Suddenly, It's 'America Who?'

New York Times ^ | 2/6/05 | Dexter Filkins

[Darkwolf377]

This is only a bad article if one reads selectively. I think the fact that this is appearing in the NYT shows that some liberals are not the lying hate-filled jerks that most libs are, but have honest disagreements with the war, and are now honestly analysing the success on THEIR terms of success. I don't expect folks like this to love W, but this article presents a potent, foreceful case that everything changed last Sunday.

Often we wait for events and pre-analyze them--when THIS happens we will be happy, for example--but I think now many are seeing that while last Sunday was just the first step, it's like saying you can't overhype a baby's first step, that the first step doesn't mean the baby will walk.

That's nonsense. This election was a historic moment.

[FairOpinion]

"I think the Americans should stay here until our security forces are able to do the jobs themselves," Mr. Ali said, echoing virtually every senior American officer in Iraq. "We Iraqis have our own government now, and we can invite the Americans to stay."


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I loved this! I think Iraq really turned the corner.

[CBart95]

Right. Who really cares what these known A-holes have to say? Their credibility is non-existent. They are finished.

[Arkie2]

You should take an acknowledgement from the New York Times that the election had a positive effect (just like Bush said it would) and declare victory. Carping about the editorial bent of the Times will only result in ulcers.

[dirtboy]

You should take an acknowledgement from the New York Times that the election had a positive effect (just like Bush said it would) and declare victory. Carping about the editorial bent of the Times will only result in ulcers.

I will carp all I friggin' want to, until I've got gefilte fish coming out my ears. IMO this was an attempt to downplay the triumph of the elections. And I am SICK of the media over-reporting the negatives in Iraq and downplaying the positives.

[momf]

I wouldn't play poker with him either!!

[Arkie2]

Whatever dude. Don't get a hernia.

[NorCalRepub]

dirt boy.......I think you are missing the big picture here IMO.......I thought the article was bringing clear the fact that the Iraqi's are now realizing it is not the Americans that are either at fault nor the saviour......it is themselves that have to fix the problems that Saddam left. The article was not intended to address the election itself but the aftermath and the thinking that is changing

[Polybius]

This is key to understanding the Iraqis. In their eyes, by removing Hussein, we made the Iraqi people look weak and impotent. It's their time now.

Well, then, by doing what it takes to defeat the Baathist Sunni thugs that are still trying to re-enslave them, the Iraqi people have a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate their newfound power.

[dirtboy]

Whatever dude. Don't get a hernia.

Sorry, I'm sick of the Slimes. They have tried for months to make it seem like we weren't wanted in Iraq. Now, all of a sudden, we are now just a non-factor.

Quite frankly, we are at war with the the MSM. This country lost Vietnam because the left ended up winning the battle of images and impressions. We cannot let that happen again in Iraq. And a key part of the left agenda is to downplay the triumphs so that the bad days don't seem worth the trouble.

[dirtboy]

I thought the article was bringing clear the fact that the Iraqi's are now realizing it is not the Americans that are either at fault nor the saviour......it is themselves that have to fix the problems that Saddam left.

I don't disagree with that part of the article. My point is, suddenly it went from the fault of the Americans to the fault of the new Iraqi government. And no stop for credit for positive achievements in between.

[Arkie2]

I guess some people don't know surrender when they see it. Open your eyes. Some on the left are admitting they were wrong. This is about as big a concession as you'll get from the Times.

[NorCalRepub]

I gotcha on that........I really really think they are just learning how to think for themselves after 30 years of being "thought" slaves.......sometimes we are the same griping about the negatives in life and taking for granted the good things.........but I see the point you were making

[maxwellp]

Well, half-way decent. Let's not forget the Iraqi woman who hugged the American woman who lost her son in Iraq.

[Faraday]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Iran is next.

[DTogo]

I'll drink to that!

[JennysCool]

Holy Cow! A fair, informative, positive and entertaining piece in the Times. What's goin' on?

[Yardstick]

Dexter Filkins better watch his back. This is the second upbeat article he's written on the Iraq elections. If he's not careful, the NYT will send him to the gulag for reprogramming.

[ricks_place]

Is Dexter Filkins going to be fired from the NYT for writing this article?

[scars]

The worm is starting to turn. The MSM is always cognitive of popular opinion. They mostly have tried to sway it in the direction of Socialism or Communism but they see, more than we do, the financial repercussions of their futile efforts to undermine our sovereignty and moral values.
Let's not forget that America has never tried to colonize another people or country. This would be unlike most of our "allies". Let's start with Rome, then go to the Holy Wars that propagated the United Kingdom. From there, we can observe the overbearing influence the British, French, Germans and Spanish tried to impose on us after they basically told us that we could leave because we were their "rancid refuse". Next, we can look at the conquests of Germany and Russia, as they tried to impose their way of life on weaker countries for personal gain. Add to this the unstopping zealous greed that has been exhibited by China, the Mongols, Korea and North Viet Nam, to name a few, in the Asian world. I won't even touch on the misguided Islamofacism that's been present in their religion since time immemorial. The bottom line is that we have been the benevolent benefactor of the world since we've been around and gotten nothing but envy and avarice from those we have protected. We can only keep doing what we're doing because we do have Christian morals and God's blessing as the most prosperous and generous people in His world.
What really impresses me about what's happening in Iraq is that they now have something in common with us. They risked their lives and showed great strength and determination to be a free people. I can understand how this made them feel like brethren instead of subordinates. I welcome them as my brothers in the fight for freedom. I respect them and hope that their courage can inspire others in that region, that I feel are weak because they haven't found their balls yet and will never be free until they do.