The News from Iraq

Submitted by Matt Prastein (United States), Aug 30, 2003 at 02:44

The forces of repression have struck a major blow to the Sh 'ia community, blowing up and killing over 100 and a Grand Ayatollah who had shown a willingness to work with the Americans. They wish to teach the Iraqis that it is dangerous to try to establish a new Iraq and, in particular, to cooperate with the West in changing the face of the country.

We've been there before.

That is the goal of the terrorists in Israel, where Palestinians are terrorized into suppressing any tendencies to cooperate with remaking their sorry state, because that challenges the brutal tyranny of the PLO/PLA and their ilk.

That was the goal of the terrorists in Kenya, where the Mau Mau concentrated on killing, not British settlers, but Kenyan blacks who tried to establish a free and peaceful society in cooperation with the British-- because peace and stability would undermine the tyranny of the Mau Mau leadership.

That was the goal of the terrorists in South Africa, where Winnie Mandella and her criminal band used burning tire necklaces on blacks who attempted to achieve change by peaceful means-- because peace and stability would undermine the tyranny that she and hers aimed for.

We can learn the lessons of history.

We must set as a top priority the safeguarding of the Iraqi people from the depredations of the terrorists. For the terrorists, Islamic fundamentalism is their cover, not their motivation-- they seek power, not purity of faith.

Whatever it costs, be it American dollars or American lives, it will be cheaper than failing to do so. It is not only a moral necessity, but also a prudential one.

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