Iraq deaths
The depressing death toll of coalition serviceman in Iraq -- in the first week of this month averaging nearly six a day -- is likely to get better. These things tend to come in waves, and there are already signs that the situation is getting better.Nevertheless it is clear that the occupation is not going to plan, and the US government (let's not kid ourselves that the UK government has much more influence than say English Tiddlywinks Association) must take most of the blame. With Saddam's WMD seemingly 'spirited to Syria' under their very eyes, and mounting evidence that an Administration less keen on taking on Saddam would have realised this, the only justification for the invasion when it was done is a humanitarian one. This -- at the moment -- looks in tatters to, with the death toll of Iraqis on reasonable estimates now outpacing those under Saddam's last few years.
As I began things should start to get better, if only because they can't get much worse. Then perhaps we can take a sober look at the long-term implications of this war -- what it has meant for western security and credibility, the fight against terrorism, and whether it has damaged public support for similar (or even more deserving) interventions in the future.
posted by Matthew @ 4/07/2004 09:09:00 AM
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