Things are looking worse in Iraq

[MechAg94]

Does China have any aspirations of projecting its power beyond their immediate neighbors? I had always heard the answer was no.

 

[Joejojoba111]

There are newspapers that say the war is lost, and newspapers that say the war is won.

But the soldiers in Iraq who post on internet forums say that the war is a lost cause, becuase they aren't allowed to do what needs to be done to win. And the bureaucracy is becoming entrenched, making it a 2 front battle. Defending convoys doesn't a victory make.

 

[FPrice]

Does China have any aspirations of projecting its power beyond their immediate neighbors? I had always heard the answer was no.

They probably do but in a more sophisticated way than brute strength. They probably understand very well that the best/easiest way to beat us is through our wallets and through support of third-party problems.

 

[Waitone]

Read the article, now here is the windage I apply:
--Were the reporters/writers based in Iraq or where they stateside
--If based in Iraq, were they based in Baghdad or in the outlying cities
--Is there information based on face to face interviews or phone work
--How many unique sources did they use.
--Were the sources known to each other
--How many of the sources were non-American, AKA Iraqi or others from the region
--How many reporters were used but not acknowledged as sources

I could go on but I'll stop here and move to the next section
--Writers seem to speak confidently of Zarqawi's intent and position. So how come it is I hear the average age of suicide bombers is dropping into the mid-to-low teens. How come it is more and more stories are coming out how suicide bombers are coerced into the deed by threatening (not paying) family members.
--Why are "US officials" not identified? Lots of windage applied when "US officials" are not identified.
--How many of these officials are from the military and intelligence vs state and DoD.
--Were any of these officials associated with the UN or other NGO's with a vested interest in the US drawing a black eye with an unfavorable article.

Why is the inclusion of Iraqi in the insurgency deemed a negative to the interest of the US when not that long ago the presence of foreigners was deemed a negative to the interests of the US. Can't have it both ways. Pick one and go with it.

I am particularly intrigued by the concluding paragraphs of the article. The Sunni's feel estranged and their actions may be attributable to their bad feelings and blah, blah, blah, blah. The article's conclusion leads me think the article was placed as a favor to an element of the US government not that happy to see elections take place. Whoever wrote it thinks the Sunni's got shafted one they (the Sunni) opted to stay out of the initial elections. They later came on board when begged by the Shia and US to return. I conclude the article was placed at the behest of and benefit to certain elements of the CIA and State department. . . . .two organizations which have historically tried to implement their own foreign policy, often at odds with the president. These are the very same groups Condi Rice was charged to purge from influence.

The article is a clear example of how Bush's opposition conducts business.