Even as conservatives like the Minneapolis StarTribune’s very own Katherine Kersten were talking up how The Surge Has Made Everything All Better, a rocket attack on the Green Zone belied the happy talk:
A barrage of rockets hit the Green Zone – landing near the US Embassy – in Baghdad on Sunday morning.
The rockets appear to have been fired from the Shiite militia stronghold neighborhood of Sadr City in what observers see as further evidence that a cease-fire by the group loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr may be unraveling.
[...]
"Yes we confirm there was an IDF (indirect fire) attack in the Green Zone. There were no dead or major casualties," said US Embassy spokesperson Mirembe Nantongo. But she gave no further details. A US military spokesman also declined to comment on the rocket attack, which is the most significant in months. Following the attack, large plumes of black smoke were seen rising from the walled Green Zone, which also houses top Iraqi government officials.
Why is this a big deal?
Because Sadr’s truce, and not the surge, is the main reason why there is still a semblance of pockets of order in the bloody carcass that once was Iraq. Even the mainstream US press comes close to admitting it on occasion — such as last month, when it looked for a while as if the truce might not be extended.
Another key factor: The refusal of the Sunni Sahwa, or "awakening", militia groups to fight for the US unless and until we pay them. Instead, they’ll go back to shooting at us, when they’re not shooting at Sadr’s people and Shia in general.
Bush and McCain were hoping that this excrement wouldn’t be hitting the whirling blades until after January of next year. But as we all know, hope is not a plan.
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This is exactly why I’m so worried about Busted. His niece is there in the green zone, PW.
So we can expect all hell to shortly break loose…
Loo Hoo checked in on an a.m. thread – no mention of his niece
Ah, but hope (and denial) has been their plan all along.
This will go down in military history as the worst ever. Can you imagine what lessons West Point will be teaching from this? How many papers will be required written about the mistakes?
It should be mandatory
Thanks!
Excellent post, PW. Watching the news via the net the last few days has made it obvious.. the place is like a volcano about to blow again. (or already blowing)
I have read in separate places that there are about 80,000 Sunnis who are threatening to go on strike and that it would cost about $180 a month for each. That comes to $14.4 million a month. The Pentagon could cough that up from petty cash and never know it was missing.
PW!!!
How many more days?
How many more deaths and injuries?
It’s called take the money and run. They wanted enough to fill their pockets and didn’t care about anything else. Greedy bastards.
Chalabi, Chalabi, Chalabi.
Frontline 2 hour special on (central time zone now).
My niece (West Point ‘03) and her husband are also there. And hearing that pervert Cheney say “So?” to the statement about Americans thinking the war not worth it or “They volunteered.” to the 4000 dead report, enrages me to no end. When she entered West Point in ‘99 there were sane and competent people running the country. What a puke!
It’s on at 11:00 in TX, when everybody has crashed, of course….
sorry to hear about commenters who have kin there. Let us pray all goes well.
But, hasn’t Sader already given warning the truce may be rescinded at his pleasure? My understanding is that for most of the last year, Sader said his people were standing down, and anyone not stood down took their chances with the US forces. He wasn’t going to respond, since they were bad actors disobeying his order to stand down. That is, he sorta said he would deem any of his people attacked were guilty.
My understanding is that when he recently said he would continue the truce, he also said that the cease fire was now conditioal on proper restraint by US forces, and unprovoked and unjustified attacks by US forces (or what he deemed to be such) would be resisted or revenged. That is, he was saying that his people just might start shooting back.
I forget where I read that, or maybe I read it on the Young Turks website.
Anyway, that seemed to me to be very significant signal Sadr sent that he is expanding his options to do whatever he sees as most advantageous.
I think things will continue sliding down hill. The US has more or less revealed its intentions (and confirmed the worse suspcions) so now it is a matter of timing regarding the response of the Iraqi factions who are not on the Bush-Cheney A-list.
shoot. i just finished typing a comment for the last thread and already everyone has moved on to pw’s excellent post…. well, instead of posting it downstairs in epu land, i’ll post it here. it’s a little OT, but not entirely if you are concerned that our war with iraq may expand to iran.
……………………………
earlier today there was a bit of a discussion on betrayus’ claim that iran was behind the recent shelling of the green zone… i count myself among those who are concerned it sounds like an attempt to justify hostilities with iran.
then kirk pointed out yesterday’s news:
but what has me really worried is what i read in a link from hugh on the location of our carriers (please disregard my earlier incorrect list).
here is how i read it:
The USS Truman departed Norfolk on Nov 5, 2007 for a 7 month deployment to the ME and was scheduled to relieve the USS Enterprise (which had been on duty in the ME for 6 months). The USS Truman arrived in the persian gulf in mid-Dec 2007, which means it probably will be in the ME until July, when it would normally be relieved by another carrier.
