The Iraq insurgency is now self-sustaining financially,
By on Nov 25th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
The Iraq insurgency is now self-sustaining financially,
“raising tens of millions of dollars a year from oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting, corrupt charities and other crimes that the Iraqi government and its American patrons have been largely unable to prevent, a classified United States government report has concluded.”
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Great.
Nice work, Worst Administration Ever.
November 25th, 2006 at 8:39 pmIraq: The War of the Imagination
By Mark Danner
Anyone seeking to understand what has become the central conundrum of the Iraq war—how it is that so many highly accomplished, experienced, and intelligent officials came together to make such monumental, consequential, and, above all, obvious mistakes, mistakes that much of the government knew very well at the time were mistakes—must see beyond what seems to be a simple rhetoric of self-justification and follow it where it leads: toward the War of Imagination that senior officials decided to fight in the spring and summer of 2002 and to whose image they clung long after reality had taken a sharply separate turn.
NYRB, Volume 53, Number 20 · December 21, 2006 · Holiday Issue
November 25th, 2006 at 8:44 pmSee, the Iraq war IS paying for itself!
-GSD
November 25th, 2006 at 8:46 pmThe Iraq insurgency is now self-sustaining financially
If the UN weapons inspectors had been allowed to complete their work what would be happening in Iraq today?
If the UN weapons inspectors had been allowed to prove what Dr Kay finally proved afterward what would be happening in Iraq today?
Bush deserves to be renditioned to Iraq where he can live out the rest of his life in Sadr City.
November 25th, 2006 at 8:52 pmArrest Bush & Cheney. Subject them to the terms of the Military Commissions Bill.
November 25th, 2006 at 9:07 pm#5
November 25th, 2006 at 9:24 pmThat’s so true! What are we waiting for? Arrest them now. What else has to happen? Dropping Nukes on Iran? WW III? It’s beyond comprehension that there is obviously no more controlling instance to the works of the WH. Nicely done. They sure learned their lessons from the ‘great thinkers’ of the ‘government’ in Germany 1933-1945.
The Iraq Insurgencyâ„¢ – Brought to You By Halliburton®, Zapata Engineering®, and the White Haus®…
November 25th, 2006 at 9:32 pmBAGHDAD, Nov. 25 — The insurgency in Iraq is now self-sustaining financially, raising tens of millions of dollars a year from oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting, connivance by corrupt