Anthony Cox has a good point in the comments below: there is a strong outcome-based difference between levelling accusations that (eg) Kos hates America and American troops, and levelling accusations that ITM is funded by the CIA.
The first doesn’t really make a blind bit of difference to anyone in the real world. The second – given that ITM, rather than being either anonymous or in a Western country where political debate rarely involves gruesome murder, is part of an Iraqi political party – could well contribute to ITM getting their head chopped off by crazy people.
I’m deeply, deeply sceptical about ITM’s relationship with the truth. I also find the whole ‘pet Iraqi blogger’ thing a bit silly. "Look, I’ve got an Iraqi who agrees with my deranged policies, so I must be right and if you object then you’re a racist and you approve of suffering and torture". Mentioning no names.
Even so, levelling accusations that might well get someone killed purely on the basis of deduction rather then evidence is still, perhaps, somewhat out of order.
I’m not sure it would make any difference. The fact that they’re standing for office in the first place and are fairly close to the US would be enough to make them targets.
Also, all the major Iraqi parties have their own militias to protect their leaders. I doubt if the ITM boys run to a militia, so they’ll have to get closer to the US in the hope that the US military will protect them – which in turn makes them a more likely target.
What Jamie said (quite obvious). And also the fact that not many people in reality care about blogs except the cranks whose prejudice they reinforce and whose guilt they calm. Also, that voice saying that lefties are anti-this and that is a tad louder than a professor’s reasoned blog.
No names, eh? :o)
Hey, I just enjoy rattling some cages, particularly when I see people a bit too comfortable in their assumptions. I happen to fit giving Mr. Cole’s evidenceless speculation the benfit of the doubt into that category. I also think you underestimate the influence of Kos, and (major) blogs in general, on a rather grand scale, they really are redefining the information age, and that’s a good thing.
Rest assured, no matter what my tone on a keyboard, if you happen to be in South Louisiana stop by and have a beer. :D
Update: http://www.nationalreview.com/seipp/seipp200412230830.asp