Iraqi Special Forces Rescue 11 Year Old from al-Qaeda

C’mon now, Scott….you know as well as I do that “secular” Saddam would never, ever align himself with Islamic Holy Warriors. That’s called cherry-picking Scott.

[/sarcasm]

Reading Philip Smucker’s book, Al Queda’s Great Escape. It’s about Tora Bora. Amazing book-so far. I was surprised to see that more AQ fled Afghanistan to Iraq than did to Tora Bora (400 vs 6-800 went to Iraq). Accounts do vary though, and the definition of who is “Al Queda” vs who is not has a lot to do with it. A good case can be made that all of Jalalabad was AQ back in 01. Re Iraq though, it seems more and more clear-especially from yesterday’s NIE-that AQI is on the ropes, and that is a VERY good thing. Why more people aren’t cheering the success of those who are making that happen is sad, political, and vain.

Now isn’t that something. What a job our men and women have done over there getting those Iraqi forces trained up to complete a successful mission of this magnitude. Makes me fill up with pride. For the US and the new Democracy of Iraq.

I wonder what suek was suggesting here?
Was it that conservatives are the kind of people who support a Saddam Hussein?
Was it that conservatives controlled Saddam?
Was it that Saddam wasn’t at all a dictator, but more akin to something else-perhaps an elected leader who had to pander to religious conservatives to stay in power?
Maybe suek meant that conservatives are more religious than liberals-in Iraq and perhaps elsewhere? (ignoring the Reverend Al Sharptons and Reverend Jesse Jacksons or the millions of people who believe in God but are not conservative)
Could it be that suek was just trying to make a tasteless, childish, and ignorant political jab?
Maybe it was just an attempt to say something and distract from the question at hand…

…nah, couldn’t be that.

And NO…I am not comparing McCain to Saddam. But political games are political games.

Considering zombietime has a photoshoot of Obama and Kennedy campaigning in a cathedral in California, I am not sure pandering to religion is an aspect of conservatism. Pandering to those who want less government may be, but not religion.

Saddam was, however, just as religious as most in Islam and not an atheist. He just wanted all the power kept to himself. He was a born street tough who gained power through torture and execution of all who opposed him (while putting on a happy face for the world). He was no different than most any of the Califs in Arab history. The “devout” mullahs of Iran, leaders of the PLO/Hamas, and leaders of Al Qeada are no different. They spout Islam and “piety” for their followers, but are corrupt, power mad dictators to the core. No one ever saw the billionaire Arafat or “devout” Osama jump to the front of the line to be a “martyr” and go to “paradise”. In fact, they were never in line…. Some “paradise” it must be to not want to see it.