Rantingprofs: Oh, What Difference Can It Make Now

April 24, 2006

Oh, What Difference Can It Make Now

One of the Times most depressed and depressing reporters in Iraq, Sabrina Tavernise, writes about Iraq's new government, in terms that make it clear she finds it hard to see how this could be the breakthrough the country needs. After all:

The seven new political leaders chosen Saturday, including a president and prime minister, face tasks with obstacles so great that they appear nearly insurmountable.

Not until the 7th paragraph do we begin to get the material that suggests a ray of hope -- suggestions that the Iraqi people will stand behind this government rather than fracture along sectarian lines.

Still, many Iraqis say they are so desperately in need of a strong, independent leader that almost anyone — Shiite, Sunni or Kurd — would do.

"There is no such thing as too Shiite or too Sunni," said Dr. Adhadh, briskly signing papers in a sparsely furnished room in the Adhamiya district council, where he serves as a member. "People voted based on sect. We simply have two different groups now."

Not to mention evaluations from several politicians that the shorthand description already firmly afixed to the new leader by American news organizations ("Shiite hardliner,") if not explained, may not be as troublesome as it seems:

Even for Iraq's secular politicians, who have been virtually eclipsed by sectarian and religious figures and who received none of the seven positions filled this weekend, the mood on Sunday was not altogether dark.

One of them, Adnan Pachachi, who served as Iraq's foreign minister in the 1960's, said that even though most colleagues in his secular alliance abstained from voting in protest of the sectarian nature of the choices, Mr. Maliki, a Shiite, appeared to have his plusses.

In private meetings with parliamentarians before the vote, for example, he tried to distance himself from Iran, and spoke forcefully against allowing autonomous regions, desired by many in the main Shiite block, known as the United Iraqi Alliance.

Notice that "not altogether dark." That seems to be as positive as Ms. Tavernise is willing to allow herself to suggest something in Iraq might be to her readers.

Posted on April 24, 2006 at 06:47 AM | Permalink

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April 24, 2006

Oh, What Difference Can It Make Now

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