Greg Laden's Blog

Ah, Miss Piggy, in case it's passed you by, the year is now 2008. Suicide bombings in Iraq are now so rare that when one happens it's actually news. The militias? They've decided to try the ballot box because they have a better chance that way. al Queda in Iraq? They've do such a good job of pissing Iraqis off, Sunni, Shi'a, even Ismaili as well as Assyrian Christian, have turned against them. The terrorists have done something pundits considered impossible, unite the Iraqi people against a common foe, the terrorists.

Oh, and made it harder for the U.S. to withdraw. For as long as the terrorists continue their attacks against the Iraqis it gives Iraq more reasons to insist that the Americans stay.

Now lets consider Afghanistan. Afghanistan where al Queda and the Taliban are working hard to turn Afghans and Pakistanis against them. Tribes once implacably hostile to the Pakistani government are now turning to that same government for assistance in combating the Taliban. Since the American air raids in Pakistan's tribal territories just a few months ago there have been more strikes, with no public protests from Pakistani officials. Civilians in both countries are turning against the Taliban and al Queda, while Pakistan is increasingly directing her military to cooperate with NATO forces in the war against the rebels and terrorists.

You'd know this of course, if you'd been paying attention to what's going on instead of getting the vapors over a felt anuran.

And Obama's grandmum is feeling a bit poorly. You'd do the chap more good if you were to send his mum's mum words of encouragement and support instead of blithering and blathering about things that aint been none that bad for the past five years or so.

BTW, Figgy Pudding is called that because it has figs in it . . .

. . . and bacon.

Posted by: Alan Kellogg | October 22, 2008 10:17 PM