April relating to our push towards Baghdad. Why would anyone listen to them now?

[trebb]

I guess that to the NYT, "crack" reporting means bending over and pulling hard in order to obtain the story...

[BJungNan]

Isn't this about where we did not want to be at this point? While the Bush administration says things are going well in Iraq, the news from the American-led occupation is looking like a catalog of easily predictable, and widely predicted, pitfalls.

Oh, well, heck, then we should not have entered WWII. Certainly there were pitfalls in those conflicts.

Are these guys at the NYT really this stupid or do they just think we all are?

[BJungNan]

FR should ban postings of New York Times articles the same as posts from other sites are not allowed. It is all just drivel and why even give them the recognition.

[Dahoser]

Instead of driving away France, Germany, Russia and Canada with financial sanctions, the president should be creating the room for compromise that will lead to those countries' sending money and troops to Iraq. That would help to create a secure enough environment for the United Nations to come in and take over the nation-building responsibilities, giving the occupation an international face.

When France, Germany, Russia, Canada and the UN were in town, Saddam's feet-first chippers were going full blast, kids were being tortured and maimed in front of their parents, the rape rooms were full, and the mass grave diggers couldn't keep up with the supply. The Iraqis can do without a second round of that particular international face.