Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday that the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq has failed because it hasn’t achieved its primary goal of sparking political reconciliation among that country’s rival sectarian groups. His pessimism was shared by senior Republican John Warner, who said the war is still not going as well as hoped.
…
"It is long past time that the Iraqi leaders hear a clear simple message: We can’t save them from themselves. It’s in their hands, not ours, to create a nation by making the political compromises needed to end the conflict," he added.
…
Warner, the No. 2 Republican on the panel, said there are signs of progress in Iraq and Afghanistan. "But I think by any fair standard, that level of progress to date has fallen below those expectations we’ve had as a nation," he said.
Compare and contrast those comments by Warner, who’s retiring, to the smug, triumphant delusional speak of St. McCain. While he congratulates himself and his party on the surge’s success, the army is breaking.
No end in sight.
Related posts:
- Bush DOJ Official Daniel Levin “Not Opposed” to Torture Investigations
- Levin to Cheney: You’ve Got Nothing
- Bailing Out Failed Management: Health Insurance Company Edition
- Eric Cantor Says Stimulus Bill Failed, Except That Whole Creating Jobs in His Home State Part
- Failed Models are a Fixture on Wall Street
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Did anyone really think the “surge” would have and impact?
The “surge”? What a ridiculous set of circumstances.
Do you mean other than breaking the Army even worse than it was broken before and getting more troops killed and injured?
Thanks B-T, a post I think we all will pretty much agree with. I am off to get a bit of work done.
Warner –so what. He’s known it all along and when it really mattered last year he ran right back to McBush. He’sll be campaigning with McCain and calling him a great American and a hero and he would have made the war work.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..tives_bush
Morning, Blue Texan!
How are you doing today? *g* (You know why I’m asking that question…)
‘Broken Army’. For sure.
The only thing missing from Levin’s comment is a recognition of how much worse the politics of Iraq were made by the Administration’s determination to have plans for the Iraqi national election in place in time for their 2004 election campaign here. “Allow parties with armed militias to run? Sure, if it gets it done on time!”
McCain, Bush and Lieberman. Now that combination some might well call, the ‘axis of hate’.
Yeah, I have completely lost any respect I had for Warner in the last few years. Especially now that he’s retiring and can afford to speak the truth, but still doesn’t.
the smug, triumphant delusional speak of St. McCain.
Yeah, well, the decrepit flyboy never saw any ground action.
McCain must be defeated. It is essential.
Hey, BT
How in God’s name could a bunch of soldiers have a hint of a glimmer of a hope to bring about reconciliation among groups that for deep religious and cultural reasons have been at each other’s throats for centuries?
And how could anyone with an IQ above 60 ever believe that shit in the first place?
Timely post. But how much of this do you think the SCLM will deliver to their consumers? They have been preaching that “the surge is working” forever.
*g* well, thanks! It has been fiery here at the lake recently. How have you been?
I have seen the enemy. And it is John McCain.
WASHINGTON – Without naming John McCain, President Bush marshaled the conservative wing of the Republican Party on Friday to back the presumed GOP presidential nominee for the upcoming battle against the Democratic Party.
Is Mr. McCain the vision of stability?
And, as part of this, a major chunk of the new defense spending is going to equipment – including lots of unproven planes etc. I.E. a key component of this whole ME war drill was to fill the pockets of GE and their rethuglian spokes people.
Actually, when he talks he is in the habit of putting lots of people to sleep. That is one kind of stability.
Now that we’re getting McCain ads for the primary, I find it pretty amusing how hard they’re pushing the “McCain for Commander in Chief” concept.
I mean, everyone knows that a military man is best qualified to run the country and command the military, right? That’s how all the best countries do it…
The most important person in the world is the next president. We will vote Democratic next November. Be it Hillary or Obama. The planet is watching what we (in the U.S.) do.
Well, see you around, guys. I made a deal with my boss to work half days until Tuesday so I can campaign the other half, but it means I have to really work all the time that I’m at work.
That’s why we need Sens. Obama and Clinton to push back on that shit. We don’t need Democrats applauding the surge.
