The Unfolding Disaster in Iraq [2003]

[From my pre-weblog, 10 April 2003]

I

 watched the unfolding disaster in Iraq—widespread looting, a suicide bomber, shooting of locals at checkpoints. Hospitals, universities, cultural sites, private residences—all are being looted and according to rumor people are being murdered in the process. The coalition authorities are doing nothing to stop it. Is there no plan in place for dealing with this? What the hell are the authorities thinking? Or are they encouraging the looting so that when they do crack down they can do so with a heavy hand and claim it is in response to the chaos? God only knows, but the bungling so far in this war is worse than I thought it would be. And all the hard work of the occupation is yet ahead. The far right in America is celebrating a “victory”, but I don’t know on what basis. “Clear the battlefield and let me see all the profits of your victory.”