Christmas in Bethlehem was joyous and peaceful. Combined with the continued success in Iraq and other parts of the War on Terror and you have a very good story.

And?

And which presidential candidate do you think can best micro-manage the Middle East from Washington?

It was the first time since Clinton was in office that people felt safe celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem.

Good news. What is the reason for that news? Does it reflect particular circumstances or something likely to last? Just how meaningful is it in terms of the whole Israeli-Palestinian situation, which still seems fraught with very grave and difficult to resolve issues?

It is nice to have good news. It is even better to do something leading to better news in the future.

Ignoring reality I see

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071225/ts_af...st_071225101058

Suicide bombers kill 29 in Iraq

TIKRIT, Iraq (AFP) - Two suicide bombings killed 29 people in Iraq on Tuesday, including 25 who died when a bomber slammed his vehicle into a truck carrying gas cylinders at an Iraqi army checkpoint near Baiji.
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The two attacks appeared to be directed against groups fighting Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq.

The truck bombing occurred on the outskirts of the refinery town of Baiji, 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of Baghdad, an official from the joint Iraqi-US-security coordination centre in Tikrit said.

The bomber drove his pick-up vehicle into the truck, which was full of cooking gas cylinders, at the checkpoint manned by Iraqi soldiers and members of a group fighting Al-Qaeda, the official said. About 85 people were also wounded.

A medic from the local hospital and the US military both confirmed the attack, which was close to the Baiji oil refinery from where fuel products are distributed across Iraq.

"We do have initial reports of a car bomb in Baiji today and that there were casualties," the military said without giving further details.

After the attack, the Baiji police chief Lieutenant Colonel Saleh al-Qaisi was sacked by the interior ministry, state-television Al-Iraqiya said, quoting the ministry's director of operations Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf.

Shortly after the Baiji bombing, a suicide bomber blew himself up in the midst of a funeral procession in the city of Baquba, north of Baghdad, killing four people from a similar group fighting Al-Qaeda, police and medics said.

An AFP correspondent on the scene reported that among those killed was Haj Farhan al-Baharzawi, the provincial head of the Brigades of 20th Revolution, a former Sunni insurgent group turned ally of the US military.

A doctor from Baquba hospital confirmed the casualties.

Baquba police Lieutenant Colonel Najim al-Sumaidaie said the funeral procession was marking the death of two members of the Brigades of 20th Revolution who were killed on Monday by the US military.

"The two were killed by mistake and the funeral was being held today when the suicide bomber attacked," Sumaidaie said.

The latest bombings highlighted Al-Qaeda's fight back against the mushrooming number of groups across Iraq that oppose it.

Around 80,000 Sunni Arabs who were former rebels and fought the US military alongside Al-Qaeda have now turned on the Islamist group in several volatile Sunni regions of Iraq.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq has vowed to launch attacks against groups such as Al-Sahwa -- or the Awakening -- in a bid to draw them back into the anti-American insurgency.

The US military pays around 300 dollars to each member of these Awakening councils, which have been a key factor in reducing violence across Iraq in the past few months.

Insurgents have also stepped up attacks in northern Iraq after being pushed out of western and central regions following a series of military assaults.

US and Iraqi forces are currently involved in a massive military sweep in the northern provinces of Salaheddin -- which includes Baiji -- Nineveh and Kirkuk.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...26/wiraq126.xml

At least 34 killed in Iraq suicide attacks

Two separate suicide attacks in Iraq killed at least 34 people and wounded scores more yesterday, local and US military authorities said, shattering more than a week of relative calm.

A suicide truck bomb exploded outside a residential complex belonging to a state-run oil company in the town of Beiji, about 155 miles north of Baghdad, killing 25 people and wounding 80, police and hospital officials said.
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In Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, 10 people were killed and five people were wounded in a suicide bombing, the US military said. Baqouba police said Dr Ahmed Fuad of Baqouba hospital put the death toll at nine. Most of those killed were civilians, and at least four were children, a police officer said.

Despite Tuesday's attacks, there has been a clear reduction of violence in Iraq in the past few months. The US military has said violent attacks have fallen by 60 per cent since June.

The country's small Christian community took advantage of the lower levels of violence to make their way to Christmas church services in numbers unthinkable a year ago.

Venturing out in large numbers late at night in Baghdad is still unthinkable, so the capital's Christians celebrated midnight Mass in the middle of the afternoon on Christmas Eve.

doesn't look like good news to me time to face reality and stop ignoring the facts. Iraq is a failed state.