I AM TOTALLY SICK AND TIRED OF THE HUMAN RACE!!…they are still killing baby whales and their moms,and slaughtering their own species by the millions…i hate the human race,and im totaly sick to my stomach on a daily basis.blood lust ,is it inbred in us?
Musharraf has some used epaulets he can give to Johnny the Flake.
In every battle the commander faces the same key question: “When and where to commit the reserves.” Bush borrowed against future troop allocation to achieve the surge, and it failed in the only way that counts, i.e., it’s objective was not achieved.
Militarily speaking, Bush has shot his wad. He has run out of troops to replace those that are rotating back to the U.S. at the end of their tour. Meanwhile, Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army have been sitting on the side line waiting patiently for the Surge to play out.
i really need a break from horrific news…i need some hope out there
Knowing what a strong disappointment Edwards loss was for you, I respect you all the more for this. You are a great role model for the rest of us.
I undestand your underlying meaning. And I am in accord. ;0)
Agreed. There should be pushback on this and a number of other issues on which the SCLM have been pushing the Rethug themes.
Hope you are having a great Friday. Lahoma and read and discuss your stuff with interest. ;0)
Not me. I’m a pissed-off progressive and holding my feeling (and support) hostage until the nomiminee appeases and panders to me by choosing a progressive VP, e.g., Feingold. (Well! That ploy seems to work for the conservatives. So why not for us?)
From 90 billion 2 yrs ago to 193 billion for this yr I would say the splurge is a massive success.
From comments I posted last night over in EW’s pond. First this one:
And this:
Nice Post, BT. Better let Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan know about this. They were both blasting Shuster for pointing out that no one believes that the Democrats will surrender to terrorists like Romney stated yesterday. Joe and Pat think security is the winning ticket for the R’s because the surge is working so wonderful.
the surge,the purge,acceptable terms for more slaughter,murder,unspeakable acts,by mostly paid assasins(blackwater etc)…what can stop this WAR BASED ON A PACK OF LIES?
Ditto here – and I salivate at your posts often: fresh fish, cocoa with floating marshmallows…. I have fantasy photo book in my mind being writing on you together, with lush pictures of you cooking, fishing, riding, blogging, discussing issues at the kitchen table, walking up the stairs late at night. (In my mind it is a log cabin, but probably isn’t). Maybe you two should get together write a virtual (web) illustrated book with your brief but always astute comments. We could link to here for inspiration in the midst of or squabbles – and also add comments. We now have YouTube, anyone know if there is a YouBook site of any sort?
another gallup poll is out for 2/4-2/6 with a tightening track again. I found the explanation for the polling at the bottom to be interesting. I didn’t realize that the questions are reflective of responses by all Americans regardless of party affiliation. It’s also interesting to consider the breakdown given responders motivation to vote.
we need a general strike…Ghandi was on last week…we NEED a general strike
I think we need to start some Oppo research on St. McCain. He already has at least one reprimand in his Senate history for the Keating 5 S&L Scandal. Is there an Abramoff McCain connection that needs exploring?
the new budget,is MOSTLY a gift to OUR WAR MACHINE!
total crook,and whore to WAR,POWER and money
The surge has provided us with at least one thing. More dead bodies.
we will BANKRUPT the country in the pursuit of ILLEGAL war.
Polls are just polls, or rather they frame things in ways that may interest/impact particular individuals/events in particular ways. Note too that Susa has Obama up 15 in Va now. http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..993/452583
For the next month or so it will be the primary voting and caucusing states that will matter the most.
See what I mean. Who else says it better?
Bhutto was the final straw,and the pet market bombs…im sick to my stomach almost every day.this needs to come to an END! when the Brits left Basara,things calmed down!
Hmmm, broken Army huh? I was in one, race riots on posts stateside, Europe and the Nam. Open rebellion, drugs, fragging, FTA shows outside posts. I dunno. . .
Defeatist.
