Thanksgiving and politics

Well, I hope everyone had a nice holiday.
I watched Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire Wednesday night with dad. Ate quite my share Thursday. Friday I caught up with some old neighbors and friends. Saturday I bought an artificial tree that Kate and I plan on decorating with our infinite creativity. I rented some movies with my parents (all of which I had sadly seen). Sunday I ate yet more turkey and managed to mosey on back to Boston.

Jens brought this issue to my attention after a long weekend of avoiding politics. (I didn't want to fight with my parents. I'm proud to say, for the most part I achieved that goal).

He initially sent me a link to a UK editor's take on the issue. There wasn't anything surprising in this information. I really kind of just assumed it was a given. I must say, that I'm glad that the trumpeter of information is an Iraqi rather than U.S. media interests. However it is also important to keep in mind that Allawi lost the election for prime minister. Much like any politician they are likely going to paint a less than rosy picture of what the opposing party does. I will say it is sort of amusing that the "one time" appointed PM is now poised to cause the Bush administration additional headaches.

Jens's column:
Abuse worse than under Saddam, says Iraqi leader

Initially upon skimming this, I assumed that it was more of an "editorial" than hard news. I do think that the author tends to use language that is a bit more flamboyant than what you would find from the BBC or associated press. All the same, this article does have some additional value over the "watered down" version picked up by the American "Associated Press".

I'm particurally fond of:

In a chilling warning to the West over the danger of leaving behind a disintegrating Iraq, Allawi added: 'Iraq is the centerpiece of this region. If things go wrong, neither Europe nor the US will be safe.'

This needs to be driven home.

W is failing to do this.

Partly because he is nearly incapable of speaking without intensive coaching by Karl Rove (who happens to be preoccupied).
And additionally most Americans view Bush as bearing responsibility for the muddled confusion that Iraq has become. It is tough to rise above the scorn of this. If I were making decisions in the Bush administration I would be looking for someone who could communicate this to the U.S.

Powell might be good if that bridge hasn't been burned. Perhaps McCain. Hell... enlist good old Bubbah Clinton. He always loves publicity, and he could always throw in comments about how great Hillary is.
You can't have Rumsfeld or Rice, and definitely not Cheney do this job. No-one cares about the press secretary either.

Anyway. Here is the brief CNN AP article.

Ex-PM: Abuse as bad as Saddam era

It is almost comical by comparison of its total lack of substance, although I will say, unlike Peter Beaumont's report, this lacks assumptions. Peter tends to suggest what this information will mean for the future, which is kind of a misstep. I'd expect this type of journalism from someone like Katie Couric who makes her thoughts on news quite clear. This is why she is Today show material rather than Prime Time with Brian Williams.

These are some of Peter Beaumont's commentary that is interspersed in the Observer article. I find the structure not unlike a thesis paper, quote/fact, then comment to support the "thesis".

Allawi's bleak assessment is likely to undermine any attempt to suggest that conditions in Iraq are markedly improving
His uncompromising comments came on the eve of Saddam's latest court appearance on charges of crimes against humanity. They seem certain to fuel the growing sense of crisis over Iraq, both in the country itself and in the US, where political support for the occupation continues to plummet.
The intervention by one of Iraq's most prominent political figures promises to turn human rights abuses into a key election issue.
In a very clever move Beaumont ends his article with a quote:

'The assertions by Mr Allawi simply underline the catastrophic failure to have a proper strategy in place for the post-war period in Iraq.'Sir Menzies Campbell, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman