If you read one thing on the mindset of the middle-east, read Nordlinger's four entries on the World Economic Forum's meeting in Jordan.
A panel discussion of Iraq features a compelling lineup — included in it are Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi foreign minister; Hajim al-Hassani, the speaker of the Iraqi parliament; and Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N. veteran. The Economist’s Xan Smiley moderates. (His name is pronounced “Zan,” as in “Alexander.”)
As regular readers know, Zebari is one of my favorite people on the world scene, an ex-Kurdish militant, a father of the new, democratic Iraq. It was a thrill of my life when he told off the U.N. — do you remember, dear readers? In December 2003, he said, “The United Nations as an organization failed to help rescue the Iraqi people from a murderous tyranny that lasted over 35 years. Today we are unearthing thousands of victims in horrifying testament to that failure.” Etc. That was one of the most stirring examples I ever saw of speaking truth to power.
Did I mention that this was at the U.N. — at the U.N. itself?
Before the panel discussion begins, I remind Zebari of this splendid telling off. We both grin and twinkle a bit over the memory of it.
Zebari leads off the Iraq panel with a speech making the salient points: It has been only eleven months since Washington transferred sovereignty to the Iraqis themselves — Iraq is not an occupied nation, but “an emerging democracy.” Last Jan. 30, “millions of citizens defied terror and death” to cast their ballots. The people are “hungry for democratic progress.” Unfortunately — and outrageously — “the insurgency persists,” as “Saddamites and foreign fighters” attempt to “foment civil war, undermine democracy, spread terror, and destroy our vision.” But Iraqis “will not have their future dictated by the atrocities of a few.”
He makes a smart reference to “the headlines,” which emphasize trouble over opportunity and gains. He talks of making every effort to involve Sunnis — who have been reluctant — in the political process. And he says that the country is “not ready to be self-reliant,” is not yet prepared for the U.S. and its allies to go. But the faster Iraq succeeds politically, “the sooner multinational forces can go home.”
Steyn on San Francisco
San Francisco hasn’t been ‘about generations’ or ‘about renewal’ for four decades. Instead, it’s lived in its moment, selling itself to America as a Mecca for a cult of self-worship. That’s fine as long as it lasts, but by definition it can’t last long — and then ‘to the abyss will I depart’
But Nic asked for examples, and I had none to offer her. Still working on that... Maybe the per Capita number of Spas, Gyms, Salons and Bars? You know, all the stuff I write about.