I have quite a bit on my plate…I’m thinking up more posts, and will host a book salon on Feb. 23…
ya know i dont watch TV or movie violence…mebbe the AMERICAN public is so used to HORRID VIOLENCE ,that they are numb to what the hell is going on
yup – and oil, and the privatization meme (of the army here) and AIP*C
i really literally cant stomach it anymore
Evidently, this is already in the works: Gloves off: The Dem plan to hit McCain
Terrific. I have a big conference coming up end feb, and of course the writing slog. Any time you see me here, PLEASE kick me off, I need to be doing the edits. :-)
any thoughts on a tummy calmative?
Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, stop reading newspapers. (That help?)
mebbe chamomile tea
Oh, me too! I “know” what Kiddo and Lahoma look like… Well, I certainly know what their spirits look like! Pictures…. I want pictures!
Back to your hovel, you’ve had enouigh gruel!
Shrimp garnished ziti vodka sauce.
How about just the vodka?
OK, slinkng away. Ravens, like crows are carrion eaters, getting their sustenance off dead meat, I will crawl away before I become that. Keep it user friendly. :-)
i dont watch the teebee,but seems like we are really going into the shitter,head first…who will be our best hope to halt the crazies and slowly start TURNING things around?yes i toom had supported Edwards. and last nite HILL was singing McStains praises wtf?
Per Politico:
I’d be damn disappointed in Democrats if they’ve not been at this for quite a while.
Always test the ingredients for freshness.
OT – Reuters:
destroying the evidence…
ya know…i thionk ill start having cocktails again hahahahalol
raven, as many know, was my late great cocker spaniel!
OT, because I can’t comment on what I initially wanted to because the system will not stop spinning. For several days now, it seems every time I want to quote something, the system will let me copy, but will not let me put quotes around anything that I’ve copied, will not let me put in a link, and will not let me ”reply.” The transfer data green box seems to stay up for an inordinate amount of time and the little circle that indicates it’s not completely transferred data just keeps spinning and spinning. I would maybe think it’s my computer, but this hasn’t happened with other sites, and I’ve rebooted and the problem still continues. Yesterday I left the site for awhile and when I came back later, the site was no longer still spinning, so eventually it seems to quit. But I won’t be commenting or sticking around much if this continues; I have enough frustration in my life; I don’t need to buy myself more. But I wondered if others are having this problem? BTW, I also can’t use preview while this is going on.
wow sounds good..but my tummy is turning summersaults everyday
Highly recommended during election season.
wow ,i should have taken to the bottle,when chump was selected…im sure that is where he gets his courage
What browser are you using and are you mac or pc. Also, have you tried clearing your cache?
OS? Browser? Updated java?
Deep, calming breaths, in, out, through the nose; left nostril only – to relieve tension. (Just got home from Yoga, so of course I say this.)
well FDL is a good calmative,when we are not worrying about more trivial things
WIth leaders like Harry and Nancy, you can never be sure…
yes that is another good thought,does it hurt ,when you start,im a coward for sure
McCain should be easy meat. His bomb bomb bomb Iran moment would make a great 30 second spot. It would pry away any independents who don’t like the idea of endless war.
One nice thing about having the GOP candidate identified early. More time to dig dirt.
oh lordy ,he is so ambitious that there is a whole peat bog out there of dirt
Like Flickr? One of the pet projects people often do is a ‘365 day’ series. It would be a good idea to do one that is the last 365 days of Bush (I know that we have less than 365 days left, but its never too late to start, especially if it is done to cover the changes that occur in the first weeks that he’s gone).
I’m using Firefox on a Gateway computer. Firefox just updated this morning, but it was doing the same thing yesterday. I haven’t tried IE yet, but I’ll try it let you know. The other thing I just noticed is that while the system is doing this spinning stuff, the numbers of new comments does not come up, so I have to hard refresh to get new comments, and the new thread notification also doesn’t work.
and Ceasar was an AMBITIOUS man hahahahahaha
Tom Tomorrow has it right. I hope they hold onto those feelings all year.
thismodernworld.com
Nope. No pain. At 59, I don need no more stinkin pain. Matter of fact, the problem hip is actually easing up. It’s gonna have to, b/c by the time I get Medicare, there’ll be no Medicare. :-P
I’m much less angry about politics, too.
