Comments on: CNN: Al Qaeda collapsing in Anbar?

By: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Red on red in Diyala province

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Red on red in Diyala province — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:39:20 +0000

[...] To its credit, CNN has done a bang-up job lately covering the one bit of good news in Iraq right now. Petraeus recently called the security improvements in Anbar “breathtaking;” anecdotal evidence suggests he’s right. The question is, as it’s been all along, what’s going to happen to these tribesmen if and when Al Qaeda is repelled and we pull out. Swords into ploughshares is the hope, warlordism is the likely possibility. Here’s a report from Diyala province, which is now AQ HQ thanks to the backlash in Anbar. Looks like they’re making friends there too. Click the image to watch. [...]

By: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Nutroots aghast at possibility that conditions might be improving in Anbar

Thu, 24 May 2007 19:08:44 +0000

[...] Yeah, me too. Good thing we know better. Klein’s piece is actually a basic restatement of events that have been reported for months now by the New York Times, the LA Times, CNN, the Associated Press, USA Today, various embedded bloggers, and numerous other outlets, not all of whom rely on those shady “senior officials” Ellison’s wringing his hands over. To take the most recent example, from an LAT piece a few days ago about Marines in Anbar volunteering to extend their tours: The Two-Five, whose motto, “Retreat, Hell,” stems from the World War I battle at Belleau Wood, has drawn one of the tougher assignments in what remains the toughest city in sprawling Al Anbar province. Phone service is spotty, sewage runs in many streets, and any sign of local government is minimal. [...]

By: Hot Air » Blog Archive » GOP leaders: If the Iraqi parliament wants us out, we’re out (probably)

Thu, 17 May 2007 16:57:54 +0000

[...] Maybe the best cause for hope right now is that, the Sadrists’ wilting effort notwithstanding, parliament hasn’t asked us to leave yet. Both sides have a motive to do so — the Shia themselves, to begin the cleansing in earnest, and the intractable, idiot Sunnis, who’ve spent years now inciting the majority and yet still chafe at the American presence despite the fact that they have more fear to from Iran than from us (a fact they may be starting to recognize). If the media’s right about both sides spoiling for a civil war, it seems odd that they haven’t played their democracy trump card yet and formally asked us to leave. [...]

By: sonnyspats1

sonnyspats1 — Wed, 16 May 2007 05:40:05 +0000

I think its time I start my investment in the Iraqi Dinar, their cheap enough. They make up for it on the gas prices though, I think its like five cents a gallon.

By: sonnyspats1

sonnyspats1 — Wed, 16 May 2007 05:34:25 +0000

Honora commenting in 3,500,000….3,499,999…3,499,998….

ej_pez on May 15, 2007 at 3:23 PM

ROFL Oh just you stop that.

By: Freedoms Zone

Freedoms Zone — Wed, 16 May 2007 01:17:39 +0000

CNN: al-Qaeda On Verge Of Collapse In al-Anbar Province…

A truly amazing video clip given the media source. Here, CNN’s Nic Robertson reports on U.S. progress in Anbar province: “What’s happening here could be a model for defeating the insurgency in other provinces in Iraq!” Marine Brig. Gen. Charles M. …

By: Hyscience

Hyscience — Wed, 16 May 2007 01:15:43 +0000

CNN: al-Qaeda On Verge Of Collapse In al-Anbar Province…

By: NoisyRoom.net » Blog Archive » Noisy News Around the Web - 5/15/07…

Tue, 15 May 2007 21:56:33 +0000

[...] CNN: Al Qaeda collapsing in Anbar? – Hot Air [...]

By: Entelechy

Entelechy — Tue, 15 May 2007 21:53:24 +0000

Interesting read on London, yes in Britain:

Londonistan Calling The London neighborhood of the author's youth, Finsbury Park, is now one of the breeding grounds for a new phenomenon: the British jihadist. How did a nation move from cricket and fish-and-chips to burkas and shoe-bombers in a single generation? by Christopher Hitchens June 2007

By: major john

major john — Tue, 15 May 2007 21:48:04 +0000

Not much of a comparison in what the two sides offer:

Death, death, death, repression, Iranian domination, 8th Century economics, and death.

Self-determination, freedom backed by actual rule of law (non-Sharia), religion respected but not ruling, economic opportunity and sharing some of the oil revenues around (instead of it being the Dictator’s piggy bank).

