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BAGHDAD BABYLON Hope and Despair in Divided Iraq
SPIEGEL ONLINE ^ | August 10, 2007, 08:06 PM | By Ullrich Fichtner in Iraq

Posted on 08/15/2007 1:47:42 AM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner

When describing Iraq, the word "peace" is seldom used. Truth be told, the Americans have restored order to many parts of the county. But Iraq remains fractured, and where new schools are built today, bombs could explode tomorrow.

The "Hands of Victory" in Baghdad's Green Zone: The US military is more successful in Iraq than the world wants to believe.

The Iraq war came within a hair of returning to Ramadi in early July. The attackers had already gathered four kilometers (about 2.5 miles) south of the city, on the banks of the Nasr canal.

(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Germany; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: germany; iraq; spiegel; wot
Excellent reporting. Why can't we have this type of reporting in magazines in the US???
1 posted on 08/15/2007 1:47:46 AM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
Excellent reporting. Why can't we have this type of reporting in magazines in the US???

Because most American "journalists" are on the side of the terrorists.

2 posted on 08/15/2007 1:52:49 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler ("A person's a person no matter how small." -Dr. Seuss)
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To: Forgiven_Sinner

This kind of journalistic balance is an extreme exception for the German Magazine “Spiegel” (and German media in general).

Spiegel is leftist and their reporting on Iraq and the USA until now was without exception heavily anti-American (you got the usual mantras: Bush lied, blood for oil, no WMDs, Vietnam II, quagmire, civil war, witdraw...etc.) Not to mention their arrogant sneering over “dumb, fat, guntoting, bible thumping Americans”.

I am genuinly surprised that for the first time I can think of the Spiegel has published an somewhat balanced and unbiased article on Iraq.


3 posted on 08/15/2007 1:59:59 AM PDT by SolidWood
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To: Forgiven_Sinner

except for the profanity.


4 posted on 08/15/2007 2:01:00 AM PDT by balch3
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To: Forgiven_Sinner; Jeff Chandler; balch3

Here is an interesting German-American blog focusing on the rabid Anti-Americanism which is the norm for German media and “Der Spiegel”.

http://medienkritik.typepad.com/

As I said this new article on our success in Iraq is a crass juxtaposition and turn of stance. If even “Der Spiegel” sees some success, there must be real progress on the ground.


5 posted on 08/15/2007 2:05:00 AM PDT by SolidWood
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To: balch3

“except for the profanity.”

Yeah, well, that reflects on the fact soldiers are profane and have been for hundreds of years. The journalism was accurate in its depiction of it. Not something I would do.

The “Bush lied” mantra is in here, but it’s practically pro forma. The provide no facts to buttress their statement, it’s just accepted as a given. I think the author is trying to achieve “balance” for the positive article by repeating widely held beliefs in Europe.


6 posted on 08/15/2007 2:08:19 AM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner (Here's how to prove God's existence: ask Him to reveal Himself to you.)
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
The “Bush lied” mantra is in here, but it’s practically pro forma.

Yep. OpinionJournal's Taranto nailed it in yesterday's Best of the Web:

It's a very long piece, and not all upbeat, but it's a refreshing change from the usual unremitting defeatism of much Iraq reporting. We're also amused by the obvious bias in that last paragraph we quoted: Even though predictions that coalition troops would be greeted as liberators "could in fact still come true" and indeed already have "in many places," the author nonetheless says those predictions were made "erroneously" by "deceptive advisors."

7 posted on 08/15/2007 2:23:27 AM PDT by Nervous Tick
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
der Spiegel basically confirms what O'Hanlan and Pollack reported two weeks ago. While the Left and MSM scrambled to minimize the O&P story, their heads will explode trying to refute an international icon that declared Iraq a defeat a year before Harry did.

I'm relieved the truth is finally getting out.
8 posted on 08/15/2007 4:38:53 AM PDT by Thrownatbirth (.....when the sidewalks are safe for the little guy.)
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
This is a lengthy read, but I recommend to anyone on this thread to read it. Yeah, it has some Bush-bashing, but it's quite a lot of information.

And here's an interesting quote from the article: "Those who believe that a speedy withdrawal of US troops would result in the problem capable of resolving itself are deeply mistaken."
9 posted on 08/15/2007 7:30:21 AM PDT by frankenMonkey (An Army Dad)
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To: frankenMonkey; Nervous Tick
“This is a lengthy read, but I recommend to anyone on this thread to read it.”

You mean people would post without reading the article??? /sarc

“Best of the Web” credit - that’s where I found this article. Thanks James Taranto

10 posted on 08/15/2007 8:40:02 AM PDT by Forgiven_Sinner (Here's how to prove God's existence: ask Him to reveal Himself to you.)
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
You mean people would post without reading the article??? /sarc

My favorite versions of this are the "I never watch TV" posts to TV threads, etc.
11 posted on 08/15/2007 10:08:45 AM PDT by frankenMonkey (An Army Dad)
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To: Forgiven_Sinner
The "Battle of Donkey Island," named after the wild donkeys native to the region, lasted 23 hours.

When I read that I had images of US Military forces attacking Washington DC....

12 posted on 08/15/2007 3:54:18 PM PDT by PsyOp (Truth in itself is rarely sufficient to make men act. - Clauswitz, On War, 1832.)
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