Just thought I’d mention that in the past few days, while we’ve been distracted by Dick Cheney’s hunting accident and the UAE port imbroglio, civil war broke out in Iraq
Granted, it’s not an official civil war yet. As with the insurgency, it will take the talking heads awhile to figure out that it’s actually happening. Expect our Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, to be the last to know — other than Bush himself, of course, who never will know. But that’s another rant.
Update: As always, read Juan Cole.
Update update: And Riverbend, too.
bush does not realise how blessed he has been that only the sunni minority has been unruly. When the Shia majority rise up and the Kurds declare their independence, all you know what will turn loose and we have an army stuck in the middle of this. Hopefully the firestorm in Iraq will stop the wingnuts from starting another war in Iran- but then Iran weighed in today and could jump in on the Shia side.
publiuseye – 11:17 AM ET February 23, 2006 (#215709 of 215724)
From my homepage and plea….
“We are involved in a nasty war in Iraq that is just as nasty as the war my generation fought in Vietnam. In many ways, both are similar.
Back then, as now, the administration wears a Happy Face as the war rages on and gets worse.
I know how terrible 9/11 was.
I know the price we paid. It still hurts today.
I also know the dangers of complacency in time of war.
I know how deceitful government can be about management of war, and I know how to recognize poor leadership when I see it, and that includes Senator Clinton as well as the White House and the majority in Congress.
She supports the Iraq war because she needs military credentials. I do not.
I already have strong military credentials because unlike her, I have been in combat and I know war. Will this difference matter to the voters? I hope that it does.
Please keep this in mind: I support our troops 100% because I have been a troop in war and I know what lack of public support means in the time of war!
We went to war in Afghanistan because we had to – it was right and it was just. But, then we got stupid. We lost our focus and we did not finish the job we set out to do. We changed direction and headed into Iraq, and now every single day we continue to pay a terrible, terrible price!
At home, we face bitter partisan rancor, backbiting and corruption in Congress, and a government who spends like there is no tomorrow.
We have a deficit out of control and tax cuts that drain the treasury of revenues that could keep us afloat.
It sounds cliché to say, “We need Change,†but, we do. The question is, what kind of change and who is capable of bringing it about?
Don’ be fooled. Incumbents will fight like crazy to stay in office. They will say, pay, try or do anything to stay in Washington, and most of them have tons of money to prove it. Their huge amount of money is the most serious consequence of citizen inaction.”
TODAY: If you believe my honesty and sincerity, then pitch in and help all you can…I won’t disappoint you!
THIS FELLOW POST REGULARILY ON THE “BUSH ADMINISTRATION FORUM NYT……he has a book, and homepage and is busy with the “BAND OF BROTHERS” GROUP OF VETS running for office. He himself is planning on running in NY.
The civil war in Iraq doesn’t surprise me at all. I’m just surprised that it didn’t occur earlier. There has already been a strike back with the 47 people killed on buses today in retaliation for the destruction of the religious site with gold dome yesterday where two descendants of Mohammad are buried. It’s going to get very bloody!
“….even not-so-educated Iraqis seem very aware that this is a small part of a bigger, more ominous plan…”
From Riverbend. It sounds like she is suggesting someone is trying to start a civil war.
Now who would be capable of big, ominous plans in Iraq?
“what’s an “offical civil war”?
Other news you missed is that the South Dakota legislature has decided to ban abortion.
“what’s an “offical civil warâ€?
indisputable; acknowledged by the powers that be to exist
I’m just watching Frances Townsend, White House spokesperson for Homeland Secuirty fielding questions from the press. I missed the original. Where is Chertoff? They sent a woman to “soften” everything.
I will say that she is a sharp person and is handling herself very well. She is, unfortunately, working for the wrong people.
