Month: April 2003

I’m seeing an increasing divergence between the mainstream media and the translated GRU reports on the situation in Iraq. In particular, the Russians are reporting battles in places that the mainstream media has stopped reporting on altogether.

Alan Hutch at The Libertarian Enterprise –

Which Two Wars? – a list of the numerous wars, foreign and
domestic, into which America’s “leaders” have gotten us. [tle] [End the War on Freedom]

Iraqi opposition force in S Iraq. US forces begin to airlift fighters under the control of an Iraqi opposition leader into southern Iraq. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition]

bq. The force is under the control of the Iraqi National Congress and its leader, Ahmed Chalabi, who will accompany his troops into Iraq.

The arrival of this crook and his private army demonstrate quite clearly just what sort of “liberation” the US government has in mind for the people of Iraq.

Bush puts God on his side. US President George W Bush firmly believes he has placed his country on God’s side by invading Iraq, writes the BBC’s Tom Carver. [BBC News | Front Page | UK Edition]

It seems that Bush and Osama bin Laden have even more in common than just goals. It seems they have the both motivation as well.

An exerpt from the latest Russian military intelligence update:

bq. The coalition claims of “completely destroying” the “Media” (“Al Madina al Munavvara”) and the “Hammurali” Republican Guard divisions of the 2nd Republican Guard Corps received no confirmation. No more than 80 destroyed Iraqi armored vehicles were found along the coalition’s route of advance, which corresponds to about 20% of a single standard Iraqi Republican Guard division.

It has been determined that only a few forward elements of the “Hammurali” Division participated in combat while the entire division withdrew toward Baghdad. A single brigade of the “Medina” division was involved in combat. The brigade was split in two groups during fighting and withdrew toward Baghdad and toward Karabela to join the main forces of the [“Medina”] division.

Equally unimpressive are the numbers of the Iraqis captured by the coalition. In four days of advance the US troops captured just over 1,000 people only half of whom, according to the reports by the US field commander, can be considered regular troops of the Iraqi army. There are virtually no abandoned or captured Iraqi combat vehicles. All of this indicates that so far there has been no breakthrough for the coalition; Iraqi troops are not demoralized and the Iraqi command is still in control of its forces.

It really does sound like those Republican Guard units weren’t actually destroyed at all.

A strategic blunder?. Despite stiff and unexpected Iraqi resistance, the U.S. invasion of Iraq is likely to succeed in toppling Saddam Hussein — and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Bush, the Republican Party and American neoconservatives. [Townhall.com]

A look at the consequences of the invasion of Iraq. Personally, I think he’s being overly optimistic in forecasting the defeat of the neoconservatives. Even if the Republican Party suffers because of their actions, it won’t stop them–they can just switch to the Democratic Party and become “neoliberals” instead. Given their Communist background, they might even be more comfortable in that role.

Quote of the day:

bq. We may extend our dominion over the whole continent, our navies may ride triumphant on every sea, our name may be the terror of Kings, our decrees the destinies of nations, but be assured it will be at the price of our free institutions. I know not how it may be with others, but for my own part, I would not pay this price for all the power and all the glory that ever clustered around all the banners and all the eagles emblazoned in the pantheon of history.

William Waters Boyce

I just saw a show on the Discovery Channel about the North Hollywood bank robbery. They went on and on about how outgunned the police were by the two robbers, but somehow they “forgot” to mention even once that the police borrowed AR-15 rifles from a nearby gunstore–thus removing the robbers’ advantage.

Chavez blasts Central Bank. President Hugo Chávez blasted the Venezuelan Central Bank on Wednesday for allowing “savage” levels of interest rates to prevail. Chavez said: “I demand, with all due respect for the autonomy of the Central Bank …the Central Bank has to listen to the country”. For the second time in a week Chávez said that if the Central Bank does not listen to him, he would go to the Supreme Court to force it to do it. He said the structure of the Bank still was “infiltrated by neoliberal currents which serve those that want a coup”. Finally, in the most irresponsible statement, which simply describes Chavez’ tenure in the Presidency, he reminded the Directors of the Central Bank that sometimes decision have to be more political than technical. Clearly Chavez is fed up with the independence of the Central Bank, much like he has been fed up with every institution that does not follow his whims and wishes at every step. The question is what type of retaliation there will be on the Central Bank if it does not follow the President

Put the Brits in Charge. There is still a great amount of respect in the Arab world for Britain and the British. Despite all the shouts about the wicked British imperialists, the term Kilmet Inglizi (“the word of an Englishman”) still rings true in the ear of the Arabs. [Counterpoint]

Here’s an idea stupid enough to be in the National Review. And sure enough, it is. However, absurd as the idea is, I’ve wondered since Tony Blair sent so many troops if control of part of Iraq might be the payoff.