I can see why some might change direction in Iraq. As for the Iranians, they have seemed to grow tired of the heavy hand of the mullocracy – and they are not exactly a non-sophisticated bunch either. They probably figure they could handle all that freedom stuff fairly well themselves.

By: Buzzy

Buzzy — Tue, 15 May 2007 21:41:16 +0000

I’ve been watching CNN (and even MSNBC for that matter) moving towards the common sense center on the GWOT lately and wondering exactly how Hillary, Edwards, and Obama are going to handle the switch up. People much smarter than me have explained that the MSM finally understands that moving to a more conservative venue means more viewers and I would think that a moderate center Democrat candidate would garner more voters but they may have entrenched too deeply with the nutroots to effect the change. Could play well for Richardson I suppose.

By: jdpaz

jdpaz — Tue, 15 May 2007 21:39:07 +0000

There must be enough good news there that CNN feels like it needs to cover it. They don’t want to be left looking like complete idiots just in case the place cleans up. I find that encouraging.

By: Limerick

Limerick — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:46:50 +0000

With all the ’side’ choosing lately, then stitch it together with Dinnerjacket/Cheney comments these last couple of weeks it looks like ready or not here comes ‘the’ war. UN nuke inspectors give out bad news, Pak erupts in violence, Israel staging attack drills, and if you follow the announcements out of the Pentagon there are more then a few Navy boys dusting off seabags and 35,000 Army/Marines set to be put back on the sand in August. ….nah…what am I thinking???….it is all just a coincidence.

By: locomotivebreath1901

locomotivebreath1901 — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:24:58 +0000

The must read is for the cautiously optimistic, but the old adage applies - follow the money:

...an increasing number of (Iranian) merchants are sending their religious donations...to Iraq’s most senior Shi’ite cleric — rather than to clerics closer to Iran’s state power structure...

Sumthin's up. And with its finger in the wind, CCN is simply hedging its bets (success has many father's, etc....). Zoom, zoom, zoom.

By: ej_pez

ej_pez — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:23:08 +0000

Honora commenting in 3,500,000….3,499,999…3,499,998….

By: PRCalDude

PRCalDude — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:39:54 +0000

Ali al-Sistani holds more spiritual sway because of his lifelong commitment to quietism. That is the school of thought that says Shi’ite leaders should stay out of government, and Sistani has stuck to it despite the great temptation to wade into the chaos of Iraqi politics.

I think that’s Sistani’s belief, not a shi’ite belief. Sistani’s belief in this matter is more in line with what the Iranian citizen wants to hear.

By: Entelechy

Entelechy — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:38:31 +0000

By “here” I meant the U.S., not HA.

By: Entelechy

Entelechy — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:37:13 +0000

Ali al-Sistani holds more spiritual sway because of his lifelong commitment to quietism. That is the school of thought that says Shi’ite leaders should stay out of government, and Sistani has stuck to it despite the great temptation to wade into the chaos of Iraqi politics.

What a great concept. S/b followed everywhere, here too.

By: PRCalDude

PRCalDude — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:36:18 +0000

So some Iranians are intrigued by the more freewheeling experiment in Shi’ite empowerment taking place across the border in Iraq, where — Iraq’s myriad problems aside — imams can say whatever they want in political Friday sermons, newspapers and satellite channels regularly slam the government, and religious observance is respected and encouraged but not required.

This is a mountain made of a molehill.

By: robo

robo — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:23:44 +0000

Progress being made and being reported by Cnn…my, my, my…

Hey there Catie hope all is well …robo

By: Catie96706

Catie96706 — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:08:24 +0000

When I saw this I thought the same thing-This is CNN?

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:56:57 +0000

A U.S. troop pullout from Iraq would leave the country as a potent launchpad for international terrorism and Washington would be forced to go back in within a couple of years, a leading al Qaeda expert said on Tuesday.

What the hell else do they think will happen? How long has it taken them to figure this out?

By: abinitioadinfinitum

abinitioadinfinitum — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:48:27 +0000

CNN? CNN?

By: Anton

Anton — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:39:58 +0000

I and other un-repentent neocons want to hear this very badly. That is why I reject it out of hand as made-up propaganda from Iran.

Show me a pro-Sistani demonstration in Iran that is crushed by the police, and then I might believe it.

By: Defector01

Defector01 — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:27:55 +0000

if we are actually influencing democratic thoughts in Iran by our actions in Iraq then everything might just be worth it. I’m starting to think we don’t need to actually attack Iran but massage and build up the pro democratic elements in that country so that eventually they can topple Mahmoud and the Mullahs.