There are still many pitfalls – not least of which is the nature and shape of an interim Iraqi government after June 30. But Sistani’s agreement to extend the deadline to the end of this year for national elections strikes me as a real coup for the Bush administration. I’m still an optimist. I’d be interested in hearing or seeing a real tally of U.S. casualties in Iraq recently. From reading the papers, it appears that the casualty rate has subsided – or has shifted (appallingly) toward the civilian population. But I’ve long believed that if we show real determination to persevere, and if we don’t lose our nerve, Iraq can transition to a functioning, if ramshackle, democracy. That remains a huge achievement – the most encouraging development in the Middle East since the Israel-Egypt peace accords. And Bush and Blair deserve the credit.
THE SAUDIS PROMOTE TOURISM: Well, it’s an improvement. Until you read the fine print. Here it is, according to the Guardian:
The supreme commission for tourism’s website lists those who will not be allowed in: Jews; people with Israeli stamps in their passport; “those who don’t abide by the Saudi traditions concerning appearance and behaviour”, and “those under the influence of alcohol”.
Can someone tell me why we still have cordial relations with a country that simply bans “Jews” from even entering its borders?
The Dish 