Juan Cole: Security Situation in Baghdad Sinking like the Titanic

http://www.juancole.com/2005/09/security-situation-in-baghdad-sinking.html

An observer in Iraq writes to me:


"The situation has deteriorated in Baghdad dramatically today. Five neighborhoods (hay) in Baghdad are controlled by insurgents, and they are Amiraya, Ghazilya, Shurta, Yarmouk and Doura. It is very bad. My guys there report that cars have come into these neighborhoods and blocked off the streets. Masked gunmen with AKs and other weapons are roaming these areas, announcing that people should stay home. One of my drivers in Amiraya reports that his neighborhood is shut down totally, and even those who need food or provisions are warned not to go out.

The government will respond feebly. It will go into a contested neighborhood, and then just like Fallujah, Ramadi, Tel Afar, the insurgents will flee to take over another area on another day. Bit by bit they are taking over the main parts of Baghdad. The only place we are sure they cannot control is Sadr City, unless of course they want to take on Jaish Mahdy , and that would be bloody.

A few minutes ago Jaafari came on television to tell everyone in Baghdad to stay home. Can't wait for his next bold move.

There are flyers in public areas of Baghdad warning people not to gather in large numbers because they will thereby become targets. I am trying to get a copy of the flyer.

...walk and chew gum at the same time, are just going to forget about the War they started, and hope that everyone else does too.

Now that Hussein is out and no one is running Iraq, just fighting over it, what should we do?

If we leave a weak government, we probably get a radicalized, Islamicised regime which hates us.

If we stay, what good can we do?

A fine mess the administration has gotten us into with their lack of having a plan for the post-invasion 'victory'.

I don't think that they hate us... I think that their religion is not one of hate... But instead, one of liberation from the physical world.. They answer to a God who places no value on money.. That is the problem... and yet they are right.

When the American people have finally had enough of fighting an endless insurgency, spending a billion a week, and burying their sons, and they demand that our troops come home -- and Iraq is subsequently embroiled in a civil war and terrorism runs even more rampant -- the right wingers will blame Democrats, liberals, Cindy Sheehan and all the antiwar protesters for undermining the troops and our country's will to "stay the course" to victory.

In the minds of these wingnuts, there is simply no room for the fact that Bush and the neocons brought this disaster to fruition themselves and are fully to blame.

But this time maybe, the crap they spew will stick to them where it belongs.

be making a difference (Sarcasm)