Just bring your awareness to your breath and “breathe toward” your stomach.
See McCain’s T-Shirt?
“I Bought a Rug From a Smiling Merchant While Shopping Happily and Safely at the Mall of Baghdad With Only Ten Armored Humvees, Dozens of Soldiers With Rifles, and Two Apache Attack Helicopters.”
thank you for this,a little hope goes a long way round here
Meanwhile, Rove digs deep for McCain:
Per a new poll out from Time:
Yes, we all have this problem from time to time…
Warner says that “progress to date has fallen below those expectations we’ve had as a nation”. He’s wrong, of course. With Bush in charge we’ve all come to expect failure at everything.
WOW ! thanks
The Democrats need to keep hammering on John McCain and George W. Bush. Make them morph into Siamese, err…..conjoined twins.
Someone pointed out that McCain was actually the neo-con man back in 2000 before the Bush Machine won out.
John McCain is Bill Kristol’s man. Now we know why the NYT’s put Kristol on the payroll…So that there would be a full time McCain staffer on the payroll.
-G
i am going to make real pancakes with butter and real maple syrup,a little sweetness for sour news,and the AG sukkkkks boooosh/cheney ass bigtime
The picture of the famous hug. A good anchor to tie around his neck.
I recommend that everyone use McCain/Bush or Bush/McCain everytime you talk or write about the Bush/McCain agenda.
-G
Oh yeah? Dos it do that automatically? I just started using Mozilla Firefox on my new laptop…It’s much much better that the new IE7 that came with it.
Zogby InternationalReleased: August 15, 2004. Kerry Favored Over Bush 47%-43%
i leave you dear GregB with this(you always without fail make me laugh)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SyaZ4mFnS0
I love it when the president’s own aids and military advisiors tell everyone the republicans cannot do the job democrats will do
this is the thing every single democrat needs to start saying;
“Americans that want their nations security protected will NEVER VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN AGAIN”
they have ruined their brand and we better start taking advantage of that
people like mitt and mccain try to reclaim the brand and we can never let them happen
hey, hillary, hey obama, repeat after me;
“Americans that want their nations security protected will NEVER VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN AGAIN”
Thanks for that, it really brings it home. Makes me think (hope?) a lot of the fundies will just sit home and stew.
Hill said last not,i SHIIIITE you not,what a GRAND guy,and GREAT friend St.Mcstain was
And Chimpy at the Conservation Political Action Conference yesterday, the famous one:
(Same link as 92.)
Nah. St McCain will give Huckabee the VP slot because he will bring the fundie vote with him.
Prosperity and Peace in the balance?
On what f**king planet?
they have even managed to corrupt that word,amongst every thing else they have fuuuuuked up
Oh, hell, you had to go and ruin it! :)
What word is that? Conservative??
meme…not Conservative…reckless
Thanks for getting US back on message instead of the snide,”he said she said”, remarks that have dominated FDL lately.
I am amazed at what people get amazed at. Jesus H Christ on a Kitty Car, they ALL do this all the time.
yes…WTF have they conserved?? Peace prosperity, the Constitution?? please tell me what??? a few hundred old mens stock portfolios and REAL ESTATE holdings…that is all…milk is 5 bux a gallon…smoke that
Look over there…yeah over there…anywhere but here:
FBI program alleged to prepare companies for martial law.
Bush did the surge because the blue ribbon panel said to reduce troops and get out. So he had to do precisely the opposite and come up with a bunch of benchmarks to measure his proposed idea… and lo and behold the failed.
It’s all about moving the war theme along and moving cash to the MIC and hopefully picking up absolute control of their oil in the processes.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is dishonest and naive.
yes,let us not consume our own
And the interstates were engineered so tanks could run on them and come and arrest you.
hey everybody Britt had a nervous breakdown,please turn ALL your attention to this
I’m home for a bit from parent-teacher things. Kiddo has gone down to the school to talk with the parents of “his” math kids. Kiddo told me last night, “we need a surge” in helping our children in school.
L.
