Demagogue

Perhaps I should stop saying anything about Iraq and simply post repeated links to Professor Cole's Informed Comment blog. I just realized that I unconsciously stole his title for this post. He continues to provide chapter and verse that support my I-think-this-is-common-sensical hunch that the election of an Iraqi government dominated by Shiite religious parties is not a good thing in the long run. But his post on the subject yesterday is worth reading for this sublime remark alone.

A lot of Americans believe whatever Cheney says, though I cannot for the life of me understand why, since he lies to them relentlessly.

Cole knows a hell of a lot more about the Middle East than I ever will, so it's no surprise that his writing on the subject is worth a hell of a lot more than mine. But as to the mind-boggling reality that Dick Cheney's every pronouncement is not greeted with hysterical laughter, I should be on an equal footing with Cole, and I've certainly had exactly this thought. Yet Cole expresses it in a way I never have.

Perhaps his sharpish remark about Cheney reflects momentum from his recent thorough public disembowling of Jonah Goldberg's--er--credibility. Cole's explanation of the difference between ignorant punditry and reality-based analysis should go without saying, but these days it should be required reading for any citizen subjected to the spinathon of contemporary American news coverage of any subject, not just the war. Also worth reading for other reasons is the letter, appended to the Goldberg post, from a Cole reader to Goldberg; the reader is one of those parents who's had to buy equipment to send to his child in Iraq (specifically the Marine Corps Reserve).

But back to the Shiites, and Grand Ayatollah Sistani in particular. Do read Cole's post. The statement of "the Source"--the four grand ayatollahs in Najaf--regarding the role of Islam in Iraq is sobering, as is Cole's point that Moqtada al-Sadr's group has been doing very well in provincial elections.