Americans are connecting the dots — 9/11, Katrina Nightmare and now the port issue. The man who was in charge of the Homeland Security – Chertoff- should be there. This woman is being trotted out and will probably get a promotion. She is doing better than Chertoff actually. Why would he oversee the port issue after the Katrina failure. It’s not just the cargo but what about all the cruise ships?
jonst – comment #5 – I think that it was a “tongue in cheek:” statement. You know how this White House “denies – denies – denies”. It’s like the old standard advise: If a man’s wife catches him in bed or wherever “in the act” (or it could be the man catching the wife), he should “deny”. It’s like, don’t believe your eyes or ears because the are lying to you.
Oh,also while we were distracted..7 more american soldiers were killed on wednesday..But the good news is..Freedom is still on the march.
my own comment 8 – I thought something was odd because I didn’t see the usual press and I had never seen this woman, Frances Townsend before. I aso kept thinking that I had never heard of a White House Homeland Security spokes person.
This was Bush’s retort to the “real” committee report about Katrina disaster that I believe came out today, or maybe it was yesterday. He had someone trot Ms. Townsend out – a woman as I said before to soften things against this nightmare going on 9/11, Katrina and now the port agreement!
While we were distracted.
While we have been distracted (for the past decade) corporate “Global” has sold us out. Notice that I have inserted “Global” for America. The fury of bad fuckin news lately has caused me to damm near shut down. I consider myself a relatively well informed consumer of political and economic “news”. But lately the frequency of real “hard” news is getting overwhelming, even for a self-important cynic like me. This Golden dome the “holiest” of sites was barely the second story on all the MSM broadcasts tonight. Could you imagine if your loved one was serving in the military in Iraq and this story is just only one of so many fuckups lately? Didn’t Jack Murtha tell us this would happen?
I keep thinking of the new CD by George Clinton….”How late do you have to be before you are absent?”. I mean this thing, sadly, but predictably, sure looks like a Civil War to me.
Britwit,
To answer an earlier question you posed. Yes I mispoke about the Indiana toll road buyers. It is a Australian/ Spanish consort. I mistakenly said French/ Spanish. Also technically the state police are not permitted to patrol a private road. But Mitch Daniels has accounted for this “technicality” in his dubious deal. I can only hope the outrage posed by the “port” deal may slow this selloff of hoosier infrastructure.
I will say this once again.
America invaded Iraq on behalf of commercial interests [big business forces hidden behind the scenes and pulling the Bush puppet-strings ]in order to control Iraqi oil fields for all the foreseeable future.
All other ‘reasons’ for invading Iraq, and all ‘reasons’ given for needing to stay in Iraq are nice sounding justifications with which the American public can try to quiet it’s collective conscience and try to erase the facts of becoming complicit as Bush-supporting torturers, bombers of cities, destroyers of cultures, and blatant resource thieves..
In short, turmoil in Iraq serves certain greedy elements in our country by providing continuous cover for thieving intentions.
The Iraq war PR always goes like this, “We will be able to leave and draw down troops when……… “, and then whatever is used to finish the sentence [elections, training of troops, etc]is negated by some ‘new’ turmoil.
Obviously the only winners of the Iraq debacle are those politically connected corporations who make profits while our soldiers and uncounted innocent Iraqis continue to die. Meanwhile, you can be sure that the oil thieves are busily working to establish themselves via permanent ‘American’ military bases and other pathways to future control.
Divide and conquer works in Iraq just as it does in America. The powerful entrench and enrich themselves while the populace dutifully divides and fights itself.
Interesting that we should abide by the “Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a body that was created in 1975 to review foreign investments in the country that could affect national security” to let this deal go. But the “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 prescribes procedures for requesting judicial authorization for electronic surveillance and physical search of persons engaged in espionage or international terrorism against the United States on behalf of a foreign power.” should just be ignored. Don’t forget about last weeks scandal?
CIFUS enacted in 1975 is completely relevant and does not need to be updated post”911″, FISA enacted in 1978 on the other hand is outdated in this new age of global terrorism? i.e. Rich friends of the administration can be trusted but the working class American taxpayers can’t. A new twist?
Three years into “mission accomplished” and we have an unofficial civil war. Brilliant!!
