If you haven’t seen it, the [tag]memo[/tag] (.pdf) from the U.S. [tag]Embassy[/tag] in I[tag]raq[/tag] on the hardships of life in Baghdad is a must-read. The document, obtained by the Washington Post’s Al Kamen, completely contradicts the “upbeat assessment” the president offered the nation about conditions on the ground, and suggests circumstances are getting worse, not better. E&P summarized much of the leaked memo, highlighting the most disconcerting elements, including:
As a footnote in one of the 23 sections, the embassy relates, “An Arab newspaper editor told us he is preparing an extensive survey of ethnic cleansing, which he said is taking place in almost every Iraqi province, as political parties and their militiast are seemingly engaged in tit-for-tat reprisals all over Iraq.” […]
“Personal safety depends on good relations with the ‘neighborhood’ governments, who barricade streets and ward off outsiders. The central government, our staff says, is not relevant; even local mukhtars have been displaced or coopted by militias. People no longer trust most neighbors.”
It’s simply breathtaking. Staffers feel terrorized; women are being harassed and facing death threats for failing to cover their faces (Khalilzad acknowledges that it’s worse than Iran); it’s become “dangerous” for men and boys to wear shorts in public; and embassy employees live in constant fear that Iraqis will learn where they work, which would be a “death sentence.”
This is a pretty huge story with multiple angles to consider.
First, this report is not an article from the “liberal media.” This is not being filtered or spun, nor is the source some anonymous official. All of the information is contained directly in a document prepared by the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, and approved by [tag]Bush[/tag]’s hand-picked [tag]ambassador[/tag].
Second, the WaPo doesn’t seem to appreciate the significance of this secret document. It buried it in Al Kamen’s column yesterday, when it should have been front-page news. As Digby noted, despite all the nonsense from the White House, Ambassador Khalilzad, Bush’s eyes and ears in Iraq, believes the social fabric of the country is deteriorating. It’s a pretty big deal.
And third, it’s worth asking who, exactly, leaked this devastating document. Is [tag]Khalilzad[/tag] frustrated with Bush’s unrealistic happy rhetoric? Is the State Department trying to help get the truth out? Hmm.