Iraq government learns lessons from Karl Rove

[beachmom]

So, I think we can all agree that Iraq is one of the worst, if not THE worst, countries in the world to live. There is only intermittant electricity, there is sewage running through the streets, there are terrorists everywhere blowing people up at markets and by mosques, there's that little pesky fact of 140,000 foreign occupying forces in country with no plans to leave, there is a civil war going on that claimed 6,599 lives in July and August (http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/21/thinkfast-september-21-2006/) per the U.N. and apparently honor killings of women are up. The economy SUCKS in Iraq -- not much opportunity to work - unemployment figures from this article from 2005 figure it to be at least 50% (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/19/AR2005061900729.html). And the police are corrupt, and sometimes take part in death squads.

So I'm sure the Iraqi government is hard at work to combat all of these daunting tasks, right? Wrong. They have mastered the Karl Rove ingenius idea, that when you're a bunch of incompetent, inept, corrupt, unethical politicians in charge, you MUST change the subject. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the "War on Christmas" equivalent in Iraq. That damned Pope!! Now I'm not here to defend or critizie the papal -- I just think that with all of those problems I detailed above, I just don't see how the pope should even make the top 10. But, alas, we live in a world where there are no leaders. Iraq is just the latest example. And, yeah, NO AMERICAN SOLDIER or MARINE should die for these clowns:

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/2006/09/begging-for-more-anger.html

Iraq's speaker of parliament opened Tuesday's session (Arabic) by complaining about "the pope's excuses are not enough, he must make a clear apology…."

The Islamist speaker, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said it without shame or hesitation, just like all other leaders who owe us a thousand apologies a day for their ignorance and incompetence.

What can I say? We got used to this kind of behavior. When someone is full of mistakes he finds no shelter except in accusing others of being wrong.

I don't know what good can this do for Iraq or its people! What difference does it make to the average Iraqi whether the pope apologized or not? Did Mr. Speaker ask himself these questions?

My guess is that he was in a state of euphoria after watching the 150 teenagers-demonstration in Basra which is another proof of the ignorance of its managers.

Remember the name, al-Mashhadani -- that's Arabic for Tom Delay.

Shameful doesn't even begin to describe this Iraqi government we continue to prop up.

[wisteria]

1. Notice how our government isn't saying much about this.

I suppose they all think it is a good idea to have the people focus their anger elsewhere instead of on Iraq. I hope this runs it course soon. The way this is playing out, I would have put money on Rove being behind it. With the angry mobs threatening the Pope, they don't have time to get angry over their own governments incompetence and their horrible living conditions. Good post Beachmom.