As an essayist wrote a while back, conservatives are simply those who believe society should be dominated by an aristocracy. That domination, along with the institutions that support it, is what they conserve.
yea,bad joke on us
a hero
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/…..?id=291989
Thanks for the link. I’m a big admirer of Bernie Sanders also. He’s a fearless champion for the American people.
Much preferable to the disappointing Pat “I’ve got another strongly worded letter for you guys” Leahy.
Finally going in to work now. It’s been an interesting morning here so far ;-)
Read you all later.
New scary stuff. deputized private individuals in FBI/DHS, w. shoot-to-kill capacity When martial law is declared.
Do we now know why US did not protest when Mushareff declared martial law and emptied the supreme court. This in addition to Mukasey’s everything we do is legal now and for the next DOJ.
Reason to be scared, reason not to get distracted by flame wars. Please, please please.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..979/452597
Joe and Pat think security is the winning ticket for the R’s
————–
Read: only ticket for them. And even that they have to pull off some of the biggest lies yet…but they are up for (to?) the challange.
AG Mucky:
What was the three things he went to the hill for yesterday that were against the Const/people:
1. Toture
2. Illegal spying
3. Telecom Immunity (so companies can turn people in for voting Democrat or whatever is decided in the future).
- I think two of those were a combo so there was one more egregious example of destroying the law.
Bernie is on Thom Hartmann’s show on Fridays(today) to answer questions live 12-1pm
http://www.airamerica.com/listen/
Replying to WigWam @ 93:
Matthews questions whether voters are sophisticated enough to understand and support this strategy.
VA will be an interesting state. As will PENN and OH. Texas is a big delegate prize, but not a state that can go blue (for Prez).
[KFC @ 5]
Coming in late, maybe this has already been said, but here’s the so what: Warner is a Republican. We must, must, must push back against any and every moment when Rethugs or TweetyBeard media frame the conversation about surge failure as a Democratic viewpoint.
No, no, no. Democrats and honest, thinking Republicans say the surge is a failure. We must reinforce this point at every opportunity. Like say:
Carl Levin: The Surge Failed.Levin and Warner: The Surge Failed. Framing matters. Now more than ever.Morning all -
McCain is not the brightest bulb on the tree. He is easily influenced by what others say and when questioned uses stubbornness as a defense when revealed. McCain is following the War College and mimicing their words. He knows nothing. He just mindlessly repeats after the War College.
McCain won for one reason only: Republican voters think he can win. Issues–security etc.–have nothing to do with it, as usual.
Or arrange for another WTC.
Hans and the FEC hold-up have been in my thoughts this morning, and these poll results don’t help — we have to put up a nominee who can summon up a margin bigger than voting chicanery can steal away. That’s what’s so unfortunate about having Edwards no longer in the race — he was the largest margins over every Repub candidate of all the Dem candidates. The superdelegates may be a form of salvation, here, because I expect that they would back the horse polls show most likely to win, whether that candidate arrived at the convention with the largest number of delegates or not. It’s also why I think that Edwards ought to be the VP candidate, at least.
Sen Napalm?
I’m still trying to understand why someone who flew high tech warplanes and killed and maimed cicilians in an illegal war conducted in violation of the Geneva Convention is a “war hero.”
If that’s a hero, what’s a “war coward”?
Clusterfuck ain’t gonn budge from his Iraq stratergy of doin nothin- so we’ve got another year of THIS. If McCain wins- we’ve got four MORE years of doin THIS. He’s painted himself in a corner- and he can’t get OUT!
It’s been five years now since Clusterfuck won the right to bomb the shit out of the Iraqi people- there will be at least a sixth year- and in all likelihood a seventh. With McCain there will be at least a tenth.
Americans are not totally supportive of this shit- maybe by November they will have had enough- particularly if things heat up again in Iraq. Anything smellin like a “Tet Offensive” means the end of the war I suspect. The only thing keeping americans from storming the White House is lowered casualty numbers and more gooper bullshit spinning em. Goopers have put american foreign policy in the hands of Islamic Radicals.
