Juan Cole's Informed Comment: Iraq.

[Inland]

In the past, I have posted segments of Prof. Cole's blog, but there's no way to excerpt his commentary and get the full flavor of all the news he conveys about Iraq. I can't summarize it: how do you summarize the symptoms of chaos? If you want news FROM Iraq that's ABOUT Iraq, and not about spin, read Professor Cole.


Here's ONE paragraph of today's blog.

http://www.juancole.com/

The UN oil for food program has continued to provide staples to most Iraqi families, but will be phased out by the end of 2006 as a "socialist" legacy. Despite the talk of staples "stabilizing," the price of foodstuffs has skyrocketed. Nor is a share for Iraqis in some of their oil wealth socialism. The Alaskans get a direct dividend from their petroleum, and the food aid was the closest thing the Iraqi public had to that. If the end of the program produces, as is likely, hardship and even hunger, there will be big urban disturbances. I lived through one such in Cairo in January of 1977. The gloaming was polluted with the bottles and stones thrown at government buildings by angry crowds chanting against the International Monetary Fund. That will be the final indignity, if the Americans actually manage to starve Iraqis to death with their policies.

[DELUSIONAL]

1. Alaskans get money from oil and Iraqis were getting food

Alaskans get a direct dividend from their petroleum, and the food aid was the closest thing the Iraqi public had to that.

[mom cat]

2. Iraqis are being punished for not cowtowing to the US.