pop quiz

the president of the u.s.a. recently made the following speech:

• "If America were to pull out before Iraq could defend itself, the consequences would be absolutely predictable, and absolutely disastrous. We would be handing Iraq over to our worst enemies -- Saddam's former henchmen, armed groups with ties to Iran, and al-Qaida terrorists from all over the world who would suddenly have a base of operations far more valuable than Afghanistan under the Taliban."

who are the allies of u.s.a. in iraq? is it: (a) Saddam's former henchmen, (b) armed groups with ties to Iran, or (c) al-Qaida terrorists from all over the world?

answer: (b) those are important to shore up support for prime minister mr. al-maliki, and a bit of (a). indeed, it is not a bad idea to have some connections with and even alliance with these two groups. they represent a good chunk of the iraqi people (not the kurds, of course, but then we have pretty much forgotten them). but here is the rub: if our government doesn't begin to separate out al-qaida leaders from al-qaida sympathizers (a sizable group), and al-qaida from home-grown leaders (try politicians not henchmen), we will never be any closer to "handing over" anything to anybody.

"If America were to pull out...the consequences would be...absolutely disastrous"

the header is from president george bush in an article that focuses on a series of bombings and other killings in baghdad (last gasp of terrorists of course) and the rest of iraq.

• The bloodshed was part of a violent week that has left hundreds of Iraqis dead. (Barrage of attacks kill 47 in Baghdad, by Elena Becatoros, Associated Press Writer, 31 Aug. 2006)
  

i suppose it is too small a point to point out that the consequences of staying in are absolutely disastrous now?

"prepare to take back"!?; "prepare to take"!?: who the hell writes this stuff?

i should be writing about custer battles and roy trumble, but it is too difficult to figure out who is sleasiest, so i will just attack our journalists instead.

• Bombings and shootings killed more than 70 people in Iraq on Tuesday in a surge of bloodshed as U.S. forces prepare to take back Baghdad's streets from gunmen. The dead included 20 Iraqi troops, a U.S. soldier and a British soldier. (Attacks across Iraq kill more than 70, By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer, 1 Aug. 2006, BAGHDAD, Iraq)

how long have usa troops been in iraq? they are just now preparing to take back baghdad's streets? give me a break. why not let rumsfeld just write the ap articles?