Friedman: Iraqi Violence Reflects Al-Qaeda Realization "In Some Ways They're Losing"

Good Morning America/Newsbusters ^ | February 24, 2006 | Mark Finkelstein

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman is for many the voice of the center-left foreign policy establishment in the U.S. So much so that, in introducing him this morning, GMA host Charlies Gibson declared that Friedman's latest book should be required reading. Given Friedman's status, his nuanced and not-altogether-bleak assessment of the situation in Iraq on this morning's GMA merits consideration.

It was tempting to headline this entry with the provocative notion Friedman floated that perhaps only a Saddam was capable of holding Iraq's fractious components together. But Friedman was by no means endorsing Saddam's despotic rule, musing rather whether Saddam was a cause or an effect. As Friedman put it:

"Is Iraq the way Iraq is because Saddam Hussein was the way Saddam Hussein was or was Saddam Hussein the way Saddam Hussein was because Iraq was the way Iraq is - a congenitally-divided country that could only be held together by an iron fist? We never had the definitive answer to that question but I think we're going to real soon."

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

I wonder if the Shulzbergers will fire Friedman now for essentially making the same case that the Bush administration has been making.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

looks like you missed a good one

[hflynn]

I heard this interview. Gibson could not believe what he was hearing. Imagine, Friedman saying the United States is winning in Iraq. Funny how we knew this all along but the light is finally going on for the liberal intelligentsia.

[rlmorel]

Riiiiiggggggghhhhhhhttttt......

Sooooo......I interpret this to say that Friedman is saying Bush has been right ALL ALONG on this issue, and that it is working?

Will you just look at that...The Guru of Foreign Policy for the liberals has said that Bush is right...I imagine their brains over at DU are imploding as we speak.

(To be fair, I have read two of his books, and in my opinion, he does have the correct view of some things in our foreign policy. Of course, those happen to be things he agrees with conservatives on...:)

[1903A3]

Was Saddam way of ruling the only way to rule Iraq
I do not know but remember that Yugoslavia went down the drain only after Tito rule ended
Democracy should always be the preferred method of government
but sometime with some people it may not be the most effective answer

[Moderate right-winger]

How ironic that the guru of conservative intellectualis, William Buckley, recently mentioned that we are losing the war in Iraq

[Moderate right-winger]

How ironic that the guru of conservative intellectualls, William Buckley, recently mentioned that we are losing the war in Iraq while Friedman continues to support it

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BTTT!

[Pharmboy]

Rush had a good discussion of this yesterday.

[Thebaddog]

I can't read or hear anything Friedman says without having a mental image of him over-enunciating his words to himself in the bathroom mirror.

[kjo]

Yeah. Friedmann is a little difficult to take. He is a liberal who knows TRUTH. Just like his employer.

What's interesting about his admission is that it may indicate the Left is beginning to cover all bets. They have an election to fight in the fall.

[rlmorel]

"...I can't read or hear anything Friedman says without having a mental image of him over-enunciating his words to himself in the bathroom mirror..."

[FreeLuna]

Democracy should always be the preferred method of government
but sometime with some people it may not be the most effective answer

Really? Wow. You believe that?

[elhombrelibre]

Of course, he's correct. Al Qaeda is desperate and willing to do desperate things to achieve it's goals. In the last month, the Sunnis, especially the tribal leaders, have openly turned on al Qaeda. Now, if the Shites take the bait of this huge provocation, the Sunnis may shift from pursuing al Qaeda to fighting with the Shites. To me, Friedman said something reasonable that I'd been thinking about the people needing to decide if they were going to slip into the abyss. Time will tell, but I still believe they all realize that that is a course of mutual assured destruction.

[Capt. Tom]

Friedman noted that "Shiites have resisted all [previous] provocations but this attack on the Golden Dome Mosque is the straw that broke the camel's back and has brought Iraq to the edge.

They have resisted because of Sistani their Shia leader.

I expect there are plans to asasinate Sistani and that would definately stgart a civil war.

I hope they got Sistani well protected,because killing him wil blow the whole thing up.

And Shiite Sadr can become a much more important figure in the Shia ranks.

All Shias against Sunnis, and some Shias against other Iranian backed Shias. And Kurds trying to cut out territory for Kurdistan.

And oil prices skyrocketing.

Sistani has to be protected from assasination. - tom

[rlmorel]

Yes...he is no guru of mine, though...he is too much of an "intellectual" for me. I guess I cannot stomach the appelation of "intellectual", and with that accent of his an mannerisms, I just have a difficult time hearing his voice (it even comes across to me in his writing)

My "Gurus" are people like Charles Krauthammer, Mike Adams (Okay, just a guru of conservative anti-feminist entertainment there!), Thomas Sowell, Ann Coulter (Okay...she is for blood in the water entertainment!)

But my conservative guru is: Don Rumsfeld!

[elhombrelibre]

COL Snow's comments in this Washington Times' story are reassuring. See the link.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060224-114949-9880r.htm

[rlmorel]

"...Democracy should always be the preferred method of government but sometime with some people it may not be the most effective answer..."

Actually, I could agree with that statement in some contexts.

For example, if you were placed in an environment with people who had no regard for the personal rights of others or the observance of law, the only way to govern them would be by force and domination.

This is presuming that these people are the vast majority...if they were the minority, a democratic coalition should "remove" them from the environment to allow people a peaceful and democratic co-existence with those who DO respect the rule of law.

Just my 2 cents on that!