The Crossing, Golf with the Boys, Good News from Basra

Finished Cormac McCarthy's The Crossing today. It's deep and it's dark with not a whole lot of things to cheer about in the entirety of the book. Worth reading? Of course. McCarthy's vision for the most part is pretty dismal but the way he puts together the words is absolutely stunning. One reads not only for the message but also for the sound of it all. This author tells truths that might not be to our liking but he does it with a spoon full of sugar with each chapter, maybe with each page.

Golf with the boys today. Eighteen holes and that was just about enough for each of us. Good neighbor Jack Lents took home the most quarters. Lots of not so pretty shots as one can expect this time of year but then also enough good ones to make us want to try it again tomorrow and the next day as well. Wouldn't want to waste this unseasonable weather we're having...

Good news from Basra, Iraq's second largest city, via Firedoglake and the International Herald Tribune:

Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said Thursday.

The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq’s second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad’s Green Zone.

“We thought, ‘If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?’” Binns said.

Britain’s 5,000 troops moved out of a former Saddam Hussein palace at Basra’s heart in early September, setting up a garrison at an airport on the city’s edge. Since that pullback, there’s been a “remarkable and dramatic drop in attacks,” Binns said.

“The motivation for attacking us was gone, because we’re no longer patrolling the streets,” he said.

Hmmm. Might be something to consider: remove occupying force, reduce violence. Whoever heard of such an idea.