There was a great speech by Richard Dreyfus last night on C-Span, called for the impeachment of the current robber barron administration. I’m hoping more calls happen.Let’s f’in roll!
In the meantime, listen to Mary chapin Carpenters’ “Stones in the Road”, get a tear in your eye and get fired up. Google the lyrics.
Have mercy on Iraq.
uncledad – comment no 13. No biggie – I just wondered if what the woman said on C-SPAN was correct and I figured that you would know even though you didn’t bring up the issue of the State Patrol. The lady sounded to be in her late 50’s or early 60’s and when the host quizzed her about the Patrol, she sounded very definite that she was making a correct statement.
Also, I did hear someone else bring it up on C-SPAN, I think today, when they called in. I also heard it on Public Radio. So, I think, as you mentioned, the port issue will bring it forth. Perhaps the Hoosier State will start protesting since I don’t think that the port issue is strictly a “red” “blue” issue. People are just getting rightfully pissed about this insane situation! Remember, I grew up as your neighbor state (Ohio).
Britwit,
I believe they (our state senators) voted on it today. But as you can imagine their is absolutely nothing anywhere about the results at the time of this post. Living in northwest Indiana is akin to being a refugee. We know everything about Chicago, Illinois, etc. but not much about what happens down in Marion County. Indiana’s state government website is absolutely no help. Karl Rove taught old Mitch well.
erinyes,
Stones in the road:
“Reminded of the starving children, we cleaned our plates with guilty minds”
I’m about the same age as MaryCC and recall my parents saying the same sort of things when I was young. But I always thought that if I threw away the food there was at least a chance that some starving person could get it? I mean if I ate everything on my plate how the hell would that feed someone. She brings up a good point but such quilt doesn’t feed anybody. I’ll have to listen to the rest of the album.
“The starving children have been replaced
by souls out on the street
We give a dollar when we pass
and hope our eyes don’t meet
We pencil in, we cancel out, we crave the corner suite
We kiss your ass, we make you hold, we doctor the receipt.
And the stones in the road leave a mark from whence they came
A thousand points of light or shame?
Baby, I don’t know…”
connect all the dots. none of this could have happened without 9/11.
9/11 was an inside job.
i’d stake my life on it.
The Dryfess speech (before the national press club) was fantastic. One of the best I have ever seen given. I ordered the video tape.
spearNmagicHelmet – comment no 23 – I agree that they allowed it to happen. Bush was not accepted as the President. Remember how he got help from his favorite Supreme, Scalia? Scalia stopped the recount. Gore should not have been a gentlemen and stepped out for the “good of the country”.
This White House admin had the fucking report that stated in the title that Osma was determined to strike us and they ignored. Condalezza was nervous and practically sweating bullets when she was questionned at the Senate hearing. She finally calmed down and was very comfortable and became stronger as she was stroked by the Republicans as she was talking about “chatter”. They didn’t have definitive info? What did they want? The day and time?
Bush has taken our country down such a bad road that it’s sickening. He calls himself an oil man. His dad or a friend or someone put him in the oil business. His business failed and he has failed at everything that he ever attempted to do.
I think that Gore needs to run again and try to “Get Amercia Back”. He should just point out all the fucking damage Bush has done and recapture what was rightfully his back in 2000. I don’t think Kerry should run again. I think the country might rally behind Gore. He got screwed by a failure who was a drunk and did cocaine.
Bush on CNN now to talk about War on Terror. He is talking before a gathering of the American Legion in DC area (probably wants to be in town to head to Camp David for weekend). He is going to discuss port agreement issue also.
James Wolcott has great article – T BOGG X 2.
NOTE to uncledad – he is commenting upon Bush being in Indiana.
Go to http://www.philly.com and see today’s Tony Auth political cartoon.
The paper also has an article, “Blackberry Disput Headed to Court”.
9/11 was an inside job.
No way. 9/ll took some degree of competence to pull off, which leaves out the Bushies. And Bush wouldn’t have spent several hours flapping about the country like a frightened pigeon had he known in advance.
