Why Bremer is in trouble

By Steve Gilliard
Imagine being an Iraqi and reading the following passage

No one would welcome a change more than Bremer. Since taking control of the U.S.'s postwar operation in early May, Bremer has earned near unanimous backing inside the Administration, thanks to his toughness, pragmatism and devotion to the job. Bremer has become so attached to the country he runs that he speaks of it in the first-person plural.

"We are eventually going to be a rich country," he told reporters last week. "We've got oil, we've got water, we've got fertile land, we've got wonderful people." But few Iraqis have seen tangible results, in part because Bremer can't do his work while the shooting persists. Bremer toured the Iraq National Museum last week in an effort to show the progress made since the chaotic days of early April, when the facility was looted. As beaming museum officials showed Bremer a collection of ancient gold and jewelry—"Which one can I take home for my wife?" Bremer cracked—a member of his security detail interrupted, informing him of reports of four grenade attacks near Bremer's palace headquarters. Minutes later Bremer climbed into a waiting suv and headed back to the office, managing a few hurried handshakes as he left. Later that day a U.S. soldier was shot and killed while guarding the museum.

I'm sure the Ayatollah Sistani and his aides love the use of we when he talks about Iraq. Because they will be reading this article. And I get the feeling they might take the wrong message from his words

Amazing.

Posted July 07, 2003 03:54 AM