Reuters: Baghdad falling into ANARCHY

[Bluebear]

...In Baghdad, it can seem everyone these days is armed, a mark of violence that is ever more anarchic and prompting efforts by the government, U.S. military, and even militia leaders, to curb rogue gunmen, especially among majority Shi'ites, who threaten what the prime minister has called the "last chance" for peace...

The top U.S. military commander shed some of Washington's usual reticence about sectarian labeling on Wednesday by saying Shi'ite militia "death squads" were behind much of the violence in the capital that has left scores dead this past week.

Some observers fear that a third, even more intractable, phase of the conflict has been reached, beyond insurgency and beyond even combat between organized armed groups: "What we're now seeing has no shape whatever," a Western diplomat said.

"It's just everyone fighting everyone. Anarchy."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060713/wl_nm/iraq_chaos_dc_2

[bluestateguy]

1. Another story about Iraq being on the "verge of civil war"

As if three years isn't long enough to be "on the verge". What's next? Maybe another Adam Nagourney piece in the NY Times about how "the Democrats don't have a plan" on Iraq.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. The Brave Sir Robin Plan

When it comes to confronting the fascist scum on the Right, the Democrats have the Brave Sir Robin Plan:

"Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot.
He was not afraid to die, O brave Sir Robin!
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways,
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin!

...

Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!"

Oh FDR! Where art thou?

[niceypoo]

18. Bush Iraq Plan:

http://democrats.senate.gov/pdfs/BushRepublicanPlanonIraq.pdf

[European Socialist]

2. Kinda like the USA--broken to pieces, but still manages to go on.

[me b zola]

3. Meanwhile, in scarborough country...

Scarborough and one of his guests was beating their chests talking about all of the good that the war on Iraq has brought to the ME, that the idea of "democracy" is spreading, and how bush*s foreign policy is being proven to be correct. :eyes:

I shit you not, this is the bs that they were spewing. God help us all.

[Kagemusha]

4. I've studied anarchy. It does have shape.

Don't reduce it to people killing each other for no reason whatsoever. These are sharply defined factions killing people for very specific and well thought out reasons. This isn't a shapeless mass. This is sharp, active, armed tribalism in action, and the US is just another tribe here.

But it's NOT everyone fighting everyone for no reason whatsoever. Not by a longshot.

[Pachamama]

10. The scary thing is that based on your accurate description of the shape &

form of anarchy, and in particular what is happening in Iraq, it almost sounds like it has more organization than Bush's version of Democracy that he's trying to spread...

:eyes:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

15. That reminds me of something...

When the anarchists took over Barcelona in the 20s (30s?) their two main accomplishments (aside from holding of Franco) were killing all the clergy and abolishing the city's one-way street system.

[SammyBlue]

5. La la la la la la la la. . .fingers in ears. I can't hear you

You're just reporting the bad news. What about all the good news, like lights are on 3 hours a day in Baghdad, up from 1.

la la la la la la la la, I'm not listening.

And who said there wouldn't be a power vaccum? And what's what damn Iraqi government doing?

[Erika]

6. A probush friend said to make Iraq the 51st state

and Israel the 52nd state. For the money we're spending there, it makes darn good sense.

[Pachamama]

11. And send all the GOPers there to live? Make it Red?

:shrug:

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Falling? My Ass...

Falling into anarchy? No, it's fallen. Baghdad, a city of 6 million, now has more murders each day than the entire United States (300 million people). I'd say it fell into anarchy some time ago - but the yellow-bellied press is afraid to call it what it is for fear of being criticized by the crazy-Right.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. That's a chilling statistic!

I wonder if I'll ever hear it on CNN? :laughingwhilecryingsmilie:

[The Wizard]

12. But

Freedom's on the march and Clinton didn't do anything for 8 years. That's the ticket, Clinton's dick is the source of all evil. Bush supporters make a good case for euthanasia or at least castration and tube tying. At what point do we give back to Saddam Hussein the keys to his house? If we don't we'll be there for another 50 to 60 years depleting our military and treasury. Now that the Republicans have declared WW III in time for the November elections, how can we frame the issue to make them out to be the lying scumbags and war profiteers they are? We went to Vietnam so we wouldn't have to fight them on our soil, at least that's what they were selling then. Israel and its enemies have had several battles over the years. The repubes are labeling this WW III because Rove thinks it's a winning political strategy. I wonder how much Ku Klux Karl is paying Jeff Gannon to ham slam him.

[pokercat999]

13. This could have been avoided. Who "runs" our wars

the NRA? I couldn't figure out in Somalia, Iraq, Bosnia or any other recent "wars" why we let everyone (civilians) walk around with guns. Why couldn't we notify the populace that ANYONE with a weapon will be considered an enemy and "engaged" as a target without warning without failure, every time. How is it we allow all these guns?It has to be that the National Rifle Association is running this war.

It seems totally "alice in wonderland", to me.


Any "military" folks out there know the answer?

[Outlier]

16. arms for sale

I think Iran may know where all the AK's and RPG's come from. 
Also Saddam had made the entire country one huge ammo dump,
probably for just this purpose.  Don't blame the poor guy for
arming himself its not his fault the entire place went to
hell.

[pokercat999]

17. My concern isn't WHERE the weapons came from

it's WHY our military allows the population to walk around armed with anything more than a pocket knife.

[mkb]

14. Achieving Justice Without War

     Like most people, I still have a lot to learn on many
issues, but I think that my self-education has served me well
at trying to make sense of the world.
     I am quite certain within my own knowledge base that
America, the rich nation ("rica" means rich in
Spanish), is the major cause of the troubles in the Middle
East.
     The root cause of most wars, as they say about evil, is
money, and what it can pay for.  It's always good to ask
yourself who starts the wars and who benefits from them.  The
poor overwhelmingly fight and suffer in war and the wealthy
most certainly benefit, and take far fewer risks on the rare
occasions that they serve.
     Just as With anything, in the long run it pays to do your
homework and participate in the best way possible to make the
world better for others and yourself.  I've read analysis on
Stan Goff's website that provides deeper and clearer
understanding of what is going on in the Middle East.  I don't
suggest that he is right about everything, but there is some
good writing there.  In particular, note the Production
Sharing Agreement that helps oil companies access control of
some of the oil revenue.