Wouldn’t it wll serve anti-war proponents to consistently frame all references to the ongoing conflict in Iraq as an ”OCCUPATION” rather than a war?
Mr. McCain is not a good student. He did not learn the lessons of Vietnam. He is a bitter old man. And it shows.
Lahoma.
Thanks for the tip. Think I’ve heard that segment a couple of times in the car. Hartmann comes on here in L.A. @ 9 a.m. Maybe can catch it driving in to Hollywood.
Absolutely. Y’know, there’s far too much not seeing the forest for the trees goin’ on these days all over the place.
In the checkout line, the checker saw my Obama stickie still on my coat from caucus day and said “I sure hope he beats her.”
There’s an enormous thirst out there for change…from BushCo and from Clintonistas.
Did you ask her why she felt that way? I’m just curious and trying to understand the reasons for people’s feelings about Hillary.
Where is Senator McCain when it comes to taking care of the 1 in 4 homeless American war heroes who have served in Iraq with lousy equipment and escaped with their lives only to be come home and cast out on the streets?
Where is Senator McCain when it comes to honoring the dead, not sneaking them home in the dark of night thru Dover?
Where is Senator McCain in speaking out for his fellows gravely injured in Iraq in body and/or spirit who cannot get health care in a timely manner?
Where is Senator McCain…oh yeah, huggin’ Bush and kissin’ up to CPAC.
OT and EPUd from below in re: Barack Obama’s economic advisors and his/their positions with regard to Social Security.
Obama economic advisors:
Austan Goolsbee: U. of Chicago neoclassicist and “Sicko” critic
David Cutler: Harvard economist who believes that high health costs are good for the economy
Jeffrey Liebman: Harvard economist and former Clinton adviser who favors privatizing social security
On the other hand, Barack Obama on Social Security at OnTheIssues has Obama pretty outspokenly opposed to the privatization of Social Security. s/ Since a candidate said it, I guess it must be true. /s
kiddo and I will support the Democratic nominee next November.
L.
The results of the November election depend on:
1) How bad the economy is (probably pretty bad)
2) Whether the dems are able to hang GW Clusterfuck around McCain’s neck.
3) The situation in Iraq.
Over 100 US casualties per month in the months leading up to the election and McCain loses by double digits…Less than 30 per month and he has a shot. Clustefuck can turn the casualties on and off for short periods by controlling the number and nature of “operations”.
Hi, Twain–I quipped back, I don’t want another 8 years of the soap opera.
She replied…yeah, we’re already in the poor house, we don’t need her.
Fair or unfair, Hillary is perceived as part of the corporatocracy that rules these days. Hmmmmm, sounds a lot like the Republican Lite frame, come to think of it.
In the long run, Goopers are much better off to LOSE this election. If there is a wizard behind the curtain, he or she should be twisting the dials for “dems win White House”.
The next president will inherit all of the GW Clusterfuck aftermath and probably will end up bein MORE reviled. IF it’s a gooper, well that could well be the END of the PARTY.
Makes my point that I don’t know where he stands on anything. Too many cross currents.
Smug? Lieberman and McCain. Hands down.
I watched an MSNBC bio about Hillary last night. She was incredibly impressive–back then. Somehow, perhaps it’s centrism, her true personality has evaporated.
Pick any senior admin offical.
When you get right down to it, the Hillary agenda and the Obama agenda are nearly identical. The difference will not be in the agenda- which will be muddied by congress in any event. The difference will be in their respective abilities to get their agenda accomplished.
In THAT, I’d put my money on Hillary.
If McCain gets the prize next November, Rove and his sidekicks will take that as a mandate.
It’s not just the casualty counts. It’s seein’ the guy at the grocery store getting around on crutches with one leg. It’s seeing the ads in the small town newspapers for benefits for people fighting cancer who have no health care. There is so much going on that isn’t being tapped into, but people are seeing it every day.
The “richest nation in the world,” the “super power” meme that the Republicans will push can be overcome with the simple light of truths like these.
People aren’t dumb…I think the Dems have fallen flat on their backs with providing strong argument for their case. They’ve let the Rethugs roll ‘em…and it didn’t have to be that way.
