Personally, I think that the early, secret handover was a bad idea. Far from "thwarting" terrorists, it makes them think that they can make a real difference in affecting the day to day operations of government in Iraq.

Not a good message to send.

But then, since I disagree, I must be a "small-minded partisan" whose "partisanship exceeds his patriotism" and therefore my opinion doesn't matter right?

If you were a patriot, you would say "well I have my doubts, but I'll hope I'm wrong, and I'll still be proud of my nation for doing a great thing."

Otherwise, the words "small-minded," "mean-spirited" and "bitter partisan" would all come to mind, yes.

Alex,

Its hard to spring a surprise in a non-surprising way...and to have all the Iraqi leaders and all the US leaders gathering suddenly in the middle of the day would have tipped everyone off to what is happening...giving time, perhaps, for the terrorists to spring their nefarious plans - when and where they did it was the least expected time and place for it to be done...now the terrorists are undoubtedly re-working their plans to cause a big mess as soon as possible...but the new Iraqi government just may find itself with enough time to discover these plans and thwart them.

Its a great day for America, for our allies and for the Iraqi people - still a lot of war left to fight, but this is a landmark on the way to victory.

In fact, let me clarify my remarks still further:

Doubts are fine. Concerns are fine. Nasty, petty, carping remarks, and not being able to say "well but I could be wrong, and this could be a great thing, and I really hope it works out because that's what I want for my nation, for the people of Iraq, and for the people of the world" not only makes someone a small-minded, petty, bitter, unpatriotic butthead, it makes him someone I have no respect for as a human being and, indeed, someone I hope never reads this weblog or comments on it again.

Just to be completely clear about it.

By the way, anyone who wishes to leave angry, bitter, snotty responses can just stop, hit the little "X" in the upper right-hand corner, and never read this horrible weblog again. You can go off and tell all your little hatemongering friends how awful I am too. I no longer care. Vile people can't make me unhappy on such a glorious day for humanity as today you see. :-)

That seems like a rather silly qualifier. In commenting about the Supreme Court cases that came down today, do I need to say, "Well, I think that the majority in the Padilla case were too focused on the pragmatics of the situation, but I'm still proud that we have a court that reviews the constitutionality of Executive Action."?

Unless given some reason to think otherwise, shouldn't your qualifier be presumed? After all, just stating that I fear a private, secret handover will encourage terrorists into thinking that their attacks are working pretty much implies that I think terrorism and interfering with the operations of the Iraqi government is a bad thing, doesn't it? It also implies that I still hope everything goes well, despite my criticism, doesn't it?

I mean, do I need to qualify every criticism of government action with, "I hope things don't turn out as bad as I say"? Because I would hope that's a given. Hell, I'm not even a member of any party. I'm undecided on the election. There are concerns I have about national security that neither Bush nor Kerry has addressed to my satisfaction, and personally I think that neither one takes the WOT as seriously as it should be taken.

Criticism of actions of government is a proud, classically liberal position. It recognizes that patriotism is not only the love of country as is, but includes a willingness to want to make the nation even better.

I don't want to lose the WOT. I don't think that America is a sinister actor in global affairs--quite the contrary. I think that the war in Iraq was perfectly justified. And it's BECAUSE of these things that I criticize the secret handover today. Not because I'm "small-minded" and "bitter," but because I think that we're rewarding terrorists for their behavior, and that's a BAD THING.

Considering, Alex, just how many vicious partisans around the internet are even now shitting all over our accomplishments as a nation, not just today but around the world, I'd say you do indeed need to qualify it.

Sorry. That's just how I see it. We're in a time when too many hateful people are too obviously pissing all over America not to want that.

Besides, when someone says "I support the troops" and "I support our efforts even though I have criticisms," I think that comes with a moral obligation: not to be a constantly negative and angry naysayer and doomsayer.

I don't really understand anymore why anyone finds that so hard to understand. Nor do I feel like explaining it anymore.

By the way, I freely admit my view may be jaundiced by the contingent of irrational assholes who've been infesting my comments with personal attacks on me of late. So it goes.

Well, I *do* report positive news from Iraq on my own blog. I *have* expressed my support for action in Iraq both before the war and after. I've certainly expressed the hope that things will be better. I do get annoyed about naysaying in Iraq. I've written extensive posts about the problem of perception vs. reality in Iraq, particularly in the context of the history of the German and Japanese occupations.