JIM LEHRER: And Professor Abdullah, that brings to us the United States’ role in this now. Is there anything at all the U.S. could do to help calm this thing and keep this thing from blowing out of control?
THABIT ABDULLAH: I was hoping you wouldn’t ask me that question actually. But the United States has not been very helpful. I must tell you that I was one of those who rejoiced at the overthrow of the dictatorship, though I was like the majority of Iraqis, extremely suspicious of U.S. intentions.
I believe that the U.S. has missed one opportunity after another to play a positive role. From the beginning, they started to play the sectarian game in a country that has a very long history of secular politics as you noted — the lack of effective security, the Abu Ghraib scandals, the joke that is the reconstruction — one disaster after another.
Britwit-
I agree about Gore! He’s a guy with some foresight – sorely lacking in many others.
But, like Maha, I don’t think 9/11 was an inside job. That the Bush Admin was asleep at the wheel, though – that I’d agree with! It goes with the fumbling they’ve done with everything else. But I’ll bet he’s been the target of lots of personal terror threats we haven’t even heard of. Like I’ve said before, that’s why I wonder if that’s why he keeps such close ties with some of the royal family. Protection, you know? Remember Bush I’s near brush with assassination?
#29 –
Wow, it’s good to hear some reality for once. I’ve been hearing the same thing about Afghanistan, too.
my comment no 23 – Perhaps I wasn’t clear. I’m not saying that the Bush admin “planned” it but they allowed it to happen. What do you call it after they had the report with the title that I mentioned? They knew we were going to be attacked but didn’t do a damn thing. Why? Oh! They didn’t know the date and time and place? How about being prepared?
they allowed it to happen
They did allow it to happen, no question. But I disagree with #23 above, that 9/11 was an inside job.
Re: Comment 28….
9/11 an inside job, or the perfect storm?
Maybe POTUS was not informed by the “higher Authority”.
The nasty little factoids are:
NORAD failed
Three skyscrapers fell within their own footprints
The President flew the coop
The Vice President was in an “undisclosed secure location”
Bush with bull horn, get back to work!
Massive contamination of Lower Manhattan by WTC fallout.
Many deaths and health problems to follow…
Saddam was incorrectly ” linked” to the attack
Many people died.
The war in Afghanistan shifted from getting O’sama and Al CIA Duh to nailing the Taliban.
Karzai was hyped, installed, and now forgotten.
DU contamination of Afghanistan…
WMD!!, WMD!!, WMD!!, Oh My Friggin’ God!
Shock ‘N Awe (T.M..!)
Iraq is attacked, We’ll have to use nukes if they hit our troops with chemicals!!Massive DU contamination!
OIl Fields secured, whew! that was close!
Jessica Lynch…propaganda
Pat Tillman….propanganda
Bush serves the Troops thanksgiving turkey OOO Rah my ass.
Anthrax attack on the hill…. forgotten now.
Uday and Kusay blown away, that’ll learn’em!
Saddam found in “Spiderhole” We’re all kindergardeners now!
Mission accomplished! Cod Piece in place!!
Abu Garhaib, Git’mo. Lindsay England, Trailer trash Dominatrix in Cammo
Let’s play hide the casket!
So long “Freedom Fries”!
The Terrists!!! get plastic sheet and duct tape!( protest march in ALL major cities worldwide!!)
“Fool me once, shame on someotherfuckin’body but me! (Sheesh, even Gomer Pile got that line right!!)
We’re in the war to end all wars, but Tom Ridge, Colin Powell, Richard Clarke, GeorgeTennent, and Paul O’Neill resign to “spend more time with family!????
Terry Schiavo, got to save her!!! Fly to Florida, get Frist and Delay! Jebbie, you gotta help! OOPS, my Bad!
Enter Katrina…
Brownie, you’re dooing a HECKOFAWHACKJOB!!
N’awlins’ is lost, nobody says much ’bout Waveland,East Texas, or Biloxi anymore.
