tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post9132866001468360606..comments2024-02-26T00:59:26.907-08:00Comments on Ana the Imp: The Disaster of IraqAnastasia F-Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-76758752663892170092009-06-11T07:31:28.034-07:002009-06-11T07:31:28.034-07:00I can't deny that's a reasonable point. Th...I can't deny that's a reasonable point. There was never enough proper control and supervision of the 'beast', particularly by the Bush administration However, speaking personally, I like to think of myself as a realist rather than a cynic; and a realist thinks that Iraq without Saddam is generally worse than Iraq with Saddam. A depressing view, I suppose.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-76752911223607129122009-06-11T00:07:23.002-07:002009-06-11T00:07:23.002-07:00The implication of your point is that Saddam was a...The implication of your point is that Saddam was a useful and effective buffer against Iran. This was the cynical position that both the West and the Gulf States took until the invasion of Kuwait.Zakihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00585738632452979553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-36349729581559642642009-06-10T16:14:03.926-07:002009-06-10T16:14:03.926-07:00The essential point is that Iraq is likely to rema...The essential point is that Iraq is likely to remain weak and divided far into the future, to the immeasurable benefit of Iran, now the strongest power in the region, and likely to become stronger yet. Thanks for the links, Zaki.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-15510267519432595452009-06-10T02:40:35.357-07:002009-06-10T02:40:35.357-07:00The main point I disagree with here regards the po...The main point I disagree with here regards the position Iran. The Iraqis are Arabs and even the Shia amongst them have no wish to be influenced or controlled by Iran. The Iranians armed the Sadrist militias because of a shared hatred of the US and a desire to keep the central government weak. But the Sadrists were decisively defeated in Basrah and Baghdad in 2008.<br /><br />As regards the future of secularism, time will tell, but the loss of support of the religious parties in recent local elections is an encouraging sign. Saddam was secular, but he gave secularism a bad name. Below are a couple of very informative blogs on Iraq and the middle east:<br /><br />http://talismangate.blogspot.com/<br /><br />http://www.michaeltotten.com/Zakihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00585738632452979553noreply@blogger.com