BUSH'S QUACKMIRE DAY continues...

Here's a spot-on analysis of why Bush's Quackmire is deepening.

THE ROVING EYE
Hell starts now
By Pepe Escobar

Winning the war was easy. Winning the peace will be a nightmare. The war on Iraq was "officially" over on May 1. But almost two months later, British Premier Tony Blair has been forced to admit that the security situation in Iraq is "serious". He missed the point though: there's no "security" (for Westerners) because of the widespread hostility of the Iraqi population towards the Anglo-American occupiers. And for most Iraqis, the occupiers are indistinguishable.

According to news reports, popular anger in Majar al-Kabir, in Shi'ite southern Iraq, was responsible for the death of six British military policemen on Tuesday (four Iraqis were killed and 17 wounded). The locals were reacting against British methods employed in the search for weapons - invading homes with dogs, disrespecting women and pointing guns towards children.

The British still don't get the point. Minister of Defense Geoff Hoon stressed that his priority was "the security of British forces" - so more reinforcements ultimately will be sent to Iraq. But since the "official" end of the war, security for Westerners has only been translated into insecurity for the locals. An expert from the Royal United Forces Institute, quoted by Agence France Presse, admitted that the "honeymoon" between the British and the Shi'ite population in the south was over: among other reasons because their aspirations have not been met and there has been no improvement in their lives...

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EF27Ak03.html