[dirtboy]

Last week, as the euphoria of nationwide elections washed over this country, a remarkable thing happened: Iraqis, by and large, stopped talking about the Americans.

Talk about a bald-faced attempt to spin down the success of the Bush Admin against all the naysayers.

No, the Iraqis aren't thanking America. They just have forgotten what we did.

To quote the late great Dean Wormer, "I hate those guys".

[Jim Robinson]

The New York Times? Is the war over in Iraq or what?

[Maigrey]

You mean the NYT printed this? Pinch must be out of the country for this to make it to the pages.

[arjay]

Wow! A decent article from the NY Slimes.

[Tribune7]

ping

[MJY1288]

It must have been really hard for the NYT's to publish this

[konaice]

Getting Iraqis to take charge of their own affairs, whether by fighting insurgents or taking over government ministries, has been the goal of American leaders here since the fall of Saddam Hussein. After 22 months of trying to persuade the Iraqis to stand on their own, while doing everything for them, the Americans may be finding that Iraqis, now fully sovereign, don't want them to go home so soon after all.

Gawd it must really stick in the craw of the NYT editors to have to publish this column....

[REDWOOD99]

I feel proud of the Iraqis in a big brother-little brother way. It's satisfying to see them starting to stand up and take responsibility for themselves. W said this would happen.

[Terabitten]

Some Iraqis saw in the election their own liberation, one that many did not feel on April 9, 2003. Mr. Hussein's regime was not toppled by Iraqis but by the American military, a fact that has lingered in Iraqi minds.

This is key to understanding the Iraqis. In their eyes, by removing Hussein, we made the Iraqi people look weak and impotent. It's their time now.

[Darkwolf377]

This is only a bad article if one reads selectively. I think the fact that this is appearing in the NYT shows that some liberals are not the lying hate-filled jerks that most libs are, but have honest disagreements with the war, and are now honestly analysing the success on THEIR terms of success. I don't expect folks like this to love W, but this article presents a potent, foreceful case that everything changed last Sunday.

Often we wait for events and pre-analyze them--when THIS happens we will be happy, for example--but I think now many are seeing that while last Sunday was just the first step, it's like saying you can't overhype a baby's first step, that the first step doesn't mean the baby will walk.

That's nonsense. This election was a historic moment.

[FairOpinion]

"I think the Americans should stay here until our security forces are able to do the jobs themselves," Mr. Ali said, echoing virtually every senior American officer in Iraq. "We Iraqis have our own government now, and we can invite the Americans to stay."


===

I loved this! I think Iraq really turned the corner.

[Faraday]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Iran is next.

[JennysCool]

Holy Cow! A fair, informative, positive and entertaining piece in the Times. What's goin' on?

[Yardstick]

Dexter Filkins better watch his back. This is the second upbeat article he's written on the Iraq elections. If he's not careful, the NYT will send him to the gulag for reprogramming.

[ricks_place]

Is Dexter Filkins going to be fired from the NYT for writing this article?

[RoseofTexas]

I despise these bastards from the NYSLIMES!! There were more than ENOUGH Iraqis praising and thanking Americans during the election, problem was the JERKS over at the LIBERAL RAGS conveniently left the THANKS YOU AMERICA cries OUT of the rags!! I LOATHE THE RATS AND THEIR RAGS WITH A PURPLE PASSION!!

[muir_redwoods]

It sounds like the Iraqi people, held in forced infancy by the despot Hussein, has finally grown up politically. If we don't screw up the next 12-18 months, they will make great allies someday.

[Zeroisanumber]

Last week, as the euphoria of nationwide elections washed over this country, a remarkable thing happened: Iraqis, by and large, stopped talking about the Americans.

Excellent! This is exactly what we wanted to happen. Now we help them get their security forces and government online and move the troops out of the cities. Hopefully things will continue to remain stable, and then we can start reducing the number of troops down to whatever garrison it is we're planning to leave on the Iranian border.

[expatpat]

I suspect the difference is more due to a change in the attitude of the NYT itself than in a change in the attitude of Iraqis.

[Larry381]

Quick, somebody send the police to the NYT building, some sane person is impersonating a New York Times writer.