:: Event Horizon ::

:: Thursday, July 17, 2003 ::

Full Text of Blair's Speech
I've not had an opportunity to see the speech yet, but from what I've read it was a good one, perhaps a great one. I generally like to see how the speech was delivered and how it was received, as well as reading the text, before I decide how I feel about it. From what I can tell, it was an able defense of the Iraq war and a clear refutation of the idea that the failure to find WMD in any way undermines the legitimacy of the war.

:: Joel 5:00 PM [+] ::
...

U.S. Death Toll in Iraq Equals 1991 War
AP reports that, "The combat death toll hit a disheartening milestone Thursday as the Pentagon acknowledged its casualties from hostile fire reached 147, the same number of troops who died at enemy hands in the first Gulf War." I applaud the United States for trying to conduct the postwar occupation of Iraq in a decent and humane manner. But it seems to me that in order to do this, we need the cooperation and goodwill of the Iraqi people. We don’t have it. I’m worried that unless we apply a little more hardnosed realism to the situation, our troops will be acting as little more than live targets for every sniper and disillusioned Baathist. How can we allow this situation to continue? Baghdad is not secure. The country of Iraq is not secured. And yet, we are busy about the business of rebuilding, restoring power, setting up grassroots democracy, as if the fighting is over. We have based our post-war policy on the assumption that the war is over. The war is not over, coalition forces do not control Iraq, so let’s stop acting as if this is all going well and get back to reality. We owe it to our demoralized troops and we owe it to the people of Iraq, who now live in a bizarre twilight zone between war and peace.

:: Joel 4:42 PM [+] ::
...

Low Morale Plagues U.S. Troops in Iraq
Accoring to this AP report, "Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright measures the time he's served in the Persian Gulf by the blockbuster movies he's missed on the big screen back home: "Lord of the Rings: Two Towers," "Star Trek: Borg Encounter" and "Matrix: Reloaded." So, what does it take to be an AP editor these days?Not much apparently. Borg Encounter?? Unless I'm way out of touch with major sci-fi films (and I don't think I am), there's never been a movie called "Star Trek: Borg Encounter." If they can get something like the name of the most recent film in a famous sci-fi series wrong, it makes me wonder what else is they get wrong that is never noticed.

:: Joel 8:37 PM [+] ::
...

Arafat, Abbas Resolve Key Differences
According to AP World News: "Top Palestinian leaders settled a rift late Monday that threatened peace efforts, an official said, and a Palestinian stabbed three people in Tel Aviv in what police called the first terror attack in an Israeli city since a truce began June 29." I guess they settled the rift by agreeing not to do anything about the militants. The militants will not be disarmed by the Palestinian Authority, that is the reality of the situation. Bush and Sharon had better decide what they are going to do about it, Arafat and Abbas have already made their decision.

:: Joel 2:15 PM [+] ::
...

U.S. Soldier Killed In Iraq
This CNN: World report reveals the sad reality of the Iraq war, another day, another casualty. General Franks said the U.S. could be in Iraq for up to four years, at one dead soldier a day, that comes to 1,460 casualties of war. This is an admittedly conservative estimate, losses could easily be higher than one a day. Just trying to put things in perspective.

:: Joel 12:39 PM [+] ::
...