Informed Comment

Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion

Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Bush's Greater Middle East

posted by Juan Cole @ 3/19/2006 12:33:00 AM

9 Comments:

At 12:44 PM, Blogger Alamaine said...

Interesting map.

The notation indicating $500 / barrel for oil brings to light something that I've either missed or avoided: the true cost for oil IF this conflict has been about oil. We read various estimates of the cost of the conflict and now they're up to $1 Trillion, an amount that will have to be borne by American taxpayers and those abroad who support the Americans' debts. Nevertheless, the unseen tax on oil -- funding the conflict in its multitude of facets -- will be distributed in a variety of ways.

The question is now: Just how much does a barrel of oil cost, given the overall number of expenditures committed to securing each and every one?

 
At 5:18 PM, Blogger InplainviewMonitor said...

Too tired to think

Sullivan's explanation for Rumsfeld's rhythmic prose is pretty good.

Andrew Sullivan. Too tired to think: team Bush loses its way
Now consider Donald Rumsfeld, the most incompetent defence secretary since Robert McNamara. He, too, has been there since the beginning, and despite very loud rumours a couple of months ago is still in his job. He has presided over an unprecedented attack on American soil, a torture scandal, and two wars, both of which are continuing. He is 73 years old.
His hours would make a man in his twenties feel drained.

Donald H. Rumsfeld. What We've Gained In 3 Years in Iraq
The terrorists seem to recognize that they are losing in Iraq. I believe that history will show that to be the case.
Fortunately, history is not made up of daily headlines, blogs on Web sites or the latest sensational attack. History is a bigger picture, and it takes some time and perspective to measure accurately.
Today, some 100 Iraqi army battalions of several hundred troops each are in the fight, and 49 control their own battle space. About 75 percent of all military operations in the country include Iraqi security forces, and nearly half of those are independently Iraqi-planned, Iraqi-conducted and Iraqi-led.
The rationale for a free and democratic Iraq is as compelling today as it was three years ago. A free and stable Iraq will not attack its neighbors, will not conspire with terrorists, will not pay rewards to the families of suicide bombers and will not seek to kill Americans.
Turning our backs on postwar Iraq today would be the modern equivalent of handing postwar Germany back to the Nazis. It would be as great a disgrace as if we had asked the liberated nations of Eastern Europe to return to Soviet domination because it was too hard or too tough or we didn't have the patience to work with them as they built free countries.

 
At 9:41 PM, Blogger InplainviewMonitor said...

soro derwê? said... Freedom is a right, not a privilege. What you take for granted for yourself is also a right for others.

There is a place in Faust on this: only those deserve life and freedom who are ready to fight for it every day. That is, Goethean freedom is a condition, not a right or privilege.

As for the neoconservative "freedom" which is served to the Iraqis, it turns out to be nothing esle than slavery.

 
At 10:09 PM, Blogger Juan Cole said...

It's my editorial cartoon, guys. It is exaggerated for effect, and intended to show the worst-case end point of current policies. Pedantic complaints that the borders aren't drawn right or the statelets are called the wrong thing don't enter into the spirit of it! Get with it!

 
At 11:34 PM, Blogger Fred in Vermont said...

The map could also be read as a justification for splitting up Iraq into Syrian, Turkish and Iranian dominated areas in order to prevent such a thing.

 
At 12:04 AM, Blogger InplainviewMonitor said...

At 4:09 AM, Juan said... It's my editorial cartoon, guys. It is exaggerated for effect, and intended to show the worst-case end point of current policies.

Yes, of course. It is just so sad.

At 5:22 AM, soro derwê?

Well, I did not know that you're Kurdish. In the West, that's neoconservative position. Anyway, the problem is, all this means big long war :-(((

 
At 2:49 AM, Blogger Murteza ali said...

By the way cyte what use is a report supplied by Saddams baathist ministries.


Its like asking a Kurd to count how many arabs and kurds live in oil-rich kirkuk.


Not very independent is it?

 
At 4:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

@The Wrath

How can you compare the Kurdish people's fate with that of the Native Americans or the Afro-Americans???

Kurds, unlike the Native Americans, are the majority in their own lands...

Kurds, unlike the Afro-Americans were not slaves deported to Kurdistan - Kurdistan is their native land... And has been for the last 6000 years! See Mr. Mehrdad Izady's work and research for further information...

Kurds are make up a staggering 40 million world-wide... About 25-30 million of these live inside Kurdistan, whereas about 10 million live outside of Kurdistan... These were mostly deported or have fled from prosecution at the hands of the occupants...

In Turkey, is was till 1991, forbidden to speak Kurdish - since 1923...

In Syria it's still forbidden to be Kurdish - and 300 000 Kurds were made state-less, their passports were confiscated. Do you know what that means? NO right to education, NO right to health care and NO right to OWN or ORGANIZE anything in Syrian Kurdistan. And they have to go OUT of Syria every 3-6 months to re-enter their own homes, because non-citizens only have a 3-6 month visa...

IS THAT SICK OR WHAT???

How about Iran? Kurds there are not allowed to publish in Kurdish... Women in Kurdish culture are free and wear what they find suitable for themselves - but in Iran they are forced to do so... In fact women are also prohibited from singing in public... Kurdish culture is based on dance, music and singing - denying us this right, means ETHNOCIDE... THEY ARE KILLING OUR CULTURE... :(

Iraqi Kurdistan is the only part of Kurdistan which stands a real chance at becoming a land free of oppression, force, deportation and terror... Iraqi Kurdistan, Southern Kurdistan - will be the ideal every Kurd, from East to West will want to see a reality...

Kurds are not going to stand the ridiculous mess the Brits created in 1923...

United we stand...

Bijî Kurdistan!!!

 
At 11:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello,

I read all comments under this topic. About the map, I can just say, its a dream. Its a dream and its a fantastic dream. Why? Let me tell you.

1. Turks are one of the greatest martial nation in human history. A member of NATO and as some people said before me an EU candidate. Do you think its easy to take half of country like this? I can just laugh it, and laugh it with my ass.

2. Kurds have no rights in Turkey? If you don't live in Turkey you may believe this lie but its not the truth. In Turkey there is a cultural harmony. Kurds are a part of it, like others Cherkezs, Lazs, Tartars, Fallahs, and everyone has same rights in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's Laic Democratic Turkish Republic. Turkey's 8th president Turgut Ozal(RIP)'s ethnic root was Kurd, and he was a president. Isn't it strange if you think that Kurds has not equal rights with others in Turkey?

3. But why Kurds are problem in Turkey? Why other minorities not? Let me tell you the reason. Because a big majority of Kurdish minority is educateless. For example Kurdish highbrows are the people who knows how to read or write. They are bloody educateless. Turkey gives every oppurtunity and same rights with others but they are going to mountains instead of school. Why they are going to mountains instead of school? Because school is difficult to them. Its difficult to read ABC. Its difficult to multiply 2 and 2. Kurds are people who likes to joy like Gypsies. life is just joy to them. They make music. They dance and life goes to them, but what about work? They have same fate with gypsies because of ethnic characteristics.

Shortly, Kurds are not enough to become a nation. Kurdistan is a neverland such as PeterPan stories.

Kurdistan will never exist. Because Kurds are the people not physically and mentally enough to realize that...

Thank you for reading.

 

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