Here’s the problem – wtf is the USS Lincoln doing going to the ME now? Doesn’t this seem like an escalation of carriers in the ME? Isn’t this what Fallon was previously reported to have prevented? or am I misremembering that?
Is anyone else concerned that Fallon announced his resignation on March 11, the Lincoln left for the ME on March 13 – and the Truman doesn’t need to be relieved until July?
When do you know Bush’s War machine is backed against a wall and lost, again? OK, they don’t like that word “lost”; how about gross miscalculation. You can bet your last dollar (if you have one left after filling up at the pumps) Patraeus blames IRAN. Point the finger at Iran. They did it! They attacked the Green Zone.
Sadr has bitten his nails up to his elbows eager to let loose. The Sunni’s want lots more money which they’ll need as refugees when the Sadr camp comes after them.
“More sacrifice” so says the decider.
No news is good news.
I’m OK.
I will get ahold of my Mom, she is in constant touch with my niece’s Mother. if something bad would have happened, i think we would have heard by now, something like that would travel like wildfire in my family.
Well, yeah. They are planning to attack Iran. They are planning to attack Iran. They are. They will if they can. They will do it. Without a doubt. it is part of the Axis of Evil, and Bushco will do it, if they can.
It is totally obvious that Fallon was ditched, because he opposed war with Iran.
Hi Busted- people have been asking about you. Thanks for the report.
Does anyone know why thee U.S. is not paying the Awakening Counsels?
;)
Because the id10ts in charge are both stupid and cheap?
What are the “Awakening Counsels”?
It’s on 9:00 pm here
No news is good news. Thanks, Busted.
I’ve been doing some oppo research on my own, with the view to taking down Saxby Chambliss.
I ran across this comment on one of the blogs I was reading, and followed the YouTube link.
from commenter: ~~Please consider watching my latest YouTube video. It’s only about one minute long, but it packs a punch. In it I contrast video clips and photos from the war with images of one of the war’s biggest supporters (Senator, Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga)).~~~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmRaKLilM2Q
KO is on again here at 9:00, which is instead of 11:00…(I think that is a good thing).
yes, thank you, busted.
Same reason they didn’t pay AT&T? Stupidity and incompetence?
if that’s true, what are we going to do about it?
From the post
The Axis of Evil is about to have an addition, Venezuela. Chavez is accused of creating unrest in Peru and other places for offering eye surgery to people who are blind and can benefit for this surgery. Bad, bad man. What does he think he’s doing restoring blind people’s sight? Of course, if Peru and other countries are so upset with Hugo’s “ulterior motives” they could provide the same themselves.
Good question. My guess is somebody else pocketed it first. What an incompetent lot we have running things.
The Cheney-Bush will do as it will do. They pay their help when they feel like it. They couldn’t be bothered to pay the telcoms on time to protect the country, why should be bother about paying some other help bribes to protect the troops.
The help should be greatful for any scraps that fall from the table.
–but acutally, the sunni tribesman may be preparing for breaking off, and the not getting paid line is just a BS line to start expanding their options while keeping up appearances. No one can trace the money anyway, what is Bush Cheney gong to do, have Perino wave the receipts at the next press conference.
Maybe they are getting paid, but this is just a little hint to get the Iraq government act together quick like a bunny or there will be trouble.
An integral part of the ’surge’, whereby the military met with many of the Sunni Tribes in Anbar province and agreed to pay them to keep them from attacking our forces. The councils were set up to receive and disburse said funds…!
Thanks…I missed that.
It was very interesting to note that Bushco’s actions have caused Venezuela to be a major profiteer of the war…what’s up with that…Iran and Saudi Arabia too.
Sometimes I am hopelessly confused. We installed a Shia gov’t and we are paying the Sunnis not to fight? Do I have that straight? If so, would someone tell me why and is this “winning?”
What worries me, is that Fallon couldn’t do anything about it!!! I hope he squawks bigtime!!!
OMG, ValleyGirl, that Chambliss vid is so heart breaking.
All good hypotheses.
So I guess everyone else, like me, has seen no actual explanation being offered by anyone.
Thanks, I didn’t catch that they were referred to as “Awakening”…thanks.
This has to be one of the most absurd notions. A college of war strategies.
When you think about the enormous waste of resources devoted to killing it is mind blowing.
I am sure Sadr is just dreaming about setting up mosques in Flatbush, Canarsie, Pottstown and Elmira. WOW image the mosque of the Hamptons! These ebemies of our are drawing up plans for every corner in america.
not me, i don’t do things by faith only reason … i think it takes that alternate reality of bush and cheney that dwells in the land of ‘faith’
OT, but great news… “State GOP Parties in Dire Straits!” Bwhahaha…
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories…..1610.shtml
I’ve just added a comment over at EW — far below the sophistication of their typical comments, of course — pointing out this site. Read through the posts for the last few days. They add up to a case that the U.S. will attack Iran in, say, May. Ups and downs in the combativeness of various factions in Iraq will hardly matter at all after that.