Illustrative examples:

http://www.hereticalideas.com/archives/002025.html
http://www.hereticalideas.com/archives/001981.html
http://www.hereticalideas.com/archives/001975.html
http://www.hereticalideas.com/archives/001944.html
http://www.hereticalideas.com/archives/001923.html

I guess I just assumed that, in context of my writings in the past, my patriotism could be presumed. I've been vexed by this in the past, and actually received hate mail because I've made criticisms about some of the ways we've approached things in Iraq. But Christ, Bush isn't god, and you can be a patriot and on the right side in this war while still being critical of the manner in which we fight it. I've become extremely annoyed by the fact that criticism of the Administration's conduct has become the equivalent of "hating America" or "just wanting a Democrat in office" when neither of those things apply to me.

And in thinking about this, I'm not sure who I'm vexed more at--the people who've made this equivalence, or the assholes who've made the assumption of that equivalence possible (Rall, Moore, et al).

Dean:

I admire your patriotism, your love for America and for the West and for the achievements of the human race, and, above all, I love your _style_. You are a very powerful man.

I dunno man. All I know is I'm very happy today, and I'm tired of letting small-minded assholes ruin my fun.

If you're proud of your nation's accomplishments even though you're a bit worried about some things, that's good enough for me. ;-)

and I support the United States Supreme Court upholding my rights.

All over the world, journalists are trying to spin this amazing coup into a dismal failure. And they are failing.
The thing that was feared by both Zarqawi and the dhimmicrats has come to pass.

Yes today is a wonderful day for America. Through all the pain we suffered here on our soil and all the pain we suffered in Iraq and Afganistan we have made tremendous progress. There is a wonderful woman that comments here in your World Dean and she had a son fighting in Iraq. She let us know her own son felt what we doing was right. I would speak of my son here in America defending our borders.

Her son is home and he is so proud of his efforts and of course his fellow soldiers. My son got caught up in the changes we made in establishing Homeland Security. He too felt our Nation needed protection and he has seen some dramatic changes for the better and has caught and arrested some serious and frightening seedy people wanting to do harm here in America.

If two young men both fighting against terror can tell me we are doing the right thing I believe them with every fiber of my being.

Both of these MEN put up with struggles and set backs, and saw friends die while persuing their efforts to free nations, to keep our nation safe. And both of them put their own lives at stake. My son is constantly travelling across this country to places I can not share with you. Their training against terrorist is of the utmost in human and technical intelligence and above all,the Integrity they share as a team.

These soldiers deserve our support. These soldiers serving abroad and here on our soil work day and night. They are defending my rights, your rights to live here for all the freedom we established to make our country a land of opportunity.

My Grandfather fought in World War I. My dear dear Father fought for this country during World War II, my Husband fought in the Viet Nam war.

I honor them, I appreciate them, I love them.

Because of them, I have children enjoying their chosen professions and enjoying all that Freedom holds dear. I can also proudly say, I now have grandchildren as well and believe me they will know about their history and my family of men.

I will also tell them of my Grandmother that served in Cival Service with General Westmoreland and General Hightower as an Administrative Assistant. And my Mother as well, she was a budget analyst during the Viet Nam war and was stationed in Okinawa.

Thank You for being such a tremendous writer and blogger Dean. You have with stood your support, you took up a cause to help children in the mission to help our own soldier Chief Wiggles called, "Toys for Iraq". Then you helped to establish with fellow bloggers help raise money for the Marines enabling them to get equipment for a free radio and television.

Through all those that passed through Your Blog arguing under a false dillussion of what we were doing was wrong in Iraq and Afganistan. I have seen you put up with those people that want to tear down our commander and chief and you never gave in to them.

You are vital to our progression and you work hard to bring us truth. At times I have seen you struggle arguing with with others all the while keeping your blog a float and maintaining your support. Our good writers are vital Dean, they keep us informed and how I do love the pictures you have posted of our men and women serving and even reaching out their hands to little children walking them to school.

My son, works for President Bush and many other Mothers and Fathers sons and daughters are working hard serving for him...For Us. They are truly uniting for the same cause in their different duties, fighting for Freedom.

I want you to know I too am voting for Bush this November. March on Dean we need you more than you realize and thank you so very very much. You too are a soldier and keep up tne good fight sir!

As you may be aware, Dean, I'm not a big fan of this president or current administration policies, including what I consider to be an incredibly expensive and risky venture in Iraq, but I’m happy to say, “smart move, good news and Godspeed to Iyad Allawi, Ghazi Yawer, and the rest of the interim government.” Oh, and "well I have my doubts, but I'll hope I'm wrong, and I'm still be proud of my nation and hope it turns out that we’ve done a great thing."