I'm sure that you can still find good news there.

I am sure that you find all kinds of good news in places like North Korea, Zimbabwe, Burma, Gaza, the Colombian war zones, etc.

But what should one make of such good news?

that it is just a excuse to ignore reality?

It certainly can be, and has been, used for such a purpose!

Is it just possible that is what it is being used for here?

Or is that an inherently illegitimate question that does not even deserve a respectful answer?

Democrats excel at ignoring facts, excellent example Jason.

So when are you taking your next vacation to Iraq? Imagine the history there!

I'd urge you to vacation in my inlaws' country, Colombia, which is incredibly beautiful. But I have to be honest because with some exceptions things are too dangerous in that country unless you are in with the locals (as I am when I go there).

Even more good news just now from the general neighborhood of the Middle East?

Sorry for that crack, but sometimes I feel like you have to use a two by four to get people look at things in perspective.

According to the talking news heads, it is good news for the, "Strong Candidates," Rudy
and Hillary.

I'd love to be part of what's being done in Iraq Arne. If I was but 10 years younger I'd be there.

I'm not in the military because like to shoot guns and blow stuff up, when I look back over my life it gives me great satisfaction to have made a difference making the world a better place.

The fellows who serve in Iraq will have the knowldge they served in part of a noble endeavor.

Does it show how the "front line of the War on Terror" is in Iraq?

(Rhetorical question, whose barbs are obviously not aimed at you.)

One thing to note is that there seems to be a consensus that sending U.S. troops into Pakistan to sort things out there would be one of the last things we would want to do. If there is any dispute it would be between those who would never do that and those who would do that only under the most extreme circumstances. Which is kind of ironic considering the stakes there. But the difficulties seem so obvious as to sober up even the most gung ho sorts.

Is Iraq always going to be a place where people go to make sacrifices?

I have not met many Iraqis in my life, I can think of only three, two in this country and one in Colombia. Whether they ever go back or not I would think that they would like to see the day, and sooner rather than later, where that was not the case.

That might be considered good news. And attract people who want to go there for fun, not to sacrifice.

I agree Iraq is better (but along way from good)...then we get
an assasination in Pakistan...oh boy...but again, is it half empty
or half full? Maybe it's half-full and leaking...but the political scene
is changing and I have more hope for it than the overall economy.

IH, I must say that I have a much stronger sense of foreboding than you seem to have. Pakistan is nuclear armed and has Al Qaeda set up on their territory.

And we still have Bush and Cheney in power for over a year. We need new leadership so badly.

Maybe it is time to re-examine the assumption that we seem to be operating from, that
the US can micro-manage the countries in the Middle East and this is the best way to protect our interests in the world?

While I have expressed all kinds of sharp disagreements with you over foreign policy, I think this is a good way to frame the question.

I don't think that we can just ignore what is going on the ME, and simply refuse to influence what goes on there on the theory that it is all "their business". The world is just too interconnected. But our powers of control are severely limited, and this is something that authoritarian types like Dick Cheney don't seem to see. We need to be a lot more subtle in bringing our power and influence to bear, and do it in a way least likely to stimulate resentment and blowback.

I've only known one, he couldn't go back as long as Saddam Hussien was there.

Do you know that he has gone back?

Saddam Hussein was certainly an evil blight on that country. But now it is enduring different kinds of evil blights.

I've been paying attention to the reports out of Pakistan this morning. The masses had no love for either faction, both sides are regarded as elitist.

I havn't seen him in about 6 years. He certainly has made a great life for himself in the USA as a network engineer. I know it caused him great sorrow in 2001 when his father was dying and going back to Iraq would have caused he and his family to join his father in death at the hands of Hussien.

I believe that human relations at the level of the total social system is not essentially different
from a mixed neighborhood in this or any other country...A system is a system is a system. Needed
in both situations is a systematic process for promoting integration. Diversity is a plus when there is integration and a minus where there is not...

Oh please.

Think for a moment of how you reacted when George Wallace was shot. And he survived, and he wasn't even his party's top candidate.

Yes, the various political groups in Pakistan all have dubious standing with the people there. (Which makes the possibility that Islamist extremists, as unrepresentative as they are, could take over frightenly more plausible.)

But this is very bad news, there is no way to dismiss it. You might as well say "Calm down," while the elephant in the room is starting to smash everything in it.

The various political groups in the US also have dubious standing with the people here.

Yes but I would say that there are fundamental differences. For example, none of our candidates has lived abroad in fear of being charged with corruption if they returned to the U.S.

Point is, assassination of leading political candidates is very bad for the cause of democracy, especially where it is fragile. That should be obvious. That is what I tried to say in my post.

There was a messge this morning

Candidates in exile who think of coming back are hereby warned to stay in political exile

accept acculades, accept trophies, awards, but if you even think of stepping foot back, Al-CIA-dah will be there al-cia-waiting

(btw, sometimes wonder if OP is actually a fan of droll,dry, Steve Wright type humor)

Glad to note that there was some peace there during that time.

What is sad to note though is the fact that things are so bad that our definition of good has hit such low expectations.

Seems it couldn't last though.

The Greek Orthodox priest didn't like the way the Armenian priest were cleaning in the Church of the Holy Sepuchre and vica versa so they rioted and beat each other up.

Sucks but they need a lot of growing up to do.

What has happened represents the facts, ask yourself "Why must I be afraid to accept reality?" and please consider your answer very carefully.

To moderate or to placate?............, you know which you should answer; but either way get on with/over it.

Poppycock, the general neighborhood of the Middle East is still dangerous.....no surprise, don't mean much in and of itself.

And you are surely sorry? Before you can accomplishing anything you must stop your ridiculous, destructive efforts to placate. Till then lay the 2X4 up along side of your own head where it will do the most good.

I agree Gen. Petreaus and his surge/Sunni-Sheik tactics have been
successful. My problem is that the government has announced they
will disarm the sheiks, and the Kurds are being repeated bombed
with the US providing satellite images to assist the Turks.

It appears the advances are being undercut as we speak.
I never thought Petreaus betrayed us, but I do fear he will be betrayed.

You make a very good point. As the story unfolds here, more and more I share your fear.

I wish we would hear from Petreaus, his input at this time would be invaluable.

(edit add: the general seems to be the best insurgent-educated military leader we have
at this time, which is why I value his judgement and leadership. Not only in Iraq, but
also in Pakistan...if I may be so bold.)

You need to keep up with the curriculum the schools at Carlyle Barracks are teaching Chuck. The Army may be slow but eventually they do learn.

They're learning that not just SF Soldiers need to be working with the locals. Seems a Marine commanding 2nd Btn, 4th Marines had read how during the Filipino insurrection how the Army recruited and used the Macabebe tribe to break the back of that rebellion.

The Macabebe went on to form the core of a unit called the Phillipine Scouts, ever hear of them?

That made the Army pay attention. Can you imagine it, a Marine took a doctrine and tactics the Army had discarded 60 years ago and proved it still works. Nothing makes the Army move on faster than get it's self shown up by a Marine.

The Army is going back into it's history and relearning a few things that served them well since the French and Indian Wars.

Apparently one person indeed thinks that my question did not deserve any kind of responsive answer at all, never mind respectful.

So the bigger picture is not important, it is a little piece that must be focused on?



Okay. I will stop trying to placate you. That indeed is destructive.

1. What gave you the idea that the bigger picture is not important?


2. You placate many, but your statement that you placate me is idiotic. You should ask yourself, "Why would I say something that stupid?"

To what question do you refer?

Actually you did, in appearing to minimize the bigger picture, which is the greater Middle East, including Pakistan most notably.



Why does it bother you so much that I agree with people who disagree with you more than occasionally? You seem to think that if you insult and ridicule me enough that I will be your ally in order to put an end to that.

Jason originally asked, in reference to "good news":



I answered thusly. The question to which I refer is bolded:

"Actually you did, in appearing to minimize the bigger picture, which is the greater Middle East, including Pakistan most notably. "

Your inference demonstrates a lack of good judgment, I in no way minimized the bigger picture. Your opinion on that is without reasonable basis,


"Why does it bother you so much that I agree with people who disagree with you more than occasionally? You seem to think that if you insult and ridicule me enough that I will be your ally in order to put an end to that."

Once again your inference is at best faulty reasoning.


It would not make sense to recruit an ally who would make judgments such as these.

More than a bit convoluted. So the key question was Jason's and not yours.

Well this is the statement that I was responding to, which made me think that you were minimizing the bigger picture. The phrase "don't mean much in and of itself" seemed particularly important.





Good. I take it then you don't see my frequent disagreements with you as somehow upsetting the natural order of things. Because I think future disagreements are quite likely. Not that I am picking on you or think you are picking on me, it just seems that we have clashing views that neither of us is likely to change much any time soon.

Personally I don't care who is placated or who is upset by my own views.