Every Tuesday and Thursday I wake up wondering how am I possibly going to find two things to write about so early in the morning. Surely it’s all been exhausted by now.
But then inevitably, the litany of new Bush Administration failure stories comes down. So in the immortal words of Barbara Bush, this is working out pretty well for me.
The rest of you? Not so much.
The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees.
Arthur Brennan, who briefly served in Baghdad as head of the department’s Office of Accountability and Transparency last year, and James Mattil, who worked as the chief of staff, told Senate Democrats on Monday that their office was understaffed and its warnings and recommendations ignored.
Nobody could have anticipated, of course. It’s only in the waning days of the Administration I realize I really should have written a macro to spit that phrase out.
Brennan also alleges the State Department prevented a congressional aide visiting Baghdad from talking with staffers by insisting they were too busy. In reality, Brennan said, office members were watching movies at the embassy and on their computers. The staffers’ workload had been cut dramatically because of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s "evisceration" of Iraq’s top anti-corruption office, he said.
The State Department’s policies "not only contradicted the anti-corruption mission but indirectly contributed to and has allowed corruption to fester at the highest levels of the Iraqi government," Brennan told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.
Something tells me that during their video prayer chats Bush & Maliki don’t talk about corruption — after all business is business.
And that Maliki’s government would be corrupt isn’t a terrible surprise, that happens to some degree in all governments and in a situation like Iraq’s not unexpected (unanticipated?). But the fact that it is so over-the-top bad and ignored by the American government that is doling out the money and propping it up can be explained best in one excerpt from Robert Draper’s ‘Dead Certain’:
By the time he first laid eyes on Maliki in Baghdad on June 13, 2006, Bush could not afford to be choosy. Iraq was out of control, here was its new leader … and through his willful optimism, Bush would see to it that theirs was a match made in heaven. In 2007, he found himself mentoring the head of the world’s most frail democracy on how to lead a nation.
It’s like Kelsey Grammar teaching your teenager how to drive a car.
(picture via John from Buffalo)
Related posts:
- A Tale of Two Nominees: Why Civil Liberties “Extremists” are Disappointed in Obama
- Afghanistan: Mission Creep in Action
- Torture: Obama Heeded Maliki on Abuse Photos, Says McClatchy; What That Says for Our Occupation
- Time to declare Sell-Out Accomplished
- A New Mission for the White House Press Corps: Which Health Care Execs Visited Obama?
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So?
Good morning Attaturk. Yeah, giving lessons on how to lead a nation, from the master of good leadership. /s
We have lost 10s of billions of dollars in Iraq and if nothing else is ever done Congress owes us an accounting of that money and the arrest of thj common criminals who stole it.
Good Morning Attaturk,
Nobody could have anticipated.
Except a few DFHs.
Yeah really, where’s the freakin’ outrage!
Then they had the great idea of flying plane loads of cash into Baghdad. How did that fiasco ever stop getting talked about.
It’s not really surprising that the Iraqi Government is corrupt when the occupying contractors are all there because of their influence with Bush and Co, and the entire war was sold on the idea of American companies profiting at the expense of the Iraqis. The plan seems to have been, let’s bomb the hell of them, then we have to rebuild the country, then we’ll send them the bill from their oil money, or the US tax payer will pay.
It’s really too bad the Iraqis chose to model Bush’s version of democracy so closely. They seem to have matched the corruption part very well. The incompetence part is going nicely, too.
Too true.
Mornin’ All,
EPU’d
Mr Attaturk -
left you a note downstairs – General “We Can’t Have Acquittals!” Thomas Hartmann – has been removed from the proceedings.
link to comment
Now, why does Bush hate al-Sadr? Because he’s allegedly allied with Iran, our latest Big Bad Naughty Naughty scare toy.
And whose ties to Iran are much stronger than al-Sadr’s? How about Nouri al-Maliki’s?
How do you say “Heckuva job!” in Arabic and Kurdish?
Well, he had so much luck with that al Qaeda — Saudi Arabia thing. Why not repeat it here?
here’s an interesting news item re Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia criticizes Iran’s Hezbollah support
OT Jim White,
Could you provide the link about Marjerie Cohn and their white paper that you left in epu land on the last thread? I think others here would find it interesting but I am a driveby with a sick peanut on my hands.Thanks
(((Quaker Girl)))
That ‘ fairly ironic.
The DFHs, who just wanted to grow their hair, burn their bras and give peace a chance now want accountability. We follow the money and are creative in our attempts to try and stay informed.
I’m not being snarky. Just looked in the mirror.
Ha!
Proud to be a foul-mouth fem blooger, FDL, DFH. Right on.
Er, um, BLOGGER.
What I get for commenting bc. Before Coffee.
Must be that short term memory loss.
Good morning Attaturk
ya mean like don’t send any $$$ to arm Sunnis against Shia ???
ya mean like that ?!?!?
Sure:
The National Lawyers Guild, headed by Marjorie Cohn (who testified along with Sands and Rivkin at the HJC hearing last week) has posted a white paper in which they call for a special prosecutor, independent of the Department of Justice, to investigate and prepare charges against Yoo, Bybee and others: By logical extension, this paper explains why all those who approved the use of torture and committed it—whether ordering it, approving it or giving purported legal advice to justify it—are subject to prosecution under international and U.S. domestic law.
