The Appalling Reynolds (Paul) has outdone himself

It pains me to comment much, so I'll just quote and comment:

'Events in Iraq have been spinning out of control - and out of control of the spinners - so fast on so many fronts that the W word - withdrawal - is now being mentioned.' (by one article in the Times, and not in terms of an immediate or comprehensive pullout either- as far as Reynolds demonstrates.)

'the insurgency has clearly spread from the few "former regime elements" and "foreign fighters" whom coalition spokesmen regularly blame.' (yeah, and what about all the Syrian fighters in Fallujah?)

...'the ability of the coalition to impose its own solutions has slipped away.' (makes an unsupported assumption about US tactics in Fallujah)

'Whatever the origin of some of these photos, the damage has been done on the street. ' (assumption: the opposition to the US is a popular opposition)

'So will it be able to command the loyalty of Iraqis to a sufficient degree to bring the insurgency under control?' (- again assuming that the resistance is a popular one.)

'Against the gloomy predictions, one has to say that the will of the soon-to-be-appointed Iraqi Interim Government and that of the United States and the UK to see this through should not be underestimated.' (-for 'will' read stubbornness and intransigent optimism. There is no rationale offered for this optimism, ergo it's blind optimism.)

Then he goes on to lash out at the 'panglossian' journalist du jour, Christopher Hitchens, who is described cunningly as
'the gadfly journalist who has been one of the war's great supporters', who, 'writes acerbically of his fellow hacks', and 'is still hoping for an eventual settlement in Iraq which might go democracy's way'. (again, blind optimism- and note the condescending tone from a BBC journalist to a mere well-paid populist hack).

This sickening display is today only partly compensated for by this article from Amhir Taheri, which firmly rebuffs the Reynolds' approach. The difference between an article in the New York Post and on the BBC website is that Reynolds, quite unjustifiably, carries with him the gravitas of a weighty national broadcaster on the international stage.

Taheri:

'May 4, 2004 -- WHAT to do about Iraq? I was bombarded with this question during a recent visit to the United States.
The question is based on two assumptions. First, that Iraq is about to plunge into one of the nightmare scenarios discussed by self-styled experts on TV. Second, that there is some kind of magic wand that one could wave to transform Iraq into a paradise of freedom and prosperity.

Both assumptions are false. '

'is Iraq really plunging into chaos? Anyone in contact with Iraqi realities would know that the answer is: No.'

And this is the point: Iraqi realities. The realities that to us in the UK are best expressed by the fact that we've had so few UK fatalities in the last year. Of course I would like to point to detailed on-the-ground realities, like Baathists investigated, criminals prosecuted, mass-graves explored, weapons facilities decommissioned, schools reoccupied, hospitals working, trade developing, and elections, but that's precisely what Reynolds' style of journalism robs us of- meaning that journalists like Taheri are staving off the quagmire analysis rather than getting to the nitty-gritty of expurgating the horrific past and building up the resources for Iraq's future.