I've been invited to post on RedState.org. In addition to daily posts on FlynnFiles and weekly posts on TownHall.com, I will be posting every so often (weekly?) on RedState. I read it, so why not write on it? My inaugural RedState post explores the parties that will constitute the majority coalition in the Iraqi assembly. As I've written here and here, it's good that Iraqis voted but not good that they voted for the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Hezbollah al-Iraq, and other Islamic extremist parties within the winning coalition.

Good point. I hope that Jaffiri and other leaders within the Shiite parties will be conciliatory towards the Sunnis and secular Iraqis. I'm joining the Army (I'm heading down to MEPS this Friday) so I hope we can continue to be a stabilizing force within Iraq until they are able to maintain freedom and democracy themselves.

This is a very real concern that Iraqis could choose an Islamic extremist government. Dan is right to point this out. All I can say, is the Iranians, the Syrians, the various terrorist groups, and their allies in Russia and China are desparately afraid of this thing called democracy. I'm sure everyone sees the efforts the afore mentioned groups are going through to try and undermine this thing called "democracy" in Iraq. Look, there are people who are much smarter than I am and many of these people are paid allot of money to ana-lyze foreign affairs. What I have observed is countries such as Syria and Iran support the various terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, the PLO, and God knows who else. Russia and China support the terror supporting states. Connecting the dots, our most dangerous enemies of Russia and China are in cozy relationship with the terrorists. There is much more here, but if this ana-lysis is correct, we have a much bigger problem than a band of Islamic terrorists. There seems to be a tendency among our policy makers to view Iraq, Afghanistan, the Arab/Israeli war, Russia's sale of new missles to Syria, Russia's assistance in Iran's nuclear ambitions, and China's miltary arrangements with Saudi Arabia as separate and distinct events that are not related. I think we need to start viewing all of the afore mentioned events as interlinked, in much the way that we understood the Pacific and European battle fronts to be part of a larger war, as opposed to separate and distinct wars. If this ana-lysis is correct we are really at war with Russia and China. The terrorists and the states who support them are proxies. They have been at war with us long before 911, as evidenced by the 1993 WTC bombing, the Khobar Towers bombing, the bombing of embassies in Africa, and the USS Cole bombing. Saddam's Iraq was an integral part of this web. When we removed one of the most important parts of this web and began to try and "democratize" it we sure got their attention!! Is this being "chicken little?" I hope so. If I'm right we have bigger issues than most people seem to realize. As stated previously, there are many people who are far smarter than I. So, please feel free to refute my ana-lysis. Constuctive criticism is always welcome.

I guess I have 2 reactions to this:

1)What is an Islamic Extremist Government??? You don't mention Oman, which is governed in large part by Sharia Law; Yemen, which is also under Sharia but a large number of Communists(!)in the country; and, even UAE is under Sharia law in many respects including criminal law. Yet all of these countries manage to get along with the rest of the world (for the most part) and act as our trading partners. So, I have to wonder exactly what you're saying? Are we fighting the whole of the middle east? Or just those who, unlike UAE, can't reconcile Sharia with the modern world (like Sudan or Iran)? If it's the latter, I think it's unfair to say just where Iraq will fall on that side of things. Give them a chance.

2)You're on to something about Russia and China, and particularly China. China seems to have their hand in just about everything...and when crises spring up around the world, you can often smell the lo-mein nearby. For instance, most of the much contested oil fields of southern Sudan are being operated by the China National Petroleum Corporation. And, hence, China remains uncritical, and even tacitly supportive, of the Government's attempts to murder its people in the name of cheap oil -- for China. (Where are the "no blood for oil" calls over Sudan, I often wonder?) In any event, the 2 million killed have benefitted the Chinese oil industry tremendously. By killing most of the non-Arabs in the south, the Sudanese government has protected the Chinese investment in their country. Surely this was supported by the CNPC, how could it not be?

Still, I'm not so sure that you can draw active support for terrorism from one country's strong economic ties with another. But there are some disturbing cases, like the China-Sudan connection above, that lend some credence to your theory.

As Arsinio used to say, kinda makes you go "hmmm".

Sorry, should be spelled ArsEnio. My apologies Mr. Hall.

Homer

Thank you very much for your comments.

1.) I should have been more clear on what I mean by an Islamic Extremist government. I mean an Islamic government that is using Islam as a basis to try and subjigate the world under their interpretation of Islam. These are the governments that threaten America. It seems to me that Oman and UAE are following a more moderate brand of Islam. No, we should not be at war with Islamic governments that have found a way to peacefully coexist with us. Oresident Bush has made it clear over and over again that we are not at war with Islam. Hopefully Iraq will adpot a more moderate interpretation of Islam. After recently talking with a person who has spent time in Iraq and talking to people who know people who are there right now, I am cautiously optimistic that this can be done. I'm not as optimistic as some of the neo-conservatives are though. I agree the Iraqis should be given a chance. I hope and pray it works out. The Iraqis need peace.

2.) I have been keeping an eye on China. The China-Sudan connection is one I have been tracking. It is very disturbing. Chinese oil interests probally explain why the UN recently decided the situation in the Sudan is "not genocide." The reason I focused most on Russia is because Russia has something like 2000 nuclear war heads. I think this country is America's greatest threat.

You are right. Just because a country has strong economic ties with another does not necessarily mean they are active supporters of terrorists.

Rob