BBC Reports on the Rebirth of Baghdad
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 08:46AM BBC News journalist Nicholas Witchell doesn’t seem to like admitting things are going unusually well in Baghdad these days, but he does. Maybe it’s because he was in Baghdad during the darker days of the war, or maybe its just because he’s a BBC reporter (’nuff said), but like it or not the report coming from Baghdad is positive.
From Baghdad Witchell reports that Iraqis are confident, security is up, casualties are down, the economy is booming and “Yes, things are better in Baghdad.” The property value of homes in Baghdad has doubled in the past four months.
Witchell is quick to point out that progress is tentative, brittle, brittle and tentative, and even calls U.S. economic aide a “scheme” but he can’t deny it’s working. Money well spent.
Caution woven through the good news and progress means we need to be very careful about who we elect in November to be Commander in Chief. The gains are, as Witchell pointed out, fragile and reversible. What Iraq doesn’t need now is Barack Obama.
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Reader Comments (6)
Amy P,
There is still violence and will be for some time, but I suspect the war is over. The current Iraqi government is strong enough to survive, prosper, and hold elections to decide its future, which is a victory for the Iraqi and US people. If anything I think Obama and the democrats are hoping the force of status agreement is reached while Bush is president, hence avoiding and responsibility, but taking advantage of the gains. Pretty much what they have been doing for 8 years. I hope Korea is treating you well.
Have you seen in the news all the problems Zimbabwe has having with their Mr Mugabe? Wow Iraq certainly does not need another him either!
It just doesn't matter how good things are, liberal media folk must find the cloud in the silver lining. I think it's genetic.
Oh, and please, nobody be surprised when the Democrats start taking credit for the improving outcome. It's all because of the threatened pullout time table. That scared the entire Iraqi government.
Indigo, they've already begun doing that. Back during the debates Hillary started using the "I'm sure it's because we forced them to get it together by threatening withdrawal" in the democratic debates. Last year when John Murtha admitted the surge was working he took credit saying he put the fear in the Iraqis threatening withdrawal.
Of course in reality the dems have been impotent to do anything on the war except fund it.
Amy, Zimbabwe is a mess. Darfur is also in bad shape. It would be a nightmare to live in either place.
robert, still getting used to Korea. I have some video to upload and we just move into our housing a few days ago.
"scheme" isn't a loaded word. This is what a non-partisan report looks like. Your distrust of the BBC is misplaced.
As an American Soldier who has been to Iraq twice, Amy's distrust of the BBC is understated. The BBC is openly partisan and part of the problem in Iraq.
Indigo, nothing makes me more sick to my stomach than democrats taking ANY credit for a war they tried their best to lose. Their threats of immediate withdrawal did nothing but embolden the insurgency, make our allies nervous, trouble the Iraqi people and weaken the relationship between Iraq's government and the Coalition Forces. History will be very unkind to the "we've lost the war" democrats.