Of special interest is this passage:
In other words, it doesn’t matter what Bush or Congress does, if the international community decides to prosecute, these guys are toast.
That would require something like an impeachment hearing, and that sadly, is “off the table” because of the spinelessness of Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and others in the House Democratic Leadership (and I use that word with contempt).
This gang of criminals, or as I like to refer to them as The 1600 Crew have broken the Republic and have managed to do it with no consequences at all.
a haiku:
Pelosi ignores
the republic crumbles as dust
Nixon Smiles from death
When was the last time an international court of law successfully brought criminals to justice?
I don’t know my international history well enough.
Would that be Nuremberg?
(((QuakerGirl)))
Weren’t there successful prosecutions in the Hague after the Kosovo action?
no expert on this but here’s from wiki
wiki
and
I’ll have to look that up.
It would be convenient if the international community could deal with our evil bozos so that the new regime can take on other domestic issues and figure out what to do in the Middle East.
here’s the link to the official website
“But then inevitably, the litany of new Bush Administration failure stories comes down. So in the immortal words of Barbara Bush, this is working out pretty well for me.
The rest of you? Not so much.”
NOT SO MUCH. LOL …ty!
UNDERSTATEMENT IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAY IT.
General Sanchez admitted that while the national art treasures were being looted and destroyed, he was not authorized to have US troops protect such things, or even utility companies, etc. …
But the oil refineries… well…. as long as they were there. They did happen to protect them.
A long time ago I got a joke email about how GWB was a “post turtle”. A turtle who was put on a post and couldn’t do anything. God… what this post turtle has begat.
I think figuring out how to dismantle all this executive power would be a step in the right direction.
Evil Bozos…
Dick Cheney in a fright wig
George Bush wearing clown shoes
Sounds about right, but no humor just hubris
Thank you Elliot.
I know I’ve gone off Attaturks’s topic. Sorry
This line of thinking has just got me thinking some possibly positive thoughts. Thank goodness for Cohn, Sands and Rivkin.
Miss Nancy does not agree with you and I would be willing to bet neither does Obama. You need to understand that bigger issues are at stake, the sweep of history…..Bush’s reputation as Our Great Leader….the reputation of our Great Nation for competence, the loss of what many the Bush Crime Family considers ‘chump change’ cannot be allowed to cramp our singing of Kumbaya.
So let the Hosannas ring out loud and clear. In our government, rotten to the core, we believe. In our legislators, handpicked for stupidity and greed, we have faith.
Don’t forget that the US also made sure Milsovic faced charges at the ICC and had been defending himself there for over four years when he died while in custody.
I just want them to go away. Far away.
But, I believe it is Condi who wears the clown shoes.
George just wears that smirk. Petulant, eat me smirk.
Is there an actual “international community” organized enough to really deal with our evil bozos? It seems to require that the US government lead the way. That’s unlikely to happen given that these are US citizens working in the US government.
The plan seems to have been, let’s bomb the hell of them, then we have to rebuild the country, then we’ll send them the bill from their oil money, or the US tax payer will pay.
That, my friends, would be a “Ding!”
Did you see Elliot’s link at #28?
Maybe. Could be.
Wow. That’s fascinating. And heartening. Can you define exactly what “international community” means.
Wait a minute.
Why would the Bush Admin. pay attention to corruption?
It’s where corruption doesn’t exist, yet, on which they turn their attention and resources until the Bush Brand of corruption has nicely taken over.
Btw, has anyone informed these two ex State Dept. officials that the office that is supposed to protect whistle blowers has been…corrupted?
What I like about this concept is that it’s hard to issue a pardon to a corporation and you can take the damn money back.
Not really. More like the Truman hearings on War profiteering during WW II.
let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the telecoms…
You must have David Rivkin confused with some decent human being.
I’m often confused.
Ooooops.
I prefer decent human beings.
In this case, unfortunately, it isn’t defined yet, but could include bodies such as the EU or individual governments asking the ICC to act. It’s my understanding that there are quite a few people working on documentation similar to this NLG white paper that will urge action, first in the US, and then by international governments if the US doesn’t act. I really don’t think Bush can make this go away.
Sorry for thread hijacking Attaturk.
Sorry. I didn’t mean to be sarcastic. The name just activated my gag reflex.
Nguyen Van Thieu, anyone.
Nope. No precedent here.
Don’t worryabouddit.
Yes, We the People are entitled to get our money back.
Ahh, good morning Attaturk!
We can’t prosecute terror suspects because of our illegal torture, and Iraq’s government is not only ineffectual, but openly corrupt.
Feels like Tuesday.
Good Morning Attaturk!
I’ll gladly defer to others who track this more closely, but I was amazed that this was an Associated Press story. Maybe with the cratering of the stock price of all their MSM customers, they are finally figuring out what’s going on.
and now for something completely different…
at ten on CSPAN 1:
House comes in at 12:30
btw is it just me, or have they kept the same working schedule that the Republicans instituted.
