Loose cannons

Issue 

No quick fix

"The insurgency in Iraq is not likely to be put down in a year or even two since history shows such uprisings can last a decade or more, the United States' top military commander says. Air Force General Richard Myers says that in the past century, insurgencies around the world have lasted anywhere from seven to 12 years, making a quick fix to the problem in Iraq unlikely." — Reuters, February 25.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

"Serious human rights abuses occurred under the interim Iraqi government installed by the United States after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, including torture, illegal detention by police and forced confessions, according to a [US] State Department report." — Washington Post, March 1.

The Third Way

"According the New Statesman's Bling-Bling List, the fortunes of most of Britain's richest people have doubled or more under Tony Blair's administration ... The magazine quotes Tony Atkinson of Oxford University, an expert on inequality, as saying that the top 1% of the population — about 600,000 people — now receive a larger proportion of the UK's income than at any time since the 1930s." — Glasgow Scotsman, March 3.

The truth will ... unseat you

"Hazel Blears, the [British] home office minister, faced a backlash from Labour MPs yesterday over her comment that Muslims were more likely to be stopped and searched by police under the government's anti-terrorist measures ... Labour MPs were said to be 'hopping mad' with Mrs Blears for her stance ... The Labour backbenchers said they feared that her remarks could put Labour MPs in marginal seats at risk, because they will further alienate Muslim voters who were already threatening to desert Labour because of the war on Iraq." — British Independent, March 3.

From Green Left Weekly, March 9, 2005.
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