Chaos Reigns As Saddam's Plan Unfolds/article re: Iraq bomb/interesting

[tlcandie]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0831-06.htm
Observer/UK

<snip>
It is a view repeated by other Shias, who form 60 per cent of Iraq's population. Despite long-running differences between Shia groups, they do not believe that even the hardliners could contemplate such an appalling crime.

If it is not down to dissident Shia groups, the only alternative explanation is that Hakim was killed by the same forces that bombed the UN earlier in the month and the Jordanian embassy - the same loose network that has been killing US soldiers almost daily.

A forensic link appears to have been established. The same explosives that were used in the bombing of the UN compound in Baghdad, killing special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, appear to have been used to kill Hakim - who offered a voice and hope to many Shias.

The logic believed to be behind the attacks, which have been happening at a rate of around 13 a day, is to sow maximum chaos in Iraq and undermine post-war reconstruction efforts. If true, it is succeeding in this case, with many of the grief-stricken and increasingly angry Shias crowding Najaf believing the bombing was either a sinister US conspiracy or the work of ex-Baath Party militants loyal to Saddam Hussein.
<snip>

[Maple]

1. Well Saddam told everyone

they would be using 'unconventional warfare'

When the entire Republican guard simply melts away, and the American invasion walks in with no or minimal resistance....you gotta figure what's going on.

You don't just take it at face value and figure pulling down a statue ends anything.

It was a giant baited trap from the beginning.

[Solomon]

3. It also makes me think again about Uday & Quasay

What were they doing together in that house? How is it that Saddam is able to stay hidden, but both Uday & Qusay are caught? Not saying that the sons weren't killed. It just seems so strange.

[LeftCoast]

2. Not sure about Saddam's plan, but

OBL's certainly is. Let's see. What were his goals?

1) Drive the US out of Saudi Arabia.
Check

We've basically got just a skeleton crew in our brand new base there. Everything's being moved to Iraq.

2) Start religious war with West.
Check

We've got troops fighting a war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Religous fundamentalists from around the ME are pouring into both countries. Our ham-fisted tactics in Iraq have managed to convince virtually everyone in the ME that everything bad the fundies were saying about us was true.

*Let's make that CHECK CHECK

Not only that, virtually the entire world is opposed to our current policy on a virtually everything. Our budget is ballooning into deficit for the next ten years at a minimum.

Sheesh...this is too depressing to keep writing about. I think I'll stop here...