"The Ramadan Offensive"
It's lovely when articles are like this. A perfect expression of my thoughts on the situation in Iraq.
Excerpt:
More troops, or more troops able to carry out counterinsurgency operations, would surely help; yet the Pentagon appears to be focused more on reducing the numbers of U.S. troops before next year's presidential campaign gets underway. An acceleration of development projects would win more Iraqi hearts and minds, but the administration still insists on concentrating contracts in American hands, thus slowing the work. Progress is also badly needed on the political front, where disputes over how to write a new constitution threaten to create an impasse. Rather than opposing funds for reconstruction or demanding a timetable for withdrawal, Congress should be pressing Mr. Bush on such issues.
Excerpt:
More troops, or more troops able to carry out counterinsurgency operations, would surely help; yet the Pentagon appears to be focused more on reducing the numbers of U.S. troops before next year's presidential campaign gets underway. An acceleration of development projects would win more Iraqi hearts and minds, but the administration still insists on concentrating contracts in American hands, thus slowing the work. Progress is also badly needed on the political front, where disputes over how to write a new constitution threaten to create an impasse. Rather than opposing funds for reconstruction or demanding a timetable for withdrawal, Congress should be pressing Mr. Bush on such issues.
// 10/29/2003 