Now that's an American. :-)

Dean

Well, it was hardly a day conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all Iraqi’s are created equal. I am convinced that I do not accept the notion that this nation can start wars for which it is not prepared to finish. i.e. lesson number one, Viet Nam. That doesn’t mean Mr. Kerry has any solutions whatsoever. We are now engaged in a great battlefield of war about which the ordinary Iraqi citizen has no say unless of course through the Iraqi mindset which I doubt crosses the minds of the selected Iraqi interim council prior to review by western masters. On the other hand, if the new Iraqi governing council can convince or be convinced by the citizenry to follow a representative course then hopefully this day will be viewed as round one in a tortuous path to freedom. The big question isn’t will the terrorists win over the Americans but will the Iraqi’s win over both elements. I wish them well.

It's rather too soon to celebrate. The Bush administration is still responsible for the failure or success of the "new Iraq". Let's wait and see what happens.

No, Marko, the Iraqi's are and will be responsible for their own destiny. All GWB did was clear the road. That's the challenge. How many times have we heard, Iraqi's are independent minded self-righteous masters of their destiny and their predecessors the founders of the cradle of civilization. Or is it really about tribal civil warfare ?

Catch 22, correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the Iraqis asked GWB to clear the road for them. GWB made his own decision without consulting the Iraqi people that he would attack their country and kill thousands of their brothers and sisters in the process. He started the war and now he's responsible for the outcome. This is how I see it: when you start something, you have got to finish it, and whatever happens in the beginning, in the end and in between are your responsibility.

Catch 22 doesn't have to correct you, Marko, I will. You're wrong. :-)

Many Iraqis did ask us to take out Saddam. We betrayed them for a very long time and instead kept him in power while strangling his people with economic sanctions and stood by and let him slaughter them by the hundreds of thousands while we did nothing--which is blood on the hands of all of you who opposed the liberation of Iraq.

Far more Iraqis died due to our failure to act responsibly sooner than ever did when we finally did the right thing and took out that monster.

It doesn't matter anymore whether Iraqis wanted Bush to clear the road. It's still their responsibility to make things work. That's what citizenship is all about.

"when you start something, you have got to finish it, and whatever happens in the beginning, in the end and in between are your responsibility."
Actually, I love this. The left has been frustrated all along in its efforts to tar Bush with some malefection and now, in faux victory they wash their hands and say "Bush has made his bed, let him lie in it." The implication being that he, and we who support him, intended something other. What a laugh. I've always said that the war was more important than the election. If a proper prosecution of the war left Bush in Crawford, so be it. This is a calculation the totalitarian left could never understand and would never entertain as a precondition for all their lunatic schemes, past present and future, is command of the political machinery. They will never believe a good thing out of Iraq because it violates the laws of physics in their reality. No good can ever come except from the font of wisdom that is their monopoly. Well, great. Hang Iraq around Bush's neck. It will weigh but lightly in the second half of his administration. This is a triumph. Next triumph, US election. Next triumph, Iraqi elections... or will there be ANOTHER surprise? Hmmmm.

Hmmm.... A great day for western civilisation? I think not. This entire fiasco has been about GWB completing an unresolved issue that his father left hanging. I do not mock or insult the soldiers who went to Iraq, indeed i congradulate them for the risks they take for not only our sake but now for the Iragis, but I find that the first problem has been them being sent over in the first place. This war has been faught without the consent of the international institution, United Nations. If not for the support of Britain and Australia, (which comprised of some 25 thousand troups compared with America's 230 thousand troups) this would have been a coalition of one.

The election of this new Iraqi president was not directly from the people. If the Iraqi people wanted the American troups out tomorrow would it happen? of course not. Because they do not yet truly control their own people. Let a body of iraqi people voted for by the Iraqi people entire be elected and then i will change my mind.

And another point, why this dictator? Why Suddam. There are many dictators throughout the world who even as we speak are oppressing millions of people. I am not convinced by these altruistic arguements of doing it for the greater good. For my personal faith in America's selfless intentions they would have to go straight from Iraq to south america and so forth and settle problems that have been raging there for decades.

And finally, i am not an American hating cynic. But i believe that their governments international policies are more reflective of self interests than creating a greater world for all. Eg. rejecting the Kyoto treaty which i am really pissed off about.

And i agree with "maor" too. It IS the responsibility of the Iraqi people to make things work now but i think they could best accomplish that without foreign interference.