It's a quagmire

Things are going from bad to worse, and we don't even have a full-fledged guerilla war on our hands yet.

In another violence-wracked day, another US soldier was killed, while US troops shot two protesters dead.

Protesters throwing stones at military convoys. Massive crowds protesting the US occupation. Temperatures in the 110s. Out of work, desperate former Iraqi soldiers. Heavy-handed US tactics. Lack of basic services.

With these ingredients, is it really surprising that we have lost 52 soldiers since Bush's GI Joe moment on the USS Lincoln?

Update: Jesus, two more. What's distressing is that these attacks will further embolden future attacks, as the mighty, invincible American military machine exposes its weaknesses.

Against a set foe, there is little any enemy can do against US military hardware and cash. But against guerilla fighters, our guys are nothing more than sitting ducks.

And the worst part is, we have seen NOTHING to justify this war. Not even "freedom" -- it's clear that Iraqis do not have any freedom of protest, lest they're willing to brave a facefull of bullets. Freedom to choose their own government? Not going to happen. A free press? No way.

Faced with a freewheeling Iraqi media, the U.S.-led occupation authority is devising a code of conduct for the press, drawing protests from Iraqi journalists who endured censorship under Saddam Hussein and worry for their newfound freedom.

Coalition officials say the code is not intended to censor the media, only to stifle intemperate speech that could incite violence and hinder efforts to build a civil society. The country is just too fragile for a journalistic free-for-all, they say.

Posted June 18, 2003 07:32 AM | Comments (156)