Saddam's capture: good news for Iraqis, bad news for Bush and Blair

[RBHam]

By Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi
Chairman of Arab Media Watch http://www.ArabMediaWatch.com
YellowTimes.org Guest Columnist (United Kingdom)
http://www.yellowtimes.org/article.php?sid=1696
Excerpt:
Bush and Blair have long claimed that Saddam's capture would take the steam out of the resistance. They assumed, naively and against the advice of officials and generals on the ground, that Saddam was still "running the show" (a haggard, disoriented old man caught sleeping and alone in a small dirt hole is hardly a model resistance leader).

They assumed, against the evidence from reporters who interviewed resistance leaders and fighters, that they were fighting primarily in his name, in the ludicrous hope that he would return to Baghdad to rule once again.

They assumed, simplistically and inaccurately, that Iraqi opposition to Saddam would translate into blind support for occupation. Remember the laughable expectation that Iraqis would greet their "liberators" with roses? Remember the fanfare following the killing of Saddam's sons? How quickly these petered out into obscurity.

The resistance will not vanish. Saddam's capture will not be the answer to Bush's and Blair's dreams, because they have wilfully ignored and belittled the widespread opposition by a proud people against the occupation of their country by those who for decades supported the tyrant who brutalised them, who bombed a prosperous, educated society into the third world, who maintained sanctions that punished everyone except the regime it was supposed to target.

[dusty64]

1. I agree.

This just proves that saddam was NOT leading an insurgency and was just concentrating on himself. If anything it will embolden other ethnic groups to demand independence and power. Ironically, this will probably make things much worse for our occupation.

[bryant69]

2. This is true too

The question is whether or not Saddam was bankrolling some of the resistance groups, which isn't out of the realm of possibility. If he was, well, then they might see a little less capability for a while.

On the other hand we might see the rise of a nationalist leader, which we haven't seen as of yet.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Polemonium]

3. I think your right, but I hope your wrong

I want our boys home safe and sound soon, I want Iraqi innocents to no longer have to wonder if today is their last day.

[ithacan]

4. Neo-cons are clueless, as usual

unfortunately for everyone, the neocons are so clueless, but don't even realize it, thinking in their arrogant way that they know everything.

This capture is setting up very high expectations which will without a doubt be dashed by the neocon arrogance and ignorance.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. I don't think Bu$h or Blair wanted Saddam

captured alive. NPR reported this morning that one of the soldiers was just about to throw a grenade into the hole when Saddam popped out. At that point, with all the Iraqis and Kurds around that were part of the mission, the US got stuck with Saddam alive and well. I'll even go so far to surmise that the Iraqis and Kurds had control of the circumstances that led to Saddam's 'capture' and made sure we got stuck with him alive. I bet a few of them are sitting in a tearoom and laughing their butts off right now.

[ellie]

6. I agree

I am surprised that he is alive. I would have bet the farm that they would want him dead because a dead Sadaam can't tell everything he knows. Watch as he develops health problems and dies in custody.

[IndianaGreen]

7. "The only difference is that Saddam would kill you in private...

"The only difference is that Saddam would kill you in private, where the Americans will kill you in public"

The harsh reality is that nothing has changed for the people of Iraq:

"It's great that he's caught, but it wasn't him who screwed up the petrol and the electricity and everything else so badly, so now a canister of gas that was 250 dinars costs 4,000, if you can get one," said Ghazi, a 52-year-old dentist. "This is an oil country and it should be rich. It should not be Afghanistan."

"The Americans promised freedom and prosperity; what's this? Go up to their headquarters, at one of those checkpoints where they point their guns at you, and tell them that you hate them as much as Saddam, and see what they do to you," said Mohammad Saleh, 39, a building contractor.

"The only difference is that Saddam would kill you in private, where the Americans will kill you in public," he said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3708757/

There is going to be even greater pressure by the Iraqis on the US to end the occupation and go home!