Links Alpha

Chinese espionage. Reminds me of the Drakas and the Western Alliance.

Why Congress has not declared war.

The New Baath.

Ashore in Basra, British troops are running into problems with police corruption. The local government has been unwilling to control the police force, which has been infiltrated members of Shia militias and criminal gangs. As the British began to arrest police for stealing and murder, the provincial government protested, and said they would no longer cooperate with British. The local politicians have more to fear from the Shia militias and gangsters, than they do from the British. This despite demonstrations against British brutality (as seen in a newly released video showing British soldiers beating up some Iraqi men.) There have also been demonstrations against the Danish cartoons. There are rarely demonstrations against the depredations of the militias and gangsters, for the very simple reason that these thugs will kill or beat anyone who openly opposes them. This unwillingness to confront corruption and crime is the main reason for Iraq's economic and political problems. The Iraqis are too easily terrorized, and not willing to take responsibility for defending freedom and democracy.

Nobody who is smart is scared of the British. Precisely because they understand propaganda and political considerations in their home islands. American forces ourselves have had trouble making others afraid, in order to deter them from doing things they shouldn't do. And we had Fallujah on our side, on our list of kills and victories. The Brits got nothing but air, and their attempts to airbrush the corruption away from the eyes of Americans and Iraqis are unsuccessful.

THe British should be fighting against Al-Sadr and the criminals. But I suppose it is too much to expect the British to crack down on criminals and thugs, it is not like they do it in their own home or use the army for that purpose.

That is sad, to have the Shia see the Coalition in our worst light just because the British don't have the guts to go into these thug's homes, arrest them, hunt them down, and actually Do. Their. Job.

That isn't too much to ask of Britain, in return for us going to the UN and getting hit there because Britain needed the UN, now is it?

VDH writes about the threat to Civil Liberties.

The ACLU is there when they want to persecute you, but where is the ACLU when others need them to fight against persecution?