I’m tellin’ ya, frikkin’ Chalabi is behind a lot of this…Iraq and Iran…
That is a good thing. I just wish the Frontline special was at a ‘watchable’ time across the nation.
As near as I can figure out, the U.S. is paying & arming all the groups that hate us or want to break up Iraq. But enemies with the person Muktada al Sadr, who might want to hold the country together.
seems pretty clear that they do plan to attack Iran. This seems a little soon … gives the country a chance to react. I’d guess Sep this year …
I get a blank CBS page, buddy.
That is most likely. Spring is the optimum time….Fall doesn’t make sense really but it could still happen then. I’d guess May is more likely…but, but, but….Jenna is getting married…they may postpone it so it doesn’t mess up her “day”…/s
They are paying local tribal leaders to patrol each square kilometer. Nothing short of bribes.
wow!
And they might all come together against our troops, till they leave. Then they can continue with their war that they have had for centuries. (Except for during the Saddam Hussein reign)
Jeralyn on msnbc NOW
I think it is unwise to trust appearances too much: for example, the business about whether Bush Cheney is paying the Sunni tribesman and whether that is the true cause of their disatisfaction. As I said previously, Bush Cheney has pretty much laid out its real plans through its actions -turn Iraq into a military and energy resource colony ruled by violence, with the current government as the local US-backed strongman. Those actions and announcements mean something, unlike the drivel and threats that constitute their communications with the US public.
So, now it is the other factions’ (and there are several other factions) turn to decide how, when and where to respond. That is why I thought, right after I read about the Bush Cheney enduring relatinship BS a few months ago, that things would start deteriorating as the other Iraqi folks scoped out the possbilities for response. Only question is when it starts and how fast it moves toward the recent civil war like levels. Excpet it will be a civil war this time in which the US troops will be unavoidably involved very directly, since we have staked our claim and chosen our local side.
Wow, that’s Jeralyn!!! Go Jeralyn!!
Hmmm… I clicked on it just now and it worked…
I believe that the there will be a false flag and perhaps the Israelis may do something. I don’t think the US can manufacture a legal argument to get a fig leaf UN resolution this time.
Why bother. They claim our troops are being attacked my Iran and we must end that interference. Or a naval vessel will tangle with a rubber dinghy, like the Cole and badda boom another shock and awe lesson for the Ayatollahs. Nuke the Ayatollahs!
Loo Hoo- yes it is. It has the most graphic and heart-breaking personal images (put together in one place) as to what we have done to the people of Iraq of any YouTubes I’ve seen.
I’ll try again…
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories…..1610.shtml
they don’t need anything legitimate … just enough to steal another election ….
They will say Kyl/Lieberman gave them the authority. Petraeus citing “Quds” as the ones behind attacking the Green Zone is part of the justification.
Gad, I hate it when people start agreeing with my hunches. BTW, I was glad to run into the /s tag closure after you mentioned Jenna’s wedding plans — nearly thought you were serious. *g* How did we ever let our country get into the hands of sadists?
Thanks, EG!
Hello, everyone! Sorry I’m late!
that’s my point!
up until now it’s looked like that want to attack iran.
but deployment of the USS Lincoln is, i think, a very big deal in support of the possibility that it’s not just a wet dream of cheney’s but that real action is being taken to support an attack.
lee- it really does show what it’s all about at a personal level, no?
Very good. I think I would like to see that at the movie theaters right after the recruitment films.
The all the merikans go skeerdie and they come out with some phony polling and steal the election.
Eyes wide open.
Did you catch this one, about how U.S. prefers strongmen? This guy sounds like quite a character.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi…..ad_301.php
DemocKracy, W style.
They sent a nuke sub through the canal on the way to the gulf.
All the strutting is in place.
Yup. Eyes Wide Open!
Good. Abrams saying “Teflon John”….
Jeralyn raises the idea of charging Rush with “aiding and abetting” a crime by urging people to cross register to vote for HRC in Ohio, where they have to sign an affadavit that they are truly Democrats. There is concern over a new Rush campaign to get people in PA to crossover in the same way.
PW–-please excuse the off topic. Lot of Jeralyn admirers here.
Great post, PW
you’ve just given me an idea. I’m teaching a freshman seminar (college) and somehow we got off to looking at the army recruitment site and the “video games” they use to make it seem glamorous. I’m going to show that YouTube to my Freshmen. They really need to see it.
I think today was the last day to change voter registration in Pa.
What was the source of the quote you included in the Emptywheel comment?
