Posted on 07/28/2005 9:07:21 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
Peter Arnett, who was dismissed as an NBC News correspondent after he went on Iraqi TV on March 30, 2003 to boost the Hussein regime's morale by insisting that "the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces" and so the U.S. was "re-writing the war plan. The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance," told Craig Ferguson on Tuesday night's Late Late Show on CBS that he decided to stay in Baghdad because he presumed the U.S. would win quickly. But "this war is going on much longer than I thought -- it's two years with no end in sight." Arnett characterized the battle as "less a war than a sort of a coup d'etat because there was very little resistance from the Iraqi army." He asserted that Iraq is "on the brink of civil war" and that far from being the "Hitler of the Middle East" as U.S. "propaganda" had suggested, he found Saddam Hussein "to be a very elegant, diplomatic guy." Arnett also contended the war was unnecessary because Hussein and his two sons "were squabbling for power and really, even if there hadn't been a U.S. invasion, Saddam was on the way out."
Arnett revealed that he spends "most" of his "time these days in Iraq" where, Ferguson noted, "he's researching a book on the final days of Saddam Hussein's reign."
*SNIP*
Ferguson: "Where do you live?"
Arnett: "McLean, Virginia. But I have a house in Baghdad also, so I spend most of my time these days in Iraq."
Ferguson: "You have a house in Baghdad? Uh-huh, a holiday house, a vacation property? What the hell do you have a house in Baghdad for?"
Arnett: "Most people, like you, think I'm crazy."
Ferguson: "Yes."
Arnett: "But actually there's -- excuse me. Let me have some water here. There we go. Thank you, thank you."
Ferguson: "You're welcome. Do you want some scotch or something?"
Arnett: "It's already in there."
Ferguson: "We can get you some of Barker's whiskey, Bob Barker. He drinks Jim Beam warm."
Arnett: "There's about 5,000 American civilians in Iraq and there's 200 or 300 media live there. So, you know, behind all those stories in the media you see, the television pictures and the headlines in the news and so forth, there are people, you know, trying to produce them. Most of the media live in protected hotels. Some even live in the Green Zone, which is the specially protected American area. But because I'm writing a book and sort of want to get access to real Iraqis I have a house downtown in the business district, a semi-gated community with very protective neighbors."
Arnett proceeded to describe how at the end of the war there was an influx 800,000 automobiles, most from entrepreneurs in Europe who exported old rental cars, so with two of three cars in Baghdad driven by the unemployed, for a dollar you can go anywhere in the city.
Arnett also relayed how he decided to stay on in Iraq and see the country develop "and I figured it's going to be over soon." He recalled that he made the same mistake in Vietnam, adding: "This war is going on much longer than I thought -- it's two years with no end in sight."
Following an ad break, Ferguson cued him up: "We were talking about the length -- I rather interrupted you rather rudely. Please forgive me. We were talking about the length of time that these wars seem to go on. How long do you think we're going to be in Iraq?"
Arnett: "A very long time."
Ferguson: "Really?"
Arnett: "And I'll tell you quickly why."
Ferguson: "That's horrible news, why?"
Arnett: "Tell you quickly why. Because the, unfortunately, while the war was very well fought, a 21 day successful conflict, it was, in my view, less a war than a sort of a coup d'etat because there was very little resistance from the Iraqi army. They all basically collapsed, they fled. And they were, a lot of them were under the impression, the Pentagon had signaled that after Saddam was gone they would reuse the Iraqi army and Iraqi intelligence in a new military. They'd dump the leaders and keep all the fighters. But what happened as policy evolved in the few months after the war, they fired everyone in the military and in intelligence. Suddenly there were 600,000 able bodied Iraqis on the streets with families to feed, with weapons and no future. And that really was part of the, that's where the insurgency started to develop. The other factor is that politically it is a difficult situation. You have the Kurdish, Shiite, Sunni people, three different peoples, all straining for recognition and power. So the country's on the brink of civil war. It's not me saying it, it's many experts saying it."
Ferguson: "I think it kind of is."
Arnett: "And it's a matter of, so the US is stuck there a long time just basically to prevent that. And if any U.S. withdrawal, you know, would make it harder on the American troops left behind. If they moved out 50,000, suddenly all these Americans are there, more vulnerable."
Ferguson: "Well, let me talk to you a little bit about the regime that they replaced because you, you're writing a book about Saddam. You met Saddam Hussein. He was in power when you met him. Was he crazy? Was he like biting the heads off puppies and stuff?"