According to the New Yorker article on Hillary- she’s the tenacious single minded bulldog of the Clintons. Bill compromises- Hillary sticks to her guns- sometimes too much. That’s what doomed health care (among other things).
‘ve wrung the issues out as much as I can, now it is time to go with your gut feeling as to the candidate best for the country and who will hear the people.
In the end, I will still have to be active and be their partner in making good policies. Now, who will listen best? It’s a judgment call. We’ll know once they are in office.
My 30-second spot for the Democratic candidate:
Video…Bush lookin’ for WMD, soldiers coffins coming out of a plane.
Bush playin’ air guitar, people sitting in the flood of Katrina
….
Bush lookin’ down thru the airplane window… homes flattened, FEMA trailer camps
….
McCain hugging Bush. Homeless vet waiting for help.
Tagline: We can’t afford four more years….
Levin’s right, of course, but that won’t get through to the public. They’re only thinking of casualties- and less is lots better than more.
Wow…I thought Blackwater was bad…now after the Kos diary about Infragard, I found my local Infragard website…they are all over the country. Make sure to look at the crazy links these people are using….this is really scary, it is prep for martial law:
http://infragard-texas.us/links.shtml
This is a link they link to:
http://www.cicentre.com/
Arwa Damon who has been doing a great job reporting from Iraq for CNN did a piece this morning on the situation in Basra. Women have been seriously targeted there since the British moved out. Shia fundamentalists have been killing females that go out in public with their hair showing or makeup on. The police there are infiltrated with militias and have not been able to exert any control over the killings. Several professional women were interviewed and they all appeared very concerned with the situation developing down there.
I think this is one of the great tragedies of this war. Before 1991 Iraq was the mecca of the Middle East. Women had rights nearly on par with the men. Baghdad was a secular city and most women did not need to cover up. After Gulf War I Saddam had started to “get religion” and allow greater control by the sheiks over their members in a bargain for allegiance. It quickly became apparent that women’s rights began to suffer. Honor killings increased.
With Gulf War II we have effectivly taken away any restraint on the part of the fundamentalists. Laura Bush used to crow about how the war in Afghanistan freed up the women there. I don’t see it and in Iraq we have effectively set the women back at least 50 years.
And there are no solutions to this problem. A very big shame.
Is this posting from a year ago?
The surge was part of the McCain campaign from the outset, drag out the
war, grind up some insurgents, but the political situation in Iraq is
unchanged at best, meaning the surge failed except in the domestic US
political market, where war is a romantic abstraction for the political
class and their pundit enablers. Campaign should center on rebuilding
this country and repairing a broken army, both of which will take time.
And yet, every single Iraq appropriations vote, Warner will cave and vote with Bush as will most of the Democrats because they simply can’t and won’t find a way to get out of Iraq. Warner has voted the Cheney ticket on every single vote that has come up on Iraq and appropriations. The only thing that will ever stop Warner from doing that is his retirement this year.
I’ll believe Iraq withdrawal from any of the Democratic candidates when I see it as promised during 2009. I’m willing to bet heavily it won’t happen.
There is another huge appropriations as a supplemental budget/slush fund with no acountability set to roll October 2008. It’s business as usual–hemorrhage of lives and treasure.
Two friedman units?
LS
That is truly frightening.
LS are you a musician? Just askin’-music is the best
I’m late! Just got here. HAD to let out a huge “WHOOOOP!” over this one!
SOMEBODY SAID IT OUT LOUD!
Validating what’s been said in the Blogosphere for months and months, and also validating what WE SAID would be the result of the escalation in the very beginning!
IIII Feeeeel GOOD! DADADADADADADA
I KNEW THAT I (We) WOULD, NOW!!!!!!! DADADADADADADA
The gooper rats put a foot on the gangplank, and then they pull it back to see if the voters are getting REALLY pissed about Iraq.
Maybe, but it has yet to hit firestorm proportions, and that’s what it will take, to get them to head down it, once and for all.
That, and us nominating a candidate that isn’t a political lifeboat for them. :o)