I know every night abrams is all over obama and HRC. It’s about time McInsane gets some attention along with his pastor problems.
“They” are going to do exactly what they said they were going to do…they are.
I have no idea how you stop them. Fallon was a firewall, and now he’s gone. He needs to go to Congress, publicly tell them the truth about what’s happening, and Nancy Pelosi needs to impeach. That’s all I can think of.
But, but…John McCain says everything is going great!
Correct. Today was the last day.
I figure it will be a two-step operation. A first strike against “arguably valid” targets, then the Iran response with anti-ship missles, leading to the vaporization of a carrier group, then the real attack, supported at home by all the patriotic fervor the country can muster. Anybody who can see beyond that has a splendid crystal ball, but invocation of Continuity of Government machinery to maintain domestic tranquility does come to mind. And why would the Unitary Executive object to that outcome? At that point, we would be living in one of the all-time, world-class rogue nations.
Impeachment still off the table? Anybody think that impeachment after CoG kicked in would still be possible, even with all the political will in the world?
This is very irregular. Normally, subs on deployment almost never surface, much less reveal their locations…this, to me, bespeaks of haste. That sub was in a hurry, or no one would have ever seen it.
Heh, heh, heh!!!
America does not want Bush, Cheney, or McCain.
All of the hoopla, as if he is equally in the standings with either or both Dems is pure media fabrication.
If McCain were to win the general, it is a fix. Period.
Meanwhile, Juan Cole has more on why the truce is probably already broken.
OT and not really fair, but just saw this:
(nyt linky)
sigh …
Good point, and who leaked the whereabouts? The military? Bushco?
Nancy Pelosi needs to impeach. That’s all I can think of.
I live in her state. I was so thrilled when she became Speaker. That being said she has very bloody hands. I would be pay big money to know why she is unwilling to impeach the most criminal administration in the history of our republic. She is almost as pathetic as bushco and that fucker cheney.
The quote was from http://www.chris-floyd.com./. I didn’t check whether the link had taken — apologies if it didn’t.
And now for a brief moment of dark comedy:
Bush Given Plan to Put Off Further Cuts in Troops in Iraq
New York Times
Troop levels in Iraq would remain nearly the same through 2008 as at any time during five years of war, under plans presented to President Bush on Monday by the senior American commander and the top
Should we put her in the corner? *g*
That’s a hell of a “misspoke.”
Ding, Ding, Ding…! Hello! COG and Directive 51! A true ‘October Surprise’… 8-(
Check this out, the military knows what’s goin’ on:
http://www.infowars.com/?p=1005
She loves W.
Excellent post, PW.
it’s gotta be something like that. just straight election fraud will be harder to pull off this time. vp-for-life isn’t going anywhere soon. state of emergency, hostile attacks by iran, elections put off w/ till hostilities cease …
Oh good. I find those films at the movie theater downright nauseating…the one that really bothers me is the one that shows Revolutionary War soldiers and then morphs to present day…George Washington would weep. It would be good to have a counterbalance.
And the Freshmen will enjoy the music on yours, too.
Hadn’t seen that, thanks. We took out the guy who kept it all under wraps. I wonder what Saddam Hussein’s wife and daughter(s) are up to these days.
Thanks, Kirk! How goes it in foggy San Francisco?
I have been extremely busy last week, so have not been able to follow news closely. So, again I read things that I find difficult to believe… am I losing my mind? early dementia? maybe I caught something and have a 110 degree fever and am hallucinating.
I read in the news that there is some flap about whether Dem candidate X was under shooting fire on some trip. Why would being under fire for a few minutes constitute ‘commander in chief’ leadership experience. I cannot even take seriously the premise on which this controversy is based. Is any adult in the population taking this silly flap seriously?
McCain three or four times says absurd things about Iran working with Al Qaeda and the news idiots are assuring us that they are not reporting it only because they happen to know (somehow or other) that McCain really has ‘commander in chief’ qualifications and deep foreign policy expertise.
And did McCain really stop and look flustered for moment when he was asked about what interest rates should be, before blurting out ‘ihnterest rates should be zero’?
Am I caught in a Marx brothers movie? Duck Soup was funny. This is not funny.
And now maybe attacking Iran just as things are starting to slide downhill in Iraq again? I guess we will learn how they say ‘Dunkirk’ or ‘lost battalian’ in Iraqi Arabic soon.
Abrams on Cheney’s statement:
”Unbelievable”.
The comment cited Egyptian sources…could have been anybody, since the sub would have to surface to go through the canal. Possible reasons, other than attacking Iran, include a time-sensitive SpecOps deployment, which our subs do a lot of, or extraction of a SpecOps unit…we’ve had people on the ground in Somalia, for instance.