Arnett: "Well, when I drove to the interview ten days into the first Gulf War, I had that impression because that's why propaganda sort of suggested. The Hitler of the Middle East and so forth. Actually, he turned out to be a very elegant, diplomatic guy. Of course, he said 'We're winning the war.' At that point Baghdad was in flames."
Ferguson: "And he's a homicidal maniac, but charming."
Arnett acceded to Ferguson's description: "Other than that, but a charming homicidal maniac. And he, the thing was at the end of the interview he basically was suing for peace. And they, you know, they did make a peace deal at the end of the first Gulf War. They did sign an agreement. He surrendered, officially. Now, this didn't happen after the second Gulf War. There was no surrender, officially. One of the problems. Now, in the years since that first Gulf War, Saddam basically retreated from, you know, operating as the powerful leader. He never visited any military bases. He was concerned about potential, you know, death threats and he sort of and he passed his power over really to his sons, Uday and Qusay, and they were squabbling for power and really, even if there hadn't been a U.S. invasion, Saddam was on the way out."
Ferguson: "So if we'd waited six months the whole thing would have fallen apart anyway."
Arnett: "Five years, definitely."
Ferguson wrapped up: "Alright, well, you live and learn. Peter, I wish we had more time to talk about this."
A *Snip* from Iraq the Model, Wednesday, December 31, 2003: " Uday, Qussay or other members of that gang used to keep an eye on the prosperous companies and investments in Iraq and they would never hesitate to confiscate any property or successful firm they desired. Their greed seemed to be endless."
"Something else which may seem unbelievable to some of you, is about cars, I was surprised to see some cars of models and kinds never seen before in Baghdad."
"Fancy and expensive cars (like porche or jaguar) were exclusively owned by Udday, no one had the right to own and drive a car like those without having the permission from Uday himself, otherwise this unlucky man would be forced to give his car to Uday as a "gift". the list is too long, and I can write about this for hours, but I think what I've said so far can give you a clue about the past, present and future of private business and property in Iraq."
So much for the "elegance" of "the Butcher of Baghdad" and his equally "elegant", butchering sons..Uday and Qusay.
Really?
To hear Arnett talking a couple of years ago, this was going to become the next Vietnam; a quagmire we'd never be able to extricate ourselves from.
Which is it? His real estate choices seem pretty optimistic for someone who is so publicly glum.
Since he's living in Baghdad, it's only a matter of time before he disappears. Then maybe not--he may collaborating with al quaida to ostensibly "tell their story."
"...even if there hadn't been a U.S. invasion, Castro was on the way out."
Ferguson: "So if we'd waited six months the whole thing would have fallen apart anyway."
Arnett: "Five years, definitely."
Fag.
Series, this guy reminds me of Paul Bowles, living in Tunisia, smoking kif or whatever the hell it was he did there. The Superior Westerner living among the Brown People he condescends to, entertaining foreign media and prattling on about how silly Americans get it all wrong, and how it's such a bargain to get around in Baghdad with these unemployed people driving cars. There's the stench of self-delusional egotism here, as there always was with the silly Arnett, who seemed to think the war was merely a stepping-stone for his career. Obviously I've never been able to really figure this guy out, but when I read stuff like this it makes me a little embarassed for someone who can't see how out of it he is.
stark raving mad
Figures.
BTW, if anybody wants to see a really revealing movie about the influence of a creepy dictator over people, go see Downfall.
It's a German film about the last days of Hitler, where the people who were so fanatically devoted to him were killing themselves mostly because they couldn't imagine a world without their Fuhrer. Saddam seems to be the type who was able to instill this true-believer mentality; these nutcases seem to have a certain weird charm for some people.
Please stay, forever.
Saddam: Peter, I'm your father. Join me, and together we will rule the Middle East!
Guys like Arnett always find something to admire in guys like Saddam. Butchers with panache leave your typical journalist trembling with excitement.
Bullies always have an entourage of admiring toadies, and the guys who stand up to them generally walk alone. Its just the way of the world.
Arnett: "McLean, Virginia. But I have a house in Baghdad also, so I spend most of my time these days in Iraq."
Hmmmm....wonder where it is? I haven't wrapped a house real good in a long time and we're always looking for new forms of entertainment here.
Not surprising.
Arnett "went native" long ago.
Talk about like minds...Arnett is as credible as Ferguson is entertaining.
Exactly. This guy is so in love with his own voice you can't take anything he says seriously.
I get the idea Arnett is pleading for a tiara. If there's anything left over after the trial.
The good news is....he's always wrong.
arnett is an unadulterated jerk with no life.
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