So the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi's are non-people in your opinion?
So the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi's are non-people in your opinion?
Many US energy companies had already been chosen to go into Iraq and get their hands on the oil and other reconstruction efforts.
They waited and waited for improved security, and when it didn't happen they dropped their feasibility studies and plans.
These companies were in the mix after it became clear the US was invading, and before the invasion began.
Not a meaningful comparison either.Originally Posted by Bugs
The "Iraq War" was won 5 years ago, the casualties relate to the occupation, not any war. And of course, as mentioned already, US military casualties are not the only ones which count.![]()
More good news:
Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish Parties Close Ranks Against Al-Sadr's Movement in Iraq.
"Iraq's major Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties have closed ranks to force anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to disband his Mahdi Army militia or leave politics, lawmakers and officials involved in the effort said Sunday.
Such a bold move risks a violent backlash by al-Sadr's Shiite militia. But if it succeeds it could cause a major realignment of Iraq's political landscape."
It's only going to get better...![]()
A Deplorable Bitter Clinger
Followed by:
We don't know if these splinter groups that are acting semi-independently and independently of al-Sadr will disband and put their weapons down.It's only going to get better...![]()
And we don't know if Sayyid Moqtada al-Sadr will agree not only in the near, but long term future.
Note the post above the desertions in the Iraqi army, including two commanders.
It's a carousal of dysfunction and factional fighting.
............
Well, victory is in the air and it's a foul odor to the left-wing crowd who say we can't win and have to withdraw as soon as possible. To keep repeating "we are losing & let's just leave" does nothing but give aid & comfort to the enemy...![]()
It's not about "left" or "right."
This is an Iraqi issue.
Who's the enemy? Sunnis? Sunni Wahabbis? al-Hakim? al-Sadr? al-Maliki and the Dawa party? The Mahdi army? The Suhwa?To keep repeating "we are losing & let's just leave" does nothing but give aid & comfort to the enemy...![]()
Originally Posted by Boon Mee
It's not the " Jokes and funny stories" section Boon Mee.

It is now a matter of public record that the CIA knew, in advance, there was no Al-Queda link and certainly no yellow cake shipments from Niger (for a start). They were bullied into giving the "intel" the Bush admin wanted to hear (ditto the British and their claim of a "45 minute" wmd attack capability and their subsequent discrediting and suicide of a British scientist who thought otherwise).
Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. -Oscar Wilde
Some of you tools just can't fathom the thought that the US is coming out of this conflict with a much better Iraq, relatively few casualties, having done it by themselves, despite a democratically-elected Iraqi government moving very slowly to own up to its responsibilities.
I can't imagine how or why some of you try to desperately hard to discredit that feat. Must suck to be you.![]()
Never mind these guys Bugs, they're just frantically flippin' switches hoping the lights will turn on somewhere. Stick around in this thread long enough and you'll see the kitchen sink do a flyby.![]()
More good news with Mookie bailing, eh?
"BAGHDAD - Hundreds of people fled fighting in Baghdad's Shiite militia stronghold Monday as U.S. and Iraqi forces increased pressure on anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who faces an ultimatum to disband his Mahdi Army or face a ban from Iraqi politics."
Aides to Muqtada al-Sadr called Monday for dialogue to resolve a violent standoff with the Iraqi government, saying that the radical Shiite cleric would disband his militia if senior religious leaders ordered it.
"Aide Hassan al-Zarqani said from Iran that al-Sadr will consult Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and other top Shiite clerics if the government continues to pressure al-Sadr to disband the militia or see his candidates banned from upcoming elections.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned al-Sadr on Sunday to disband his militia or face a ban from politics."
Muqtada al-Sadr may be looking for a way to throw in the towel: Al-Sadr calls for dialogue in Iraq.

