Comments on: Skeikhs Tattle and Roll Al Qaeda in Al-Anbar http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/ Harangues that just make sense Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:05:56 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: SDN http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257498 SDN Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:43:50 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257498 No, AF, they are the result of it becoming too much of a "democracy". The Founders feared too much direct democracy (they called it "mobocracy"), and with good reason. It makes it far too easy for the non-productive to vote themselves endless bread and circuses from the public treasury. As an example, the lower 60% of incomes get more welfare than they pay in taxes. <a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/news2/printer/2286.html" title="" rel="nofollow">Link</a> No, AF, they are the result of it becoming too much of a “democracy”. The Founders feared too much direct democracy (they called it “mobocracy”), and with good reason. It makes it far too easy for the non-productive to vote themselves endless bread and circuses from the public treasury. As an example, the lower 60% of incomes get more welfare than they pay in taxes. Link

]]> By: Another Drew http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257178 Another Drew Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:54:24 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257178 Let's face it, this is just another demonstration that "Lord Bremer" and the CPA was an absolute disaster. The big question is, who in the bureaucracy back in DC foisted this plague upon us and the Iraqi people? Let’s face it, this is just another demonstration that “Lord Bremer” and the CPA was an absolute disaster. The big question is, who in the bureaucracy back in DC foisted this plague upon us and the Iraqi people?

]]> By: jpm100 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257174 jpm100 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:06:08 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257174 <i>If that’s an accurate assessment, it explains a lot about those mysterious chlorine attacks. Why would AQI risk alienating the populace it seeks shelter and support from by such hideous attacks?</i> Because terrorists are larval dictators. They mean to rule with the same kind of terror Saddam ruled with. If that’s an accurate assessment, it explains a lot about those mysterious chlorine attacks. Why would AQI risk alienating the populace it seeks shelter and support from by such hideous attacks?

Because terrorists are larval dictators. They mean to rule with the same kind of terror Saddam ruled with.

]]> By: See Dubya http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257154 See Dubya Thu, 05 Apr 2007 20:44:08 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257154 Darnit, SDN....that was my next post! I thought about writing in a House of Lords angle but the post was already too long and it was too late, so I figured I'd save it. Darnit, SDN….that was my next post! I thought about writing in a House of Lords angle but the post was already too long and it was too late, so I figured I’d save it.

]]> By: nk http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257123 nk Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:06:14 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257123 First of all, Britain is not a republic. It's a constitutional monarchy. Second, you cannot expect people who were ruled by a king and nobility for all their history to be capable all of a sudden of governing themselves. Especially when all the ones who had the desire and ability to govern themselves came to America generations ago. And then it could just be that their national decay is because of their horrible diet. First of all, Britain is not a republic. It’s a constitutional monarchy.

Second, you cannot expect people who were ruled by a king and nobility for all their history to be capable all of a sudden of governing themselves. Especially when all the ones who had the desire and ability to govern themselves came to America generations ago.

And then it could just be that their national decay is because of their horrible diet.

]]> By: AF http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257118 AF Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:45:59 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257118 "...at least some of Britain’s problems are that the balance of power has tilted too far towards the Commons." That would mean that some of Britain's problems are the result of it <i>being a republic.</i> “…at least some of Britain’s problems are that the balance of power has tilted too far towards the Commons.”

That would mean that some of Britain’s problems are the result of it being a republic.

]]> By: Scott Jacobs http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257116 Scott Jacobs Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:38:47 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257116 For the record, I just saw on one of my feeds that Time (in partnership with CNN) is running a bit titled <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1606888,00.html" title="" rel="nofollow">America's Broken-Down Army</a>, which makes me really wish I subscribed to Time Magazine, so that I could call them and agrily cancle my subscription... For the record, I just saw on one of my feeds that Time (in partnership with CNN) is running a bit titled America’s Broken-Down Army, which makes me really wish I subscribed to Time Magazine, so that I could call them and agrily cancle my subscription…

]]> By: The Thunder Run http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257108 The Thunder Run Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:27:27 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257108 <strong>Web Reconnaissance for 04/05/2007...</strong> A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.... Web Reconnaissance for 04/05/2007…

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention….

]]> By: Scott Jacobs http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257106 Scott Jacobs Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:20:23 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257106 The problem that was had in "working only with elected officials" is that the Sunni's had by and large boycotted the elections, making Sunni's in elected positions unlikely. So the most active locals were un-involved in the official system. Had there been Sunni's in elected positions, this change to "work with the sheikhs" most likely wouldn't have been needed. But that's the past, and the new way is working at levels I don't know they could have hoped for. I'm hopeful about the situation, and pray that it continues in this direction. Down with AQI and up with the Iraqi People!! The problem that was had in “working only with elected officials” is that the Sunni’s had by and large boycotted the elections, making Sunni’s in elected positions unlikely. So the most active locals were un-involved in the official system.

Had there been Sunni’s in elected positions, this change to “work with the sheikhs” most likely wouldn’t have been needed. But that’s the past, and the new way is working at levels I don’t know they could have hoped for.

I’m hopeful about the situation, and pray that it continues in this direction. Down with AQI and up with the Iraqi People!!

]]> By: Scott http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/comment-page-1/#comment-257097 Scott Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:06:11 +0000 http://patterico.com/2007/04/05/6115/skeikhs-tattle-and-roll-al-qaeda-in-al-anbar/#comment-257097 Agree that it is preferable to work with elected officials, but somehow it seems MORE preferable to accept reality. The sheiks have power and influence. It doesn't matter why they have it, they have it. And it obvious that they have more influence (i.e., trust)than the elected government. It is likely they have more power in a smaller sphere of influence. Yes, the Iraqi army could probably crush any individual sheik, but probably not all. And the ensuing chaos would potentially topple the Maliki government. That being the case, use every possible means of influencing the outcome. The only reason that the naysayers will object is because it raises the chances of success. And as the President said, as the enemy become more desperate, he will use more extreme measures. Oh, I'm sorry. He was talking about Al Qaeda. Or was he? Agree that it is preferable to work with elected officials, but somehow it seems MORE preferable to accept reality. The sheiks have power and influence. It doesn’t matter why they have it, they have it. And it obvious that they have more influence (i.e., trust)than the elected government. It is likely they have more power in a smaller sphere of influence. Yes, the Iraqi army could probably crush any individual sheik, but probably not all. And the ensuing chaos would potentially topple the Maliki government.

That being the case, use every possible means of influencing the outcome. The only reason that the naysayers will object is because it raises the chances of success. And as the President said, as the enemy become more desperate, he will use more extreme measures. Oh, I’m sorry. He was talking about Al Qaeda. Or was he?

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