It is all in how you tell it...
Curious sensation catching up on the world news this morning...
First an NPR medium length story on the Iraq constitution, noting the current situation and the possible outcomes. The outcome identified as the most precarious was if the Shiites and Kurds reached a compromise without addressing Sunni concerns.
Glanced at CNN, nothing much. The checked Morgunblaðið where the banner headline is that a constitutional agreement has been reached, just in time, "between the Shiites and Kurds" - it says, upfront, above the fold.
What? Back to CNN, yes, there in the sidebar, is Shiite official: Iraq to draft constitution today" - most interesting; especially the bit buried half-way down "Officials close to the negotiations said Kurds and Shiites had reached agreement".
So, same story, different spin. Headed for worst possible outcome...
Update: WaPo headline takes same spin as Mogginn. Bummer.
Juan Cole's informed comment has an interesting discussion today on "Should we stay or should we go" - his proposed solution, withdraw US ground troups rapidly in stages and "Iraqize" the conflict is interesting but has a major weakness, which is that it presumes the Shiites won't simply decide they can do better all by themselves (even at the price of an all out shooting civil war) and that they will simply order US forces out once they are down to the airbases only. To actually protect and supply several major air bases needed for the proposed close support missions would either need a strong, trustworthy Iraqi army, or it would need a couple of divisions of ground troops. Back to where we started.
Talking of which, the failed attack on US Navy ships in Jordan was against ships from Amphibious Group 2 - attached to the Atlantic fleet. How common is it for them to be on the "wrong side" of the Suez canal? Anyone know? I know they do exercises with the Mediterranean fleet on regular basis.
And, there's a Pacific fleet Amphibious Group with a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Spec Ops capable) in the Arabian Sea. That's more than a division of USMC if I counted right.
Funny that.
Be interesting to know if the Pacific fleet carriers are still in port.
Wonder if Iranian intelligence has someone with an SMS enabled cell phone in a small town in Missouri...
First an NPR medium length story on the Iraq constitution, noting the current situation and the possible outcomes. The outcome identified as the most precarious was if the Shiites and Kurds reached a compromise without addressing Sunni concerns.
Glanced at CNN, nothing much. The checked Morgunblaðið where the banner headline is that a constitutional agreement has been reached, just in time, "between the Shiites and Kurds" - it says, upfront, above the fold.
What? Back to CNN, yes, there in the sidebar, is Shiite official: Iraq to draft constitution today" - most interesting; especially the bit buried half-way down "Officials close to the negotiations said Kurds and Shiites had reached agreement".
So, same story, different spin. Headed for worst possible outcome...
Update: WaPo headline takes same spin as Mogginn. Bummer.
Juan Cole's informed comment has an interesting discussion today on "Should we stay or should we go" - his proposed solution, withdraw US ground troups rapidly in stages and "Iraqize" the conflict is interesting but has a major weakness, which is that it presumes the Shiites won't simply decide they can do better all by themselves (even at the price of an all out shooting civil war) and that they will simply order US forces out once they are down to the airbases only. To actually protect and supply several major air bases needed for the proposed close support missions would either need a strong, trustworthy Iraqi army, or it would need a couple of divisions of ground troops. Back to where we started.
Talking of which, the failed attack on US Navy ships in Jordan was against ships from Amphibious Group 2 - attached to the Atlantic fleet. How common is it for them to be on the "wrong side" of the Suez canal? Anyone know? I know they do exercises with the Mediterranean fleet on regular basis.
And, there's a Pacific fleet Amphibious Group with a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Spec Ops capable) in the Arabian Sea. That's more than a division of USMC if I counted right.
Funny that.
Be interesting to know if the Pacific fleet carriers are still in port.
Wonder if Iranian intelligence has someone with an SMS enabled cell phone in a small town in Missouri...
posted by Steinn at 11:38 AM
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