Millions of refugees fleeing the country, hundreds of thousands of civilians killed, infrastructure in ruins, and ongoing civil war. Yea that's real progress. 5 years of it!
Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator, but he held the country together under the force of an iron fist. His removal has created a power vacuum and destabilized the country. That has to be painfully obvious. Only another ruthless strongman is going to be able to control the competing factions. Genuine democracy isn't going to work in this ethnically fractured country that was thrown together by the western powers after WW1.
The Kurds are going along with the idea of an Iranian democracy now because it suits their purposes at the moment. But they want their own independent state as shown by their terrorist war against Turkey.
So long as the US seeks to control the Iraqi government there will be ongoing rebellion from resistance militia groups. US interference in the Middle East simply feeds the growth of radical Islamists and subsequent terrorist reprisals.
Bush and his Neocon mates created this mess and they have no way to fix it now. No way is Iraq going to become a homogeneous peaceful democracy in our lifetimes. I think McCain was right when he said it will take 100 years of occupation by USA.
This talk of victory every time there is some seemingly upbeat news from Iraq is pure Hype anyway. The absolute best that can be hoped for now is a Pyrrhic victory- pacifying the country enough to get some oil flowing and inward investment coming. But the cost of the War in every respect has already far outweighed what was hoped to be gained.
Don't forget that each American family is paying a monthly average of $400 for this war. What else could you do with around US$5,000 per year? Well maybe-
Cause oil prices to skyrocket (and make sure you have Money there)
Cost the lives of around 1 million people
Plunge another country into violent anarchy
Put the US government in a financial hole
Lie to your people and the rest of the world
Degrade the mighty USD
Encourage Islamic extremism
Turn a once secular state into three fiefdoms run by competing Islamic sects
Award $50,000,000,000 of generous government 'No bid' contracts to your Vice Presidents old company, in which he has a very large interest.
Make sure Carlyle is taken well care of for Junior (they've still managed to stuff it up); and generous friends such as Blackwater, big oil, the Arms industry and so on. If you're rich, ya gotta take care of your cronies in the Club.
So I guess you could say, the Bush administration got a mighty Bang for your Buck.![]()

Yes, a bang right up the collective American/Iraqi ass
and no kissjust a very, very large bill
Add to that the fruitless search for wmds; the CIA put together what they knew from the first invasion (which was a lot) with the UN and the US not ever finding anything the second time and they knew then that Saddam must have gotten rid of all of it, confirming previous intelligence. George Tennet specifically told them that but was quickly brought to heel, and after that said whatever they wanted him to say. He was rather annoyed when the gwb admin later blamed the CIA for bad intelligence! Later he resigned and was given a medal of some sort. Tennet the Toady.
Last edited by Hootad Binky; 08-04-2008 at 07:47 AM.

Maybe you can catch the next boat, seeing as you've obviously missed that one. The US wants nothing more than for Iraq to take control. The US knows it's viewed as an outsider. I think your primary obstacle to understanding is that the US really doesn't want anything but a stabilized region and a democratic Iraq.
Granted that's a foreign concept to most Europeans who can't fathom floating a farthing for someone else ... Just watch helplessly as you slide further into obscurity with your outdated views on globalism. Keep looking inward, the answer's gotta be there somewhere.Better yet, hold a few high-level meetings where the ultimate conclusion will be to hold a few more high-level meetings.
Isn't there a torch-bearer somewhere out there you guys should be tackling?

Rather abusive there Texpat. Must be having a bad hair day.
Only one coherent sentence in the whole three paragraphs.
Seems I must have touched a nerve somewhere.
Good old USA to the rescue. You guys are so self-sacrificing. Never thinking of yourselves.
So the whole idea of invading is now to stabilize the region and bring democracy to Iraq? Forget the WMDs. That was just bad intelligence.
I have to wonder why the Yanks didn't invade Saudi Arabia in the name of democracy if what you claim is correct. Since Saudi Arabia is ruled by a dictatorship which imposes a very repressive Islamic regime on its people. But no, instead the US maintains the Saudis as one of their biggest military weapons customers. And of course the grateful Saudi Royal blood suckers in return keep the taps on their countries oil reserves turned up.
I sometime wonder if you war mongers actually believe the crap you spew out.
.....Originally Posted by Panda
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You are joking, right?
Weren't you one of the guys going on about the spoils of war and how the US and UK and their favoured companies would obviously get first picks?![]()
And what does this odd rant about "Europeans" supposedly have to do with Iraq News, I wonder?Granted that's a foreign concept to most Europeans who can't fathom floating a farthing for someone else ... Just watch helplessly as you slide further into obscurity with your outdated views on globalism. Keep looking inward, the answer's gotta be there somewhere....
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