I have been reading Robert Fiske's Book, "The Greaet War For Civilization...". It is a thorough analysis of contemporary Middle East from someone who has lived in and witnessed it. Although those of us who know something of that part of the world knew the butcher and the maniac that Saddam was, I still could not believe what he had actually done--or what was done in his name by his henchmen. I find it pathetic and laughable now that he comes to court, he carries a Quran. The sentence that the Iraqi court has handed him does not do him justice at all. What is also disturbing to me is the hand that the United States had in propping him up and now we have had to pay with our treasure and the lives of our young men and women.
I have become an absolute devout follower of Juan Cole's daily blog. The insight he shares with us is so refreshing, yet so depressing. Although I encourage everyone to read his blog, I had to feature his entry for today on life in Iraq today:
Source: http://www.juancole.com retrieved November 15, 2006
The facades of a normal society are gradually dropping in Iraq. It isn't a place where you can go to the book bazaar and buy a book anymore. It isn't a place where you can go to college like a normal student or professor. It is a dark, despairing, violent arena. People go about their lives, of course. But they never know when, abruptly, the Grim Reaper will grasp them as they shop for eggplants or fill up their tanks with gasoline or drop the kids off at school. And because they never know, the scope of these daily activities is curtailed more each day.
How can the Adminstration say that things are getting better is beyond me. We'll see what the Baker/Hamilton Folks will come up with. Every option is a bad one.
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