[extropy-chat] NEWS: They got him!

[Dirk Bruere]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Lorrey" <mlorrey at yahoo.com>
To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 8:23 PM
Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] NEWS: They got him!


>
> --- Charlie Stross <charlie at antipope.org> wrote:
> >
> > On 14 Dec 2003, at 13:26, Technotranscendence wrote:
> >
> > > I can say something that seems obvious.  The way he was found and
> > the
> > > fact that he was not surrounded by loyalists and supporters seems
> > to
> > > mean he was playing only a small role if any in the resistance to
> > the
> > > occupation.  This, of course, doesn't mean it's not a psychological
> > > victory, but I don't think the guerillas are going to roll over and
> > > play dead now.
> >
> > Agreed, and more: I suspect fear of Saddam getting back into power
> > somehow was a *restraining influence* on the resistance, especially
> > among the shi'ites. Now that he's definitively out of play, it's
> > possible the guerilla attacks will get *worst* (because there's no
> > longer any chance of him somehow re-establishing his dictatorship).
> >
>
> I think he was hiding in the spider hole only because of the ongoing
> offensive in the immediate area of Tikrit. A large part of the feeling
> of US illigitimacy among Iraqis was specifically because we hadn't
> caught Saddam. Now that we have him, there may be some remaining
> resistance, but they have lost legitimacy I think even with their own.

I very much doubt it.
The resistance comes from Islamic militants, who hated Saddam in the first
place, and Ba'ath party activists.
The latter will continue to fight since they have been banned from standing
in elections.

Dirk

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