Seldom has the official Iraqi and American perception of what is happening in Iraq felt so different from the reality. Cocooned behind the walls of the Green Zone, defended by everybody from US soldiers to Peruvian and Ugandan mercenaries, the government of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki pumps out alluring tales of life returning to normal that border on fantasy. Full Story »
Posted by Pam Rasmussen
This is much more in-depth than most of the superficial stuff I read in the papers. It does not, however, particularly address the headline. While the author provides a lot of on-the-ground detail I don't see in many US outlets, I only saw one sentence that addresses how the future of the war will affect John McCain's presidential hopes. And, while Cockburn paints a believable picture of a volatile situation, he does not get nearly as specific about how and why this could blow up. The stresses are obvious. The trigger points clear. But I'd be interested to know what he feels might light the fuse.
