The pot calling the kettle black

Ok, after falling out of my chair laughing, I must respond to former President Clinton faulting the Bush administration for inaction on Bin Laden. In this piece, Clinton stated,

"But at least I tried. That's the difference in me and some, including all of the right-wingers who are attacking me now," Clinton said when asked whether he had failed to fully anticipate bin Laden's danger. "They had eight months to try, they did not try. I tried. So I tried and failed."

Calling up an article about the 9/11 Commission results dated 24 Mar 04, it notes the Clinton administration had at least four chances to kill Bin Laden with a armed Predator, but failed to do so even after Bin Laden was tied to attacks on the Khobar Towers, facilities in East Africa, and the USS Cole. Clinton had 8 years to get Bin Laden and failed to do so, according to his own statement above.

Ok, Bush didn't do it in his first 8 months of his presidency. So how does that give Clinton the right to fault Bush for not taking the necessary action against Bin Laden for 8 years?

Since, 9/11 Bush has literally gone of the warpath after Al Qaeda to such an extreme that Democrats in Washington are calling into question his actions, but yet the former president has stated he did not and is not doing enough to hunt Bin Laden.

This statement from Clinton is especially elightening given the fact that Bin Laden is thought now to have died on 24 Aug 06 due to typhoid. Could this statement be an attack into a suspected bounce that both Bush and Republicans would get in the upcoming elections if Bin Laden's death is soon confirmed?

Big Victory in Sweden

Publius Pundit announces that the center-right bloc has won the election in Sweden marking their first time in power in 25 years with huge support from young people who are fed up with 15% unemployment. Also pointed out is the fact that the socialist party has suffered its worst numbers since 1914. Sweden is turning around.

Iraqi Tribes to Join Forces to Fight Insurgents

Twenty-five of 31 Anbar tribes formed a coalition to fight against insurgents in Anbar Province according to the NY Times. Tribal leader, Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh Al-Rishawi stated the 25 tribes represented 30,000 young men vowing to confront insurgents. The coalition of 25 tribes sent Prime Minister Maliki letters requesting suppport.

This coalition is significant in the fact that this is the first time the tribe have created a formal coalition to work against the insurgency. The only way an insurgency is able to exist is through the tacit support of its populace which provides the insurgency an unassailable base. The fact that these 25 tribes have banded together to actively fight the insurgency shows that Al Qaeda's in Iraq support is tenuous at best, even in the restive province of Anbar.

Secondly, it also shows that even in Anbar, a majority of tribes are backing Prime Minister Maliki's reconciliation plan. As noted earlier, on 26 Aug 06, several hundred tribal leaders endorsed Maliki's reconciliation plan. These tribal leaders also planned a series of conferences to synchronize their actions.

A senior Al Qaeda in Iraq leader in Ramadi stated, "This tribal system is un-Islamic. We are proud to kill tribal leaders who are helping the Americans." The fact that Al Qaeda in Iraq is now vocally attacking the inherently Islamic tribal system also shows a rift between Al Qaeda in Iraq and it populace.

On 10 Sep 06, I noted the death of the insurgency in Iraq has happened leading off with the fact that this year, 35 battalions, 8 brigades, and 2 divisions are in the lead and have assumed control of their battlespace allowing coalition forces to focus on enabling Iraqi Logistics. The insurgency is fighting the duly and legally elected democratic government in Iraq. Iraqi's are extremely patriotic. It is no longer a fight between an American occupation and an insurgency. It is now a fight between a strong Iraqi Security Force structure with tribes that back the reconciliation plan, and an insurgency.

The fact that most tribes an Anbar have now formed a coalition to fight the insurgency lends credence that the insurgency is dead and democracy is alive and well in Iraq.

Freedom and democracy in Iraq has always been up to the people in Iraq. With over 250,000 Iraqi Soldiers and Police committed to freedom, hundreds of tribes committed to Maliki's reconciliation plan, and now 25 of 31 Anbar tribes forming a coalition against the insurgency, true freedom and democracy in Iraq is just around the corner.

The beacon of democracy in the Middle East is shining brighter everyday. If a civil war does exist in Iraq, it is between the overwhelming majority who voted for and are willing to defend freedom and democracy and that small minority which is seeking to destroy Iraqi's newfound democracy.