The spooky part is that Directive 51 allows an economic collapse to trigger the COG machinery, too… So, what’s gonna happen first? Iran or the economic meltdown…?
Yes. Can the Department of War just say that Congress can’t call someone to testify? Seems curious that Betrayus can testify, and not Fallon. Either or neither.
he’s does a pretty good chimp-in-chief imitation …
And, we’ve have people on the ground in Iran already…for quite awhile…you know, Chalabi!!!!!!
VG, you may well already know of this (or have posted it here – I’m behind the dial-up curtain), but the good folks at Indymedia (SF Bay Area) shared the “NoArmy” site (”The Truth Recruiters Don’t Want You To Know.”)
I thought so too! His heh, heh…is perfect…love it.
I’m not overly concerned about the nuke sub, considering the bulk of our subs are nukes and are assigned to the carrier fleets as an integral part of the fleet…!
I was actually thinking August would be the timing. Reason being that it needs to be closer to the election so people don’t have time to figure it out and react other than emotionally. Also, remember the saying that you should never start a promotional campaign before Labor Day? Well, this is the converse of that.
Is there any historical precedent for America bribing an enemy–with cash–not to attack us?
Maybe W should stop “vowing”. I vowed this, I vowed that…
God help us.
Do you remember last summer when Pelosi told Headline Bloggers on our side that “we don’t know the half of it”?
I trust Nancy, for some reason. I know many don’t. But her standing up for Tibet is another plus.
Something is so screwed up that the dems are willing to let Bush complete his term. They know something that they cannot tell us. It can’t be a happy surprise.
Failure is not an option.
It is a standard feature.
yeah, I would guess Aug/Sept. After all, long-term doesn’t matter. Starting in May is too early — we have a chance to think and react and they have to deal w/ another disaster on the ground after the shock-n-awe show wraps up. Sep is perfect … 2w of outrage, 4w of show, 2w of parading around before the “election”
Last several days have been achingly beautiful: intense blue sky, green hills, everything blooming (achoo!), warm even in SF. Just a light blanket of mist last night ot give the foghorns a chance to say hi to spring. Magic.
Hope your neck of the woods is lovely and the pollen stays away…
Maybe Saudi Arabia…but that sure didn’t work did it?
I certainly speculate about what’s on those domestic spying tapes and who exactly they were listening to … how many more spitzer-style revelations are waiting to be sprung …
Does the DOD have to line item cash payments to militias? They have been give US dollars in the 10’s of millions to militias?
Where do they get that cash?
The Democratic play book was written by Miss Manners and we cannot shame the repubs. That would not be nice.
The Indians used to call Sonoma Valley the valley of death cause the allergy problem was so bad. I moved away so I could breathe.
It’s living in a nightmare, isn’t it? It’s like most people are stupid. It’s almost like most Americans would behave like most Germans did during Hitler. It’s crazymaking.
I still want to know what happened to the $13 Billion that was airlifted into Baghdad early on when Bremer first set foot in Iraq!
Yeah, but what strikes me is that the sub was in a big enough hurry to publicly reveal itself..they just don’t do that, without some great need.
or the desire to make a statement/threat, or for propaganda purposes.
i’m sure it was distributed responsibly to the appropriate parties. What else could have happened to it?
Food for thought…!
Yeah, we like to show off the aircraft carriers that way too. i have a picture somewhere of this beautiful, golden-domed mosque…and looming behind it, dwarfing it, is a US carrier.
Read this when you have a moment…:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf
Precisely.
Kirk!!! Huge thanks for those links. No, I had not seen them, but that is great information.
It’s a really long story as to how we got from “Science and the Citizen” to video games to the army site. But wow!
This is great information. As Suz has said, FDL has the best commenters on the web- she was agreeing when I was thanking another commenter for pointing me to another set of links I could use for my FS. I will use this! xxoo
Late to the thread and have only read about a third of the comments but the comments regarding the carrier movements fits into my learning or the USNS Mercy(hospital ship) setting sail from Bremerton las week.
Even given my earlier complaint, I think it will be difficult to tell how public would react to any kind of public US attack on Iran. The GOP has been miscalculating big time. I believe that if Iraq is not the most important voter issue now, it is not because Iraq got much better, but because the economy got worse for the average person.
I do not believe that the public is in the mood for more war. And I doubt that the rationales would be very convincing. If they attack Iran it would be one of the ultimate political Hail Mary passes of all time, and there is a very good chance they would get sacked. Things in Iraq would get very bad very fast. Unless the US has decided on taking very ruthless approach to popular unrest there after an attack, it would be a mess. Even then it would be a mess.
The suspicions of a GOP exectutive branch coup here are scary and make me shiver. But, how would that end? The GOP-executive branch, and whose army would force compliance? I guess the national guard would, but they are half in Iraq. And how many guardsman would turn out for such a mad venture in the midst of the homeland. The military does not like Cheney Bush much anymore. That is not a done deal for them either.
