Let's hear it for good news from Iraq - Boston Globe

[Submariner]

In my fair city we once had a reich-wingnut at the Boston Herald named Don Feder. I was so glad when he left, unfortunately, his afterbirth lived and now we have Feder-clone Jeff Jacoby, at the once venerable Boston Globe.

I have trouble trying to write a reply that would make it past the LTTE review.

Let's hear it for good news from Iraq
By Jeff Jacoby
Globe Columnist / November 25, 2007

THE NEWS from Iraq has been so encouraging in recent months that last week even the mainstream media finally sat up and took notice. Can the Democratic Party be far behind?

In a story titled "Baghdad Comes Alive," Rod Nordland reports in the current Newsweek on the heartening transformation underway in the Iraqi capital:

"Returning to Baghdad after an absence of four months," he writes, "I can actually say that things do seem to have gotten better, and in ways that may even be durable . . . There hasn't been a successful suicide car bombing in Baghdad in five weeks . . . Al Qaeda in Iraq is starting to look like a spent force, especially in Baghdad."

The signs of life, Nordland acknowledges "grudgingly" - his word - are undeniable.

"Emerging from our bunkers into the Red Zone, I see the results everywhere. Throughout Baghdad, shops and street markets are open late again, taking advantage of the fine November weather. Parks are crowded with strollers, and kids play soccer on the streets. Traffic has resumed its customary epic snarl. . . . The Shorja bazaar in old Baghdad, hit by at least six different car bombs killing hundreds in the last year, is again crowded with people among the narrow tented stalls. On nearby Al-Rasheed Street, the famous booksellers are back in business . . . People are buying alcohol again - as they always had in Baghdad, until religious extremists forced many neighborhood liquor shops to close."

Newsweek's isn't the only big media voice bringing tidings of comfort and joy from the Iraqi theatre.

snip >

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/11/25/lets_hear_it_for_good_news_from_iraq/

[babylonsister]

1. Every major newspaper has stories like this today; go figure. They're

sure selling something, and I'm sure there are Americans who're buying this horseshit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2342539&mesg_id=2342539

[rodeodance]

2. decreased violence does allow for movement and commerance.

[Maq]

3. Mortars tell a different story

Mortars hit Baghdad Green Zone
Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:20 PM EST

By Waleed Ibrahim

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda militants killed at least eight members of a neighborhood police unit in southern Baghdad on Thursday, raking them with machinegun fire from a stolen Iraqi army vehicle, police said.
Separately, police said insurgents fired 10 mortar bombs at Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone just before dusk, in attacks coinciding with Thanksgiving.

A Reuters witness said he saw what appeared to be a body hanging from a damaged minibus in the zone, which houses the U.S. embassy and many government ministries. Police said there were casualties, but had no details.
The spike in violence ran against the trend of a sharp drop in attacks in recent months...

SOURCE: http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-11-22T212034Z_01_L06676676_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-IRAQ-COL.XML&archived=False

[truth2power]

4. Ya' know...if this were really happening

there'd be pictures. Oh, and video. Case closed.