Posted on 11/22/2004 4:52:01 PM PST by forty_years
For those bad-news-from-Iraq-only information consumers, stop reading here. There have been several recent developments out of Iraq that should give some comfort to those who believe that Arabs and Muslims are capable of embracing democracy. There have been military victories in Iraq, a debt relief agreement for the country has been hammered out, and Iraq’s independent electoral commission has set a firm date for elections.
First Najaf was cleaned up, then Sadr City, then Fallujah, then Mosul… Yes, Iraq’s “insurgency” won’t go away overnight, but it is certainly getting harder and harder for the “militants” – they’re either dead or on the way to being dead. U.S. and Iraqi forces killed at least 1,200 insurgents and captured an estimated 1,025 in Fallujah.
Despite being specifically targeted by terrorists, Iraqis continue to enlist in the country’s defense forces. One Iraqi soldier summed up the feelings that many of his countrymen share, I would venture (speculate, go out on a limb…):
For Mustafa, one of 2,000 Iraqi soldiers fighting alongside U.S. troops for control of this insurgent-occupied city, the battle for Fallujah was personal. If the fighters continue to control Iraqi cities, there will be no future for him, his children or his wife of 10 weeks.
"She has to know I am doing this for her," Mustafa said Sunday from an Iraqi base camp near Fallujah. "I want my wife to go shopping without fear. This is the goal of this operation, to help the Iraqis get rid of fear. It is worth it to be away from home."
We should have stomped on Fallujah a long time ago. Maybe it was reluctance on the part of the Bush administration to get tough before the election. Now that Bush has won a clear mandate -- a mandate that doesn’t just include “right-wing evangelicals”, we’ll see much more toughness, thank goodness. The President doesn’t have to worry about reelection and he’ll certainly want his legacy to reflect success in Iraq.
Despite reticence by France, Germany, and Russia, creditor nations agreed Sunday to forgive 80% of Iraq’s overwhelming $120 billion debt. This is a highly significant, yet under-reported coup de grace for U.S. negotiators. Now Iraq will be able to concentrate on post-war reconstruction instead of struggling to juggle debt payments.
Despite continuing violence, Iraq’s independent electoral commission has set a firm date for nationwide elections: January 30, 2005. Farid Ayar, an electoral commission spokesman, said:
No Iraqi province will be excluded because the law considers Iraq as one constituency and therefore it is not legal to exclude any province.
What better way to send a clear message to Iraq’s terrorists? In their criminal insanity, elections are exactly what they don’t want. Democracy is absolutely antithetical to their twisted dream of a world, Islamist caliphate.
Bringing democracy to Iraq is no easy business. Anyone who thought it would be was just plain delusional. I will continue to remain uncompromising in my belief that democracy is the only antidote to terrorism. I have to feel I’m in good company with people like President Bush, soon-to-be Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and Natan Sharansky.
http://netwmd.com/articles/article793.html
Well put. W has the right vision for long term success in the middle east. Freedom is contagious...
John Kerry lost. I believe it is proof that God wants Iraq to be free and America to lead the charge to re-shape the middle east. (Just don't tell Pat Buchanan).
I bet on Iraq and bought some stock hope I become a $1000 air.
BUMP!
OKlahoma is NOT Iraq!
FLASH, not FLAAH!!!!!
Glimmers of Hope (continuing death in Iraq & a dying Rehnquist - liberals cling to this "good news")
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.