Let us cross our fingers and hope. I do not want to see a US Dunkirk in Iraq -probably worse since no one can sail their little pleasure boats all the way to Iraq to rescue them, but it might happen.
i did … interesting list of documents to consider … did I miss something more?
Loo Hoo -if still here -who is that fellow you are supporting to go against Issa in San Diego? I forgot who it was. Thanks.
I once met Miss Manners. Judith Martin. What a shocker. I wish I could dish, but that would be totally OT.
Thought Sadr added another six months to the truce. Don’t know if our new paid allies are gettin nervous in the service yet. At any rate, this is a long ways from victory.
i’d listen to some dishing (in a hushed OT kinda way ;)
Yeah, like we are in a dictatorship by crazy idjiots that have coup’d the country and gotten away with it since 2000 and they are making tons off the wars they have waged using our kids as cannon fodder and they don’t intend to leave and are war criminals and have spied on Congress and everybody else and attempted to legalize torture and they have systematically removed our rights and trashed the Constitution and politicized DOJ and are getting ready to attack Iran.
Something like that?
Uh oh. The FDL newsbox has an item saying John Negroponte is visiting Pakistan soon. This is very bad news. Wherever this guy goes, Death and Destruction soon follow.
He visited Pakistan last year about six months before they killed Bhutto. What the hell is he orchestrated this time? They got some operation planned to influence the Nov elections here?
I’m usually not much of a worrier, but there’s a long history of this with Negroponte.
It won’t be Dunkirk, IMO…it will be Dien Bien Phu.
Can anyone provide me with a link that would explain what Directive 51 is?
I wish they’d been around when I first enlisted, my recruiter lied to me…! Today, they’ve got to lie even more… 8-(
There is a paragraph in there that says that employers have to basically prove the elibility of their employees going back to 1986.
lee- naw- really not appropriate here. But, if you ever catch me at Late Nite, or Late Late Nite, I might be persuaded. ;)
Directive 51.
Per Wiki…
Dang, I owe ya a Coke…! ;-)
Yeah, interesting how fleeting the fact is that Bhutto was murdered….just a little blip…she hit her head on the car and died, so said…totally disregarded the video facts that she was shot, hit the car, and then the explosion happened.
Expect more of that kind of thing. Don’t believe your own eyes…believe their eyes.
Cheney has barely departed and the place is already in a borderline renewed inferno. Negroponte is the worst possible news.. Yesterday the newsbox had an item about unmanned US drones bombing and killing twenty “suspects” in Pakistan.
OK, VG, which late night? Set a date. Anything else would be somewhat impolite, in my very humble and always polite opinion.
We are Russia in Afghanistan on steroids….Afghanistan and Iraq.
“F”
Negroponte = Death Squads. Period.
Thanks, wesgpc, it’s Robert Hamilton.
yeah … this is not good news …
Zackly.
Nice, eh?
Also OT, but it’s all tied up together, no?
linky
I am so tired of hearing my country is torturing, blowing up, or shooting suspects.
So.
Who thinks Bushco is going quietly into the night?
one could also highlight “government functions” and suspect that a chance of the wrong people winning an “election” might be enough to trigger this …
But, happily, Diebold will ride to the rescue and preserve our shadowy puppet masters: http://www.theonion.com/conten…..ally_leaks
If Georgie says it then it must be legal.
Is this legal? Doesn’t it have to go through one of those other branches of government?
Oh never mind.
Well put.
Yeah- He’ll go. He wishes he were already gone.
bye folks … I gotta call it a night. early morning tomorrow.
so, vg, no spilling the beans re ms manners tonight, ok? gotta wait …
Bush is already among the lamest of ducks and this will only get worse as we get into the summer. He’s a fried zit.
He’s only their “figurehead”…what about the others?
I did this awhile back, but it seems appropriate:
Dien Bien Phu, Iraq
My approximation of how the US adventure in Iraq could end.
is anybody watching frontline?
Troop level should stay the same:
wes- sorry I can’t set a date just now. But Friday or Sat late nites seem the most probably as to when I will be around. I if get the date nailed down, and see you in the threads, I will give you a heads up.
Rummy is still there. Wolfowitz is still there.
CTuttle and RonD, thanks for Directive 51 response.
The question I have is, what is its legal standing? Is it anything more than a unilateral declaration by President Bush that he plans to take over the government and scrap the Constitution if he deems there to be a sufficient emergency, or “disruption”? It is not clear that anyone would have to recognize the validity of such an unauthorized action. Is there some statutory basis for him to create such a directive? Or is this just a Unitary Executive wet dream?
