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By Fareed Zakaria
The American public has lost interest in the Iraq war. A topic that was at the center of the national political debate is now barely mentioned in passing. The country has decided to move on, rather than debate whether the war was worth it - though for the vast majority of Americans, the answer to that question would be a decided, "no".
Yet, it was the most significant military conflict that the United States has been in since the Vietnam War, and so it is worth asking – ten years after it began - what lessons might be learned from the war, aftermath, and occupation. Here is my list:
Bring enough troops. The Bush administration chose to go to war with Iraq in a manner that would make it relatively easy politically. It drew up plans for a small invading army and insisted that the costs would be minimal – silencing those within and without the Pentagon who suggested otherwise. In the first phase of the war, toppling Saddam's army, the plan worked fine. But as the mission turned from invasion to occupation, the military's "light footprint" proved to be a deadly problem. Iraq moved quickly towards chaos and civil war, under the eyes of American troops who could do little to prevent it. The lesson of the Balkans' conflicts in the 1990s had been to have a much larger force, by some calculations four times larger than the United States had in Iraq. But that lesson was not learned in 2003. The next time, if it's worth going to war, it's worth staffing it properly.
Don't tear down the state. In the first months of the occupation, the United States disbanded the Iraqi military, sanctioned a process of "deBaathification" – the firing of anyone from a government position who was a member of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party – and shut down Iraq's state-owned enterprises. The combined effect of these moves was to tell the ruling elite of Iraq, the Sunnis, that there was no place for them in the new Iraq. Unemployed, enraged, and often armed, many Sunnis went on to organize or encourage the insurgency that rocked Iraq for most of the next decade.
Compare those decisions to ones made by Nelson Mandela after the fall of apartheid. Mandela agreed that while his African National Congress would take power, the new ministers would not fire a single existing bureaucrat or general. The entire Afrikaner establishment was preserved, so that they would not be threatened by the new South Africa. The result, almost miraculously, was that there was no insurgency, despite many predictions that it was inevitable.
Don't knock down doors. As the insurgency began, even in its earliest months, the U.S. military's response to it was wrong and utterly counterproductive. The army, led by men like General Raymond Odierno, opted for a strategy that emphasized "shock and awe," breaking down doors of suspected insurgents, rounding up communities, and demonstrating toughness. It backfired, convincing the locals that the Americans were the brutal thugs and that the insurgents had reason to be resisting them. In Mosul, one American general followed a different path. David Petraeus focused from the start on winning over the local population, using money, patronage, and services to create confidence and trust. His approach, which later became the "counterinsurgency" strategy, was adopted by the entire U.S. army in Iraq only after six years of fighting and failing. Ironically, General Odierno became Petraeus' deputy and one of the key implementers of a strategy that was entirely different from the one he had prosecuted earlier. Better late than never.
Make a deal to include all parties. The crucial challenge in Iraq was to bring the three main communities together – Shia, Sunni, and Kurd – to create a new national power sharing agreement. That would include a division of oil revenues, an allocation of powers and authorities, and a settlement of some territorial disputes. Instead the United States handed the keys over to the Shia majority, trusting that it would treat its two partners fairly. It didn't happen. The Kurds protected themselves by creating an autonomous republic in the north that is a state in all but name. They issue passports, speak Kurdish, and have their own army. The Sunnis launched an insurgency that persists to this day. The violence has subsided, but Iraq remains a state that has not settled any of its key challenges, and that means it has a province in the north that has all but seceded, and in the center of the country, there is still violence on a daily basis.
Write constitutions before holding elections. The U.S. wanted to craft Iraq's constitutions and basic laws before rushing to elections. But because it had so bungled the initial year of the occupation, it found it desperately needed Shia support – and that could only come by allowing early elections. Those elections empowered the Shia religious parties that had been backed and sustained by Iran for decades. These groups, one of which is now in power led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, have little interest in liberty and law. For them, the elections were a way to consolidate power and oppress their political opponents and pursue sectarian conflict. The starkest indication of the collapse of any traces of liberalism or tolerance in Iraq is the fate of the Christian population. After surviving under Saddam Hussein, sanctions, and war, Iraq's Christians have fled the new democratic Iraq, fearful of their lives, to the point that there are now almost no traces of Christian Iraqis, people who have lived in those lands since the days of the gospels.
This is not the only list of lessons, there are surely others. But many of these are still worth heeding. When we look at Afghanistan, the issue of making a deal with all parties – Pashtun and non-Pashtun - still applies. When we look at Syria, we must ask whether we can intervene effectively with few resources and a lot of good intentions. And when we consider any of these challenges, we should always ask, at least to be prepared, what could go wrong? Because if Iraq teaches anything, it is that in a complicated war in a distant land, what can go wrong often will.
