I don’t know how many of you watch Charlie Rose on his PBS show, but if you missed last night’s show you missed a lot.
His guest was John Burns, NYT Iraq reporter (on the ground for 4 1/2 years). He is often a short segment guest that Charlie checks in with live from Iraq about the latest happenings on the ground in Baghdad and other areas. John is particularly credible, articulate and talks to as many of the different factions that are involved there that he is able, including top US Military, Iraqi Government insiders, our troops, Iraqi troops, Sunni, Shiite, local citizens, et al. His reports are always sobering and informative far beyond anything we are hearing elsewhere in the media.
John Burns
Last Night Charlie had John Burns in his NY studio for the hour. It was a very sobering hour during which Mr Burns laid out the complexities and difficulties of what the current situation is.
I can hardly give you any scholarly analysis of the content. Suffice it to say that we are exactly where we all think we are. . .in S**t up to our eyeballs with no satisfactory, doable, or good solution available.
I highly recommend that you educate yourselves by going to Charlie Rose and viewing the program on google video.
There is no sense of feel good about this situation no matter what “we” do this makes the “rock and the hard place” look like a 5 star hotel. You all surely know that I am against all war ever for any reason. And to know what many of us have known from the beginning,
that we should never have gone into Iraq, is no comfort what-so-ever.
John Burns explains in detail who the players are, what their goals and incentives are and emphasizes what any person with any knowledge of this area has known for a long time: This conflict between the religious/tribal factions has been going on for 1300 years and all involved are intent upon continuing it until “their side” wins or is totally wiped out.
On partition, he says it is not at all workable. Even if we could stabilize 3 sovereign provinces or areas, there is still Baghdad which is more secular and filled with people of all 3 influences plus Christians and other persuasions. And all in all, it is his opinion (and mine) that Blood/tribal bonds are stronger than national or country bonds.
This very complex situation (of our making) is a no win for anyone. On the surge… it is his thought that it might and that is a very highly doubtful might, bring a very short term calming down, but it is not sustainable and it will not last. These waring factions have been biding their time over 1300 years (with plenty of waring and battles intermixed over the centuries). . .do we really think they will mind taking a few months or years off to build larger support from their followers, gather more financial and military support from whomever, in effect re-group?
On the other hand, he says the “real” Iraqi people, especially those in Baghdad and nearby areas, are very glad the American troops are there and that they got rid of Saddam. The extremists on all sides want us out of there. The Syrian, Saudi, Jordanian, Iranian interests will flow into Iraq to protect their own sectarian interest as soon as we leave. Blood is thicker than Nationalism. . .remember? They are ALL related to each other.
Even the British finally understood it back in the 20’s or 30’s. . .we cannot win or solve anything here and it is depressing beyond all comprehension that the lives of our young troops and millions of innocent Iraqi’s are the cost of this murderous game.
Go view the video of last night’s show. You will be more informed about actuality on the ground than you ever wanted to be.
Frankly, I don’t even know how to have an opinion about what to do about Iraq. . .our Idiot In Chief has brought down the region, just as those wise people who tried to warn about this have said all along. I can no longer even envision a “solution.”