The only thing that gives me hope about Bushco going away quietly is that Bush is about a lazy mofo.
has there ever been sicker mothers than Cheneys lawyers?
I think that way too. But, I dunno.
not tonite. I got a class to teach tomorrow, and I am in EDT. maybe on the weekend.
Congess went with the neocons
I’m on the west coast and need to wait another hour or so…
Very good question.
this is beyond disgusting
Bush will go because he is bored and all he wanted to do was “be” prez – not actually “do” it. He wants to go back to Dallas and strut around showing everyone how important he is.
have pepto bismal on hand
I got a little glimmer of hope when I heard Nancy Pelosi say if we attack Iran, Bush WILL be impeached. Or am I smoking something?
not on here until 9:00 pst
We can only hope it is! I’d prefer not to find out… But, they set up the dominoes…!
Iran may be W’s billet dous (sp?) for the Rs. The brand is ruined and they need some excuse not to just fade away.
scooter prickhead was a huge WAR PUSHER
What?
Why would HRC go out and say that she remembers being shot at in Bosnia…Why would she say that? There must be a reason.
Who’s going to say no?
I know. I was attempting to read two books this weekend “The Price of Loyalty” and “How Bush (mis)leads America” and it really messed up my family harmony. I had to put both books down. Just a fubar mess.
they used the fuccccing NYTIMES mofos
Somebody said it…maybe Conyers and Leahey or Biden…I dunno…I don’t remember Nancy saying it though…
Why wait?
That makes him a “good man” in Cheney’s book.
Maybe she lied. Maybe she forgot. Maybe it was another time, another place.
im watching frontline,and most of congress went along with the neocons(cabal)
It was Conyers, Christy reported it recently…!
wait till you see this thing…you wont believe your ears
I think it was Conyers saying that Bush SHOULD be impeached if Bush strikes Iran.
After everything he’s done why would bush take Pelosi’s threats seriously. All he has to do is invoke Directive 51. She is pathetic and she should have already impeached those fuckers. She aided bushco in all their crimes. I have zero respect for her.
She was trying to imply that she knows what it’s like for those “on the frontlines” as she said she was in Bosnia. Thus, she has the “experience” to know what’s best for our troops. Just a guess…
207 was for you….my stomach is turning…and millions died
Excellent question. Makes no sense and is stupid to boot. She forgot about the internets?
yea AFTER they kill more innocent people
Here are the options:
W and Cheney give up their jobs to the newly elected Pres and VP.
W and Cheney claim a national emergency and postpone elections.
W leaves and Cheney tries to stay on as VP to Puke nominee.
Puke Nominee has a problem, bails, and someone plus someone becomes nominees.
Dem Nominee has a problem, bails or something, and someone plus someone becomes the nominees.
It’s a hellava long way to November…
She confused Bosnia with the Repugs.
If HRC sniper flap gaffe/smear/media circus is true (who knows these days) then it is because the public discourse has become so silly and demented that the symbolic value of mere incidents, or small roles in large theatres, crowd out any discussion of actual, you know, facts, issues visions and polcies.
The foreign policy portion of next presidential election will be reality TV modeled after ‘24′.
‘nother reason to focus on Congressional elections.
Bush should be impeached now. There is no reason to wait. What’s the point after he invades another country? These congressmen act like there is no consequences to what bush has done.
with Fallon gone,im very worried
This is the 64K question…if the various Executive Branch and law-enforcement agencies will take his orders, and he puts the National Guard under Federal command…use the surveillance assets, secret police, and enemy combatant status to stamp out dissent…I think he could make it stick, at least for a while.
Is Sen. Clinton turning into Forrest Gump?
zombies.living zombies could figure this out…they need to go now
Couldn’t agree more.
Thanks, SadlyYes
“The president has no authority to unilaterally attack Iran, and if he does, as Foreign Relations Committee chairman, I will move to impeach,” said Biden, whose words were followed by a raucous applause from the local audience.
Biden said he is in the process of meeting with constitutional law experts to prepare a legal memorandum saying as much and intends to send it to the president.”
http://www.seacoastonline.com/…..S/71129018
Frontline tonight is a must!
Hey, and tbsa, thanks again for helping out on the upcoming Worst of Issa youtube!
Anyone with leads on Issa’s worst performances, please help out.
Hooray for Biden. He has nothing to lose by this and a lot to gain.
Fallon wasn’t anybody’s peacenik. Did you see what he said, when pressed on the subject of war with Iran?
“‘Get serious,’ the admiral says. ‘These guys are ants. When the time comes, you crush them.’”
h/t to GregB
Issahole.
Frontline portrays it as a Cheney,Addington,Libby war with Chimpie,being the SLEAZY used car salesman…OH and Rice was all gung ho too
wes- I am totally with you on focusing on Congressional elections. That’s my sanity these days.
