THE DEATH THROES OF IRAQ

[rodeodance]

http://www.atimes.com/

Oct 21, 2006

THE DEATH THROES OF IRAQ

During his 150 days at the helm, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, with President George W Bush's "full support", has overseen a dramatic deterioration of the country, writes Sami Moubayed. Death squads, militias and insurgents are running rampant, and so bad is the violence that rumors of a coup attempt are gaining credibility. This would install a Saddam-like strongman to rule with a heavy hand, says Robert Dreyfuss. It all adds to the pressure on Bush to set a timetable for withdrawal - even former allies are joining the call, reports Jim Lobe.

Heck of a job, Maliki! - Sami Moubayed

A coup in the air - Robert Dreyfuss

Endgame coming, ready or not - Jim Lobe

[rodeodance]

1. Endgame coming, ready or not

Oct 21, 2006
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ21Ak04.html

Endgame coming, ready or not
By Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - If Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki were inclined to bet his life on President George W Bush's latest assurances that there will be no timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq, he should probably give it a second thought.

While Bush, true to his self-image as an uncommonly firm leader in the mold of British prime minister Winston Churchill, is undoubtedly sincere in his determination to press ahead, political circumstances - not to mention the accelerating slide into an appalling civil war in Iraq - are clearly conspiring against him.

The signs of eroding support for Bush's "stay-the-course" strategy are virtually everywhere in Washington, where senior Republicans, such as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner, are moving into open revolt against what they see as a rapidly deteriorating situation and Bush's bullheadedness in still believing that Iraq will somehow become a model for democratic transformation in the Middle East.

The increasingly likely prospect of the Democrats recapturing the House of Representatives, and possibly even the Senate, too, after the November 7 mid-term elections should also spur second thoughts on Maliki's part.

[unhappycamper]

2. Thanks for posting.

All three of those Asia Times articles are worth reading.

Strange how this type of analysis is never mentioned in this country. :sarcasm: