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[Iraq] A really cynical thought...
Mar. 12th, 2003 05:43 pmIn recent days, US intelligence has warned that Al-Qaida may attack US forces in a post-Saddam Iraq.
They're probably right about this. But a less palatable idea has also crept into my head.
When Baghdad falls, the US needs to win the propaganda war. They need happy liberated Iraqis, adoring crowds who are grateful for their freedom.
And that perception needs to last. But if the US troops are seen locally as unwanted occupiers, you can bet that some Iraqis will start a "resistance" movement, trying to kick them out by force (or more probably, several resistance movements, in keeping with Iraq's splintered factions). The struggle itself may be doomed, but politically... Bush really doesn't need that kind of publicity (can't you just see the papers asking "why are the 'grateful' people we 'rescued' viewing us as an evil occupying force?").
But if the people shooting and being shot by US troops are Al-Qaeda, well, that's different. They're bad guys, after all. No need for soulsearching, no need to worry if they're evidence that we've done the wrong thing.
And definitely not related to the liberated Iraqis, who are completely happy. Not even if some of the evil "Al-Qaeda agents" were born and raised in Iraq, I'd imagine.
They're probably right about this. But a less palatable idea has also crept into my head.
When Baghdad falls, the US needs to win the propaganda war. They need happy liberated Iraqis, adoring crowds who are grateful for their freedom.
And that perception needs to last. But if the US troops are seen locally as unwanted occupiers, you can bet that some Iraqis will start a "resistance" movement, trying to kick them out by force (or more probably, several resistance movements, in keeping with Iraq's splintered factions). The struggle itself may be doomed, but politically... Bush really doesn't need that kind of publicity (can't you just see the papers asking "why are the 'grateful' people we 'rescued' viewing us as an evil occupying force?").
But if the people shooting and being shot by US troops are Al-Qaeda, well, that's different. They're bad guys, after all. No need for soulsearching, no need to worry if they're evidence that we've done the wrong thing.
And definitely not related to the liberated Iraqis, who are completely happy. Not even if some of the evil "Al-Qaeda agents" were born and raised in Iraq, I'd imagine.
