See 'A Letter from an Iraqi Reader' to Juan Cole (www.juancole.com.)

"Iraqis like me are stuck between all these groups. I am religous, but I don't want religion in the constitution. I think federalism is ok as long as it doesnt lead to the break up of Iraq . . . While my wife does wear hijab, I don't want laws in place that force her to. Baathists can go back to work, but I am sickened by people who are heartless and carry the picture of Saddam with pride and forget the suffering he has caused to millions of people. Unfortunately, people with my types of views tend never to be able to hold the same level of influence as the al-Hakim or Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars types. How do you enable moderates to have a stronger say at the table?"

You can't of course: governance just doesn't work that way.

Sudha Shenoy - 8/28/2005

I hadn't realised quite how idiotic, inane, & totally ignorant the Max Boot types were. The Malayan situation was perfectly straightforward: the ruling govt was faced with a would-be revolt & dealt with it as any govt would. In Iraq we have a bunch of temporary freebooters, irresponsible jingoists, who have _no_ permanent administrative stake in the territory -- & who have become embroiled in the _local power struggles_. The latter go back to Saddam Hussain -- the same groups are now fighting for power -- with the Sunni politicians now one of the weaker groups.

David T. Beito - 8/28/2005

Cole also has a very interesting piece today comparing the Malaysia and Iraq insurgencies