Daily Digest
03.21.2003Salam Pax, an Iraqi blogger in Baghdad, hasn't posted in several hours. Please email him and wish him well. If someone really wishes to express solidarity w/ the Iraqi people, here's one direct way to do it. [Update: some info from two of his friends here and here.]
The much-awaited (by CNN, not by me) "shock and awe" campaign has started. It still seems like we're primarily targeting government buildings. I hope as few civilians are hurt as possible.
Command Post is a group warblog w/ updated news about the war maintained by several independent bloggers. It's a good read. The BBC has a warblog; it's pretty good. Independent journalist Christopher Allbritton is going back to Iraq (sneaking across the border) to blog w/ a laptop, a digital camera, and a satellite uplink.
The Iraqi surrenders are for real. The entire 51st Mechanized (all 8,000) just surrendered. No one seems to want to fight for Hussein.
It also seems we're doing what we can to provide safe areas (i.e. "bomb free") for possible defectors. I hope it's true.
More on the Iraq-Qaeda connection. Read it and make up your own mind.
Finally, UPI has an interesting report w/ lots of info. Two highlights: 1) some of the volunteer "human shields" have finally realized that Hussein is brutal and that many Iraqis wanted war and 2) Jordanian officials think a new Iraqi regime might help solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. Excerpt:
The official and private views of some ranking Jordanian officials appear to be diametrically opposed. Officially, they condemn the war and say they are "deeply troubled" about the repercussions of the war on the region, and describe the situation as "critical."
Privately, and not for attribution, they say the United States is developing a new opportunity for the Middle East. Said one former prime minister, "If the U.S. can get a new Iraq to recognize Israel as a quid pro quo for a final Palestinian settlement, others will fall into place -- Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the other Gulf states. Iran would then have to pull back its military support for Hezbollah."
Perhaps too optimistic? Sure. But not totally improbable.
Posted by Miguel at 10:58 PM
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