MSNBC is reporting that coalition troops have largely captured the city of Basra in southern Iraq. Basra is the most important city in the south of Iraq, and its liberation is an important milestone in the war.
This is an imporant victory, but progress may yet be slow. It will be critical to work with the local population, who are worried that the US will once again abandon them as they did in 1991. It must be made absolutely clear that the US is dedicated to removing Saddam Hussein, and will not back down again. As US forces advance, the full horror of the mistake of not removing Saddam 12 years ago is made painfully clear.
Are we talking about European style liberation in World War II (France, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Yugoslavia, etc…) or about Third world style liberation (as in the “liberation” of afghanistan)?? There is a massive difference..