Why are House Democrats investigating House Democrats?
Wow, that is good stuff!
Now if we can just convince the lot of them to vacation out of the country.. …or if the next president could find the stones to ship ‘em out for trial!
Well someone has to investigate those filthy dems!
because the R’s control the House? /s
Has anyone noticed how the Chinese President is responding to the earthquake? He went right down there. He sent troops right away. He’s standing on top of a pile of rubble with a loudspeaker telling people buried that help is on the way. It’s a total disaster, but at least this Wen Jiabao looks like he knows what he’s doing, and that he cares. Bush really fucking sucked when Katrina hit. I mean, I know he sucks in every other way too, but this stuff really puts him to shame.
iraq is stilll raging but it seems to be off the radar in america….. focus is on the “election”…. repugs are masterful in moving news as they see fit with compliance of the lamestream media……
not just you. guess that was kabuki too.
btw, i did post the hearings list for the week yesterday.
today there are only a few but tomorrow there are a lot including the following:
see full list.
lamesream media … i like that ;)
Thanks for posting Jim,
I too apologise for thread hijacking, but I am watching Bill Moyers testimony with Sands, and the congressional hearings everytime I think these lawbreaking weasels might not face justice.
My apologies to weasels everywhere*g*
ps also a term Sands used in his opening statement.”Weaselling”
found that phrase in the comments a while ago ;o)
Can you imagine? These guys at the top in Iraq (the Iraqis I’m sure, not the US State Dep. people, and not the poor people at the bottom in that Hell hole) are laughing their collective asses off. OBL is probably apoplectic. This could not have happened in his wildest dreams.
OBL + GWB = world class disaster
Great post
amy goodman on wbai for special two hour funding/raising democracy now!
this is the second hour, and i think it’s going to be an interview with gore vidal from a fews weeks ago.
upstairs
OMG! It’s WV Primary Day! The Most Important Primary EVAH…
listening to amy and watching tds….. me multi-tasking lol
Why aren’t the new post notices showing up any more at the bottom of my screen?
Very succinct. You’ve managed to sum up in few words the state of our nation.
In theory, yes but as I understand it, prosecutions for war crimes, including violations of the Geneva Conventions by signatories, can only be sought by sovereign governments. I do not see a queue of such sgs lines up for the cause, regardless of very very capable prosecuting barristers, including Sands and, dare I say, Cherie Booth (Blair), who would be more than willing to participate.
The ME tinpots? Not a chance – they are more afraid than the so called ‘developed’ white boys’ club grandstanding at unrepresentative global forums. The EU Parliament does not approve and individual member countries must heed its pronouncements, however, beyond noncompliance on providing unjustified intelligence on their citizens and getting their citizens out of Bush-Cheney gulags, they would rather not confront openly bc their primary interest is in propping up that wb club.
Countries outside the EU? Who? China would not like to open a Pandora’s box, Australia is complicit and part of the wb club, India smarts at not being represented adequately in global forums, Japan is too introverted unless it’s about slaughtering whales, S Korea is focused on making money for prestige, Singapore does not deal with such issues and that leaves – who? South America? Chavez might just have the gumption but that’s too big a stage even for him.
The House should impeach them both after the election. This will prevent issuing blanket pardons for the entire array of offenders. Any further criminal action against members of this maladministration must be part of redefining who we are as a people, both to ourselves and the rest of the world. Broad support will be needed to attain the necessary incarcerations.
We should fully expect Obama’s inauguration address to be a scathing denunciation of the policies of immoral stupidity that have led us to this regressive bankruptcy, all with the dirty little chimp sitting there pretending he’s not talking about him.
I agree – regardless of all that anyone has to say justifiably about their treatment of minorities, their response to this natural disaster was immediate in stark contrast to what’s happening in Burma where things are going to get very very very very dire with the coming monsoons in June.
The Irrawaddy delta region is not pro junta hence unlikely to feature prominently in its sights. Aid agencies granted permits to operate in the country have no control over distribution of relief aid received to date which they complain is too slow, if not incompetent. They also estimate deaths to number more than 120,000 and as the situation festers and the rains come with no rice available and few left to plant a new crop, it’s going to get higher.
Please do not invade SE Asia again – they don’t want your brand of democracy and you will not win even if you can raise the cash.
Here is a good explanation from Blue Oregon at the time:
Boehner was quick to opine, “In our view, this was an astonishing and unprecedented abuse of power, defying the will of the people and trampling on the very fabric of American freedom and democracy.”
I was watching the incident in question and it appeared to be an honest mistake and the Republiclowns were quick to take advantage of an inexperienced Speaker.
I agree, lets do nothing until bush is gone, then prosecute the hell out of them, across the board.
Let’s also have a demanding impeachment march to take place concurrently in the National Mall and in San Francisco, and imploring international law to prosecute the whole rotten bunch for war crimes.
This infection must be purged if we are ever to be the shining city on the hill again.
Send the link to this post and comments to our Democratic “leaders” demanding action, and/or someone post a comment with email addresses to them.
Bush has been a great mentor to Maliki! He got the corruption part down pat in a hurry!