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no, in fact this is yet more political commentary by yours truly.
now that more and more non-governmental & independent humanitarian aid agencies announce partial or full withdrawal from what they perceive as unacceptable security conditions in Iraq (keeping in mind that these people have worked in war theaters around the world for decades), I am reminded of the parallels to the situation in the "self-governed" Palestinian areas for the last few years, before the last intifada started in the fall of 2000.
the autonomous Palestinian government has suffered massive criticism from the US and Israel for not being able to tame the more violent factions working against Israel, and when Israel has retaliated on its own by demolishing houses belonging to the offenders' families, as well as launching pre-emptive gunship strikes against particular targets, it has become more than apparent that president Arafat's efforts have not been sufficient to stem the desperation flowing through his population. which has led to an ever inwards spiralling force of violence and civil unrest.
and when, as a spokesman for the Norwegian Refugee Council said today in connection with their closing down their planned services in Iraq, the American occupational troops in Iraq seem to be more occupied (heh) with their own security than that of the civilians and the assisting volunteering organizations, who will intervene and retaliate on behalf of the victims of violence?
I also think that the man with the strongest voice of reason in the US government, Colin Powell, has landed a small victory in talking Dubya into allowing a stronger UN mandate in Iraq. even if Washington insists that the UN work must still be subordinated American leadership. this is a quite a piece of humble pie for the administration to swallow, but since they now somewhat ironically find themselves in a position similar to Arafat's, it is interesting to observe how they appeal for assistance - assistance EU foreign commissary Chris Patten denies them as long as the security situation is not under control.
so this, at least for Washington, must be a taste of what it's like to be on the other side of the table. I don't think that consequences for the American administration will be as dire as they has become for the Palestinians, since it is unlikely that they will be declared to be "part of the problem, not the solution". even if that's what they really are.
now that more and more non-governmental & independent humanitarian aid agencies announce partial or full withdrawal from what they perceive as unacceptable security conditions in Iraq (keeping in mind that these people have worked in war theaters around the world for decades), I am reminded of the parallels to the situation in the "self-governed" Palestinian areas for the last few years, before the last intifada started in the fall of 2000.
the autonomous Palestinian government has suffered massive criticism from the US and Israel for not being able to tame the more violent factions working against Israel, and when Israel has retaliated on its own by demolishing houses belonging to the offenders' families, as well as launching pre-emptive gunship strikes against particular targets, it has become more than apparent that president Arafat's efforts have not been sufficient to stem the desperation flowing through his population. which has led to an ever inwards spiralling force of violence and civil unrest.
and when, as a spokesman for the Norwegian Refugee Council said today in connection with their closing down their planned services in Iraq, the American occupational troops in Iraq seem to be more occupied (heh) with their own security than that of the civilians and the assisting volunteering organizations, who will intervene and retaliate on behalf of the victims of violence?
I also think that the man with the strongest voice of reason in the US government, Colin Powell, has landed a small victory in talking Dubya into allowing a stronger UN mandate in Iraq. even if Washington insists that the UN work must still be subordinated American leadership. this is a quite a piece of humble pie for the administration to swallow, but since they now somewhat ironically find themselves in a position similar to Arafat's, it is interesting to observe how they appeal for assistance - assistance EU foreign commissary Chris Patten denies them as long as the security situation is not under control.
so this, at least for Washington, must be a taste of what it's like to be on the other side of the table. I don't think that consequences for the American administration will be as dire as they has become for the Palestinians, since it is unlikely that they will be declared to be "part of the problem, not the solution". even if that's what they really are.
