Saturday, October 11, 2003

Washington Post editorial on assessing Iraq. Posted here Saturday, October 11, 2003 at 10:11:34 PM     Editorial in Sunday's Washington post, long and tantalizing but ultimately frustrating. No matter how one answers that question, the critical judgments now involve future policy. It is essential that the United States do as much as possible to stabilize Iraq under a peaceable, representative government. It seems to us that opponents of the war ought to recognize, as some have, that this mission could be critical to the fight against terrorism and to the future of the Middle East. But insisting on doing the right thing now does not excuse supporters of the war from reexamining the judgments that led to this point. The key issues: the tone, the admin making the whole country into a one issue republic, the move towards unilateralism - the Post does not deal with these issues, nor with the larger strategic scene. Like so much of the intervention into Iraq and its rhetoric, it seems to mystify and hold back and contrive much more than it does to face issues squarely. ********

Islamic ministers ask for US withdrawl.. Posted here Saturday, October 11, 2003 at 10:09:07 AM     meeting of the Islamic ministers in Malaysia.. The group was split until recently over whether the Iraqi Governing Council should assume the seat held by Saddam Hussein's ousted government. But delegates said Saturday a resolution would be adopted welcoming the council. Musa Braiza, head of the Jordanian delegation, said the resolution would acknowledge that positive change was underway in Iraq but would emphasize the full restoration of Iraqi sovereignty. Abdelouahed Belkaziz, the OIC's secretary general, said Islamic nations "are still under the strain of extremely difficult challenges and unprecedented threats to our countries' independence, sovereignty, security and courses." Top priority should go to "the eviction of foreign forces from Iraq, allowing the United Nations to administer Iraqi affairs (as a) prelude to restoration of Iraq's independence, and to the rebuilding of what has been destroyed over the past 20 years, all in accordance with a clear and short timetable," he said.   ********