When it says LIBBY LIBBY On the label label label….
bye bye Libby!!!
AIPAC scandal!!! Larry Franklin bites it!
Rove on the ropes….
Bush wants to “reform” social security? Crap, they don’t let the boy use a steak knife!
He’s got that “reverse Midas touch!” Composting the world…
Sharon has stroke! He’s doing fine ( fit as a fiddle,for a totally brain dead fellow!)
I DON’T know Jack!! (Abramoff).
Cheney shoots buddy, buddy so sorry to cause a fuss, it’s only a Texas flesh wound!Shake it off, you old wuss!!(Note to POTUS- Keep Cheney away from fire arms and sharp objects! Guns and cocktails don’t mix! no sex on the beach for Dick!)
Cheney needs a “Dewars’ profile”
Iran in the cross hairs….
Three years into Iraq, the place is total FUBAR.
Wiretap!!!
Oooh oooh that smell, can’t you smell that smell? Can’t you smell that smell? The smell of death surrounds you!
Aye-Rabs running our Ports!!! Far left and far right freakin out!!
Aye-Rabs bad, Jews good. Half of America is scared stupid, one quarter is naturally stupid, the other quarter is undecided…
Pazuzu rising in Iraq, riots in Manilla, lahore, Jakarta!
Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie…..I’m Feelin’ Impeachy Keen today!
How ‘Bout you?
erinyes – your comment no 35 and my comment 28
Comment no 28 says nothing about an “inside job” as far as 9/11.
I think you got typed in the wrong comment.
No where on this blog do I say anywhere that it was an inside job.
I do think that this White House allowed 9/11 to happen. They had the report. This is different that “an inside job”.
FOX News wonders if all-out civil war in Iraq would be a good thing.
Screen capture:
http://mediamatters.org/static/images/item/cavuto-20060224-2.jpg
erinyes – your comment no 35
Thanks for reminding me of the faux turkey that Bush was displaying for the cameras. I think that he was over there getting Saddam’s personal pistol (I mean gun and nothing sexual, here) at the time and not just serving faux turkey. It’s been reported that Bush has Saddam’s pistol in his office. Don’t you know that he probably saw Saddam when he was over there to let Saddam know that he had his pistol and say “gottcha”. Remember Saddam in his underwear? How many times did we see that? Can’t you just see Bush and his cronies chuckling over that public humilitation?
Also, thanks for reminding me of Jessica. Remember her story about being raped and having “no memory of it occurring? What a disgrace to all women based on that comment. She was a few cards shy of a full deck.
We hear so many lies!
Show’nuff britwit! I got lost in the moment….
erinyes your comment no 35. You have a lot there and I’m absorbing in nibbles.
Freedom Fries – I thought that was a waste of time from the get-go. I forget who the “idiot” congressman was (I think that it was congress but might have been the senate). I don’t know if they passed a bill or what for the item to be renamed in the cafeteria or wherever they eat. I think it was the cafeteria that used to be close to the beauty shop. Why? Because the French President didn’t want to go to war against Iraq. Remember the Bush Twins appearing in a “fashiion spread” for perhaps Vanity Fair or some such fashiion magazine and it was stated that they were “not wearing French gowns”.
Go erinyes!… What, no accountability moment?
comment no 41 by Swami – not sure that I get it since you didn’t refer to a previous comment number.
What “accountability issue” are you referring to since there are so many??
Per chance, I had too much at happy hour!
Britwit — my comment #41 was addressed to erinyes( implied but not expressed) as thumbs-up for his technique of free association, a technique that my psychiatric counselor encourages me to use on my road to recovery.
I was wasn’t refering to an accountability “issue”, I was refering to the accountabilty “moment”. Which was when the American people endorsed the invasion of Iraq and gave their wholehearted approval to the events leading up to the invasion by re-electing Bush for a second term as President. The “moment” was our acceptance of full responsibility for invading Iraq, and no longer was it the responsibility of the Bush administration. Give us Barabus!