Today's Washington Post brings us the second of two articles by Thomas E. Ricks adapted from his soon to be released book Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq. In his first article, Mr. Ricks explained that the U.S. military had forgotten the lessons of Vietnam. Presumably, the invasion of Iraq is a failure that can be attributed to those forgotten lessons, but his explanation strongly argues he doesn't know the lessons of Vietnam. Today, we move on.
Today's article focuses on the atrocities committed by personnel from the U.S. Army 4th Infantry. In what is not exactly late breaking news we have five pages of their missteps culminating with the drowning death of an Iraqi man at their hands.
Its two occupants were handcuffed, driven to the Tigris River, and forced from the ledge of a pump house into the river, a drop of about six feet. One of the men, Zaidoun Fadel Hassoun, age 19, drowned, according to the other, Marwan Fadel Hassoun, 23, his cousin.
Well, I don't really wonder what is it that makes two year old analysis front page news. Here are two answers, one of which can be inferred from the title of his book, Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq. Ricks and the Post are doing what they can to ensure that his title comes true. And why would patriotic Americans do a thing that? Well, there's the credibility thing. Which brings us to answer two: There's money it. They're selling a book. Atrocities sell. It's a plug.
There is a third reason. Bloody as the news is that is coming out of Iraq today, the Iraqi democracy is going to succeed. Part of the Bush strategy behind the invasion has succeeded already -- that of redrawing the political map in the Middle East. Supporting evidence for this is found in the Saudi, Jordanian, and Egyptian responses to the current crisis. For the first time in history, all three criticized Hezbollah for their irresponsible attack on Israel instead of condemning Israel for defending herself. But for whatever reason, this is not what the press would like to report. For George Bush to be proven right would be an unthinkable horror. Better to rehash three year old atrocities.
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