Symbolic Victory?

Today, the insurgents attacked the Hotel Palestine in Bagdad. This is the Hotel where a large number of journalists stay while covering the war in Iraq. Here is the meaning of the attack from journalists perspective:

[Headline]Briefing: hotel bombing a coup for insurgency [Subheading]Stephen Farrell, Middle East correspondent for The Times, explains why the attack on the Palestine Hotel is a symbolic victory for the insurgents

..."The hotel is also symbolic because it was from their that the old ministry of information used to give its briefings to the Iraqi people. During the closing days of Saddam's era, the roof of the Hotel Palestine was where 'Comical' Ali would hold some of his briefings.

"It was outside, in Paradise Square, that the statue of Saddam was toppled signifying the end of his rule.

"This would be a prize scalp for the insurgents; the next best thing to hitting the Green Zone - one of the highest profile American targets in Baghdad.

"My guess is that they were killing Iraqi soldiers, whom they consider to be collaborators, alongside American soldiers - and doing so on live TV."

I guess this war isn't about actual victories, it is about the symbolic ones. And, if it is about the symbolic, it has to be something the Left choses as their symbol. It wouldn't actually be a powerful symbol, like a large scale attack during an election, it would be an attack on a big building that harbors journalists. They define the symbol, you swallow.

Hate to tell you, Stephen Ferrell, but the Iraqis have been at the business end of a few more of these bombs than you have, and they probably won't be amused at the implicit symbolism you've assigned. Specifically, over 200,000 of them have signed up to defend their country from these murderers.

Posted by 10 fingers 6 strings at October 24, 2005 12:53 PM | TrackBack