I don’t know, I think it’s stupid but not nearly as stupid as the three times McCain got Iran and alqaeda mixed up.
well we are just trully fukkkkkkkked then
Then, I think, general strike, tax strike, cops too busy with day gigs to bother enforcing discipline, national guard left to mobilize won’t show up, and those that do can’t go anywhere ’cause equipment in Iraq, and military not happy with prospect of helping out in the heartland of the homeland. And then a big confused mess.
That is their problem now -everyone is pissed off. so, the GOP/executive branch and whose army will enforce the obviously bogus measures. I think we may have already seen one disguised resignation/firing becuase of disobediance to civilian command (Fallon wouldn’t go along with Iran plan, wouldn’t issue naval force orders as directed, and kept making fuss about Iraq non-drawdown of Iraw surge troops).
However, that way lies a huge mess. Should be even scarier for the GOP bigshots than attacking Iran, assuming they are still sane.
The question I have is, what is its legal standing? Is it anything more than a unilateral declaration by President Bush that he plans to take over the government and scrap the Constitution if he deems there to be a sufficient emergency, or “disruption”? It is not clear that anyone would have to recognize the validity of such an unauthorized action.
Seems to me bushco has already broken several laws at will, have made unilateral decisions and declarations, called the constitution just a damned piece of paper while trashing habeus and illegally wiretapping Americans. They invaded a soverign country based on a smoldering pile. Bankrupted the treasury to line the pockets of his friends. How much more does this administration have to do before our congress will get off their asses and take their oaths seriously. For the congress to say they’ll impeach if bush atacks Iran is a joke. What the fuck good is it after the damage is done?
Heh, one teensy prob, the Senate doesn’t initiate impeachment, the House does, the Senate hears the ‘trial’ and votes…
Thank you & others for the Biden and Conyers quotes. Of course it wasn’t Pelosi. What was I thinking?
At least she stood up for Tibet.
That is tasty.
Uh oh. I think I’m an ant, too.
Don’t forget about Blackwater.
Thanks Loo Hoo
I will memorize: Hamilton, 49, Oceanside, Hamilton, 49, Oceanside….
I am still looking for more. I know there has to be some of the Plame hearing. He was terrible.
No sh*t!
oh such OLD ,NASTY EVIL OLD MAN
and Rummy is just as batshit as his pal biggus dickus
Relax! Why do you think they hire Blackwater/Graystone?
Blackwater, snoops, phone intercepts.
Dude, they will need a whole mess of people if mass passive civil disobediance occurs. Whole policd depts, whole national gurad units, park rangers, squads of game wardens willing to arrest crowds of violaters not going to work or not paying taxes. And exactly whose army will face the real military when they get ultra pissed?
That is a tall order.
Join us upstairs with wattiger. I just sprayed three comments in a row. kinda unseemly.
and Colon Powell should have quit
Damn straight. It wouldn’t happen for a couple months at least anyway, and it that point Shrub’ll just about be done no matter what, so Conyers is suggesting they’d start impeachment 2 months before the next Prez takes over?!? I don’t think so.
Seems to me Conyers is just trying to gain some “cred” again with us Dirty Hippies who have been some of his biggest supporters. Just think, if they would’ve started Impeachment hearings when they first took over, and there was plenty of reasons to at least start hearings, it’s possible Shrub and Co. could be on their way out by now. Conyers is pandering to us.
Especially since we know what they would do: They’ll say,”Well, we have troops in harm’s way, so we have to unite behind them, and rally ’round the flag, and bring ‘em home as soon as we can, and blah, blah, blah.”
yup…..these are very dark days indeed
Tennent was a turd
Tennent would NOT be interviewed by frontline
Impeachment of Bush might be politically viable (in fact manadatory) and happen very quickly, if things in Iraq go very bad very quick as a result of an attack on Iran. And obvious FUBAR mess-up that gets a big chunk of military stranded in Iraq would not get the same public reaction as a successful shock-n-aw campaign.
So… impeachment could happen -if the whole thing turned into an complete disaster. But the most important objection would remain: it would be too damn late to prevent the dmaage.
Al Sadr’s rhetoric is not in a vacuum, it probably is in response to Fallon getting canned and Cheney’s renewed sabre rattling. Al Sadr has been preparing since 2003 and will have our military overwhelmed from behind in any Iranian campaign that requires any ground support. Now wouldn’t that be pretty, 5-6 (or more) regiments going into Iran under cover of air attackss and they get sandwiched between Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Mahdi Army. It will be a slaughter and we will hear BS like “no one could have predicted …”
it started in el paso (i know that many texans really consider el paso to be part of new mexico) at 7 and went until 9:30 – riveting stuff – all the more reason to indict bush and impeach and then indict cheney – can’t wait for tonight’s continuation -