HERE AND THERE

Malcom Lagauche

Most people have forgotten the ridiculous statements made before the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003: 'They will welcome us with flowers," "It will take six days or six weeks to finish the war, not six months," etc. Almost four years later, the U.S. is involved in its heaviest fighting in Iraq. The Iraqi resistance is powerful and well-organized. Even the most ardent anti-Ba’athist knows that the Ba’ath Party is behind the major resistance activities in Iraq. On March 11, 2003, nine days before the announced start of hostilities, Amir Taheri wrote an article for the conservative publication, National Review, called "Saddam’s Soldiers: Will They Fight for Him?" Here’s the first sentence: "Talk of protracted urban guerilla warfare is unrealistic, for the simple reason that Saddam and his gang are not guerilla leaders." This has to be the biggest gaffe of all the predictions...

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