tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post1447368133303511115..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: Much Ado About Nothing, How The Western Press Got The Story Of The U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Wrong AgainJoel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-8942850762911028722011-10-17T20:24:59.615-07:002011-10-17T20:24:59.615-07:00The same things happened with the SOFA in late 200...The same things happened with the SOFA in late 2008. If you understood what was being said on Iraqi TV as the SOFA negotiations proceeded (together with the background history of aversion to foreign occupation), it was clear throughout that the SOFA, as adopted, was the best that could ever be obtained: US Forces out of the cities as fast as possible; departure in stages as soon as possible.<br /><br />It is very difficult any more for the press to provide the depth of coverage in a war zone that can give a complete perspective to US readers---whether that is because of embeddedness, reliance on press releases (which are often motivated to influence events), or editors economically desperate to chase readers (tell them what they want to hear, or, at least, bury the unpleasant parts on later pages). Not sure that much is different from, say, the Spanish American War (Remember the Alamo!) where the actual history gets pieced together. Having said that, it should be recognized that active US diplomatic and military officials in a war zone are actually trying to do something quite different with the media than what a police spokesman is back home. With that understanding, it is as easy to understand what Saddam was doing with WMD (to protect against its enemies) as we were for other purposes. Media as an active target is not anything new.Steve Donnelly, AICPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11707306512563808960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-66494784459360163532011-10-17T20:00:10.084-07:002011-10-17T20:00:10.084-07:00Saddam did allow the U.N. inspectors back into Ira...Saddam did allow the U.N. inspectors back into Iraq beginning in Nov. 02. They worked right up to before the war started in March 03. The nuclear inspectors led by the International Atomic Energy Agency were quite clear that they found no evidence of a renewed nuclear program. And you are right, part of the reason why Saddam never came completely clean about his WMD programs was because he wanted to deter Iran, Iraq's historical rival dating back centuries.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-49682271570981855442011-10-17T18:57:50.510-07:002011-10-17T18:57:50.510-07:00Before the invasion of Iraq I thought that Saddam ...Before the invasion of Iraq I thought that Saddam Huessein (sp) was bluffing when he didn't want the nuclear inspectors in his country because if he didn't have weapons Kuwait and Iran might want to kick his ass. No normal sane person believed me, but that's what I thought.Resaca Rose/Pamhttp://resacarose.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com