Iraq - the Big Picture

Strategy Page has a great write up on the general trends going on in Iraq right now.
He makes a number of points including this one in regards to the Sunnis.:

The alliance with al Qaeda was a disaster. These Islamic terrorists were obsessed with causing a civil war in Iraq, and they insisted on doing this by killing lots of Shia Arabs. The Sunni Arabs didn't want to kill lots of Shia Arabs, they wanted to rule them all once more. But that raised another contentious issue. While some Sunni Arabs were in favor of an Islam Republic, which al Qaeda insisted on, most Sunni Arabs wanted a more secular Sunni Arab dominated government. This dispute was never resolved, as the split between al Qaeda and the Sunni Arab community widened. At the moment, al Qaeda is not welcome in most Sunni Arab areas. That's "come near this place and we'll kill you" not welcome. This after al Qaeda tried to terrorize the Sunni Arab tribal leaders into compliance. Killing Sunni Arab tribal chiefs didn't work.

We know al Qaeda reads the newspapers. Do you suppose they read blogs too? Zarqawi is getting kicked to the curb because

He said al-Zarqawi had "made many political mistakes", including "the creation of an independent organisation, al-Qaeda in Iraq".

"Zarqawi also took the liberty of speaking in the name of the Iraqi people and resistance, a role which belongs only to the Iraqis," Azzam said.

As a result "the resistance command inside and outside Iraq, including imams, criticised him and after long discussions demanded that he be confined to military action".

Someone should write a new "Imagine" song.

Imagine for a moment,
Or maybe just a day,
Not too long a moment,
But just enough to say,
We are winning here today
Here in in the ME......
ooooh oooh ohohoh

Imagine for that moment,
It isnt hard to do,
The MSM to work together,
But on the side good,
Imagine all these people
realizing they have a choice...

Imagine all the stories,
I wonder if you can,
Each major daily paper,
Reads of the strength of good,
Imagine all the people
Writing for (not against) the war...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

(Sorry John) But seriously. How many times have we heard that this is a propaganda war now? But each time we try to hire someone to write the good, the MSM beat the president up. And that's just telling the good truth. Wouldn't it be fun to have enough money to hire out all the newspapers secretly for one week and have them all write stories with a US/Iraqi slant? Ie instead of

BAGHDAD, April 2 -- At least 50 people were killed Sunday in Iraq in a catalogue of violence that included a mortar attack, military firefights, roadside bombings and other explosions.

In addition, the U.S. military reported the deaths of six soldiers and airmen, including two who were killed when their helicopter apparently was shot down during a combat air patrol southwest of Baghdad on Saturday.

"Military officials believe the crash was the result of hostile fire," the military said in a statement, adding later that the remains of the pilots of the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter were recovered late Sunday.

Instead of that, for one week, the newspapers all write stories from a less passive, we're losing the war and Iraq is going to fall to pieces angle.

After 50 people were killed on Sunday by terrorists hostile to the Iraqi govt, the Iraqi military stormed the area severely wounding at least 15 and discovering a cache of bodies assassinated by the rebels. These 10 bodies were left with their hands tied and eyes coverd. All were shot to death by rebels now known locally as "yellow rebels". Authorities expect Iraqi civilians to be armed and looking for revenge on these cold blooded murders.

In other news 2 US airmen were killed when their helicopter was shot down during a combat air patrol southwest of Baghdad on Saturday. They had pointed out a rebel stronghold that the ground troops then immediately comandeered killing 2 rebels. Awards of Valor will be given to their families.

I know - I made up a few facts, but a helicoptor on combat air patrol was doing something useful. Not just getting itself shot down. - you get the picture. News articles on the "we're winning" side of the page. Something not so passive. Just for a week or two. I bet the picture on the ground would change immensely.