Rule #1: Don't get caught plagiarizing.
America has done many atrocities in Iran n in other cotinrues, India also loosing out to Us via Brain drain,they undrstnd our weakness for money,recognition many young genius s pulled towrds us.can see McDonals n Kfcs sprouting up ,hate 2 c our culture,taste n elite young urban sold 2 us in de name of better opportunities n grwth.
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Another one please. " Dont go to war with inspiration and information from Israel " They will make us fight with just about everysingle country in that region and burn all the bridges. Just becuase they dont want to live peacefully with others givng them there rights.
The biggest lesson again confronting Americans is that of people in American government having their own agenda with no regard for law, cost, or morality, all the while passing it off as being in the interest of America.
Everyday is September 12, 2001.
Never Forget, Never Forgive!
lesson number one. NEVER TRUST AN ISRAEL FIRST JEW.
lesson number two. never trust a jew/aipac owned congress (8% approval rating, get a clue).
lesson 3: we will never ever win anything in the mideast as long as the mentally retarded red-headed
pimple faced spolied step child called israel is attatched to our rear-ends.
lesson 4: deport neocons, they are traitors and should be hung for treason
lesson 5: never vote an israel first jew or christain to office again. they are bigger terrorists then
all muslims combined
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, that had be prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceeded fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths. (Rev. 9:1318)
It is clearly indicated by prophecy that the United States is not directly involved in the battle of Armageddon. Why is this so, since the United States has a deployment of forces throughout the world. One possible reason is a decision by the leadership of the United States not to become involved in the battle of Armageddon. The choice is ours which possibility will become reality.
It was predictable from prophecy that the U.S.S.R. would collapse, freeing America from N.A.T.O. troop obligations. It was also predictable that the 4th largest army in the world (Iraq under Saddam Hussein) would be removed from being in the path of the 200,000,000 horseman of the 'kings from the rising of the sun', who cross the Euphrates.
It is my hope that the leadership of the United States will be enlightened enough that, when the Antichrist rises to power, they will withdraw all Americans from the countries under his control. I hope also that the immigration laws will be set aside for the persecuted Jews and Christians who flee the Antichrist, although no one with his mark should be admitted.
What is needed in America is not a religion-instigated program of legislated morality: that is treating the symptoms and ignoring the disease. What is needed today is a turn away from empty materialism and even more so away from dead religion to love the living Christ.
What happened with the occupation of Iraq is that many Muslims now hate us more than they hate each other. They are a tribal people. Settling their tribal disputes and distribution of power is beyond our control. It is one thing to help them broker a deal with each other, but occupying their country for that purpose was a mistake we should not repeat. It cost too many American and Muslim lives. We should be careful not to do more harm than good in the world. It backfires.
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Rep. Jared Polis discusses plans to improve ESEA and public education
CEA tele-town hall meeting attracts more than 500 Colorado citizens
WASHINGTON - April 14, 2010 -
U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (CD-2) wants to make sure that the state's public schools are adequately funded and that public tax dollars are used wisely to improve public education.
Polis, who sits on the House Education and Labor Committee, fielded questions last night from educators, community group representatives and citizens concerned about public schools via a telephone town hall meeting. The call, sponsored by the Colorado Education Association and the National Education Association, attracted more than 500 participants from Polis' congressional district.
Polis answered questions on a variety of subjects related to public education—including reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
"This is a very important year for education and for policy," said Polis. "We know a lot more now than we did 10 years ago. With the reauthorization of ESEA just around the corner, Congress has a historic opportunity to get it right this time around and help improve our nation's schools and close the achievement gap.
"We must support, engage and listen to the hard-working teachers who are the backbone of our education system. Events, such as today's tele-town hall, that allow us to exchange ideas, concerns and suggestions directly with teachers, are critical if we are to achieve our shared goal of a high quality public education for all children, regardless of their background."
The call also gave Polis the opportunity to talk about collective bargaining rights and collaboration under a new version of ESEA. Polis stressed the value of collaboration and said he wants more input from educators throughout the reauthorization process.
"If you want a recipe for failure, it's imposing something on someone," he said. "By changing federal law, we can encourage districts to do the right thing."
To listen to the recording of the call, or for more information, please contact
NEA Public Relations at (202) 822-7823 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/NEAMedia
The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing
3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.
CONTACT: Dana Fisher (202) 822-7823, firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Hazrat Mahdi (as) will live in the city of Mecca during the dominion of Islamic moral values. Leading Muslims will offer Hazrat Mahdi (as) their spiritual love and devotion on behalf of all Muslims in the city of Mecca, the place of the swearing of allegiance. Since it is a holy site and one of great spiritual importance to Muslims, Allah has chosen the city of Mecca as the place for the swearing of allegiance to Hazrat Mahdi (as). (Allah knows the truth.) Some of the hadiths handed down about the allegiance to be sworn to Hazrat Mahdi (as) in this city read as follows:
The Rasulullah (saas) said: "… a man of the people of Medina (A GREAT CITY) [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will come to Mecca. Some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. …
Another hadith of our Prophet (saas) which clearly shows the word Medina is used in the sense of a city reads:
Ahmad recorded a hadith by ibn 'Amr (ra), who said:
Other hadith revealing how Muslims will express their love and spiritual devotion toward Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the city of Mecca read:
Naim Ibn Hammad narrates from Abu Jafar;
People will eventually come to the Mahdi will swear allegiance to him, between the Corner and the Maqam, against his own wishes. If you refuse, we will strike you on the neck," they will say. The dwellers of the earth and sky will be content with him.
… A group from the people of Mecca will bring him out (from where he is), against his wishes. They will swear allegiance to him between Al-Hajar al-Aswad and Ibrahim's Maqam.
The city of Mecca is important to Muslims in many ways. The way that Allah has chosen Mecca as the place of swearing of allegiance to Hazrat Mahdi (as) is particularly wise and delightful as the Kaaba, the holy site where Muslims congregate stands in the city.
• Mecca is the city where our Prophet (saas) was born.
• Islam was first born in Mecca.
• The Kaaba, the place where Muslims congregate, stands in Mecca.
• The first revelation to our Prophet was made on Mount Hira, near Mecca.
• The Masjid al-Haram, the first mosque on Earth, stands in Mecca.
• In one hadith that has been handed down our Prophet (saas) says: "Visits may be made to only three places. The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, this masjid of mine in Medina and the Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem." Through this hadith, Rasulallah (saas) announces that these three sites are holy places in Islam.1 In the light of this hadith, the way that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will accept oaths of allegiance in Mecca is particularly significant.
• After the Prophet Ibrahim (as) had constructed the Kaaba at Allah's command, he called on people to worship Allah there.
• Allah has also chosen Mecca as the place for Muslims to congregate during the hajj, which He has made obligatory for all believers. Mecca and its surrounding area are known as the Harem Region.
• Mecca is exceedingly important as the place where our beloved Prophet (saas) demolished paganism by smashing the idols and where he preached monotheism.
• Several of the Companions became Muslims by swearing allegiance to our Prophet (saas) in Mecca.
• During the hajj season a group of 12 people from Medina became Muslims by offering our Prophet (saas) their allegiance in the Aqaba Region of Mecca. The following year, again during the hajj season, a group of 72 people became Muslims in the same place. These events are known in Islamic history as the 1st and 2nd Aqaba Oaths of Allegiance.
• The tombs of our Prophet's (saas) grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, his uncle Abu Talib, his wife Hazrat Hatija, his sons Qasim and Abd-Allah who died at an early age and many Companions and eminent Muslims are all in the Jannat ul Ma'la in Mecca.
• The Savr Cave where our Prophet (saas) and Hazrat Abu Bakr hid from the deniers on the hegira from Mecca to Medina is in Mount Savr in Mecca.
1 (Jerusalem Magazine - No: 1 – Spring 2003, Palestine, Ahmet Ağırakça)2009-07-02 17:37:37


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15th IMU General Assembly
Santiago de Compostela, Spain
For details about the meeting (schedule, accommodation, announcements etc.) please see the conference website on
The International Mathematical Union Executive Committee has approved the slates for the 2007-2010 elections prepared by the IMU Nominating Committee and the ICMI Nominating Committee. (This is the first time that the slates have been prepared by Nominating Committees independent of the Executive Committee, a procedure that the 15th General Assembly will decide whether or not to make permanent.) These slates will be presented at the 15th General Assembly. As stated in item #3 in the current Procedures for Election the Committees for Mathematics can make further proposals of names for all posts. These proposals shall reach the Secretary not less than two months before the GA. The same information as in (1) and (2) concerning the nominees, including their willingness to serve if elected, should be provided, and must specify the post for which the nominee is being proposed.
Click here to view the slates and to access the CVs of all candidates for membership in the IMU Executive Committee (EC), International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI), Commission on Development and Exchanges (CDE), International Commission on the History of Mathematics (ICHM).
Access to the CV-Webpage is restricted. UserID and Password have been sent to each delegate in Circular Letter #1/2006 that was sent by the IMU secretary on April 20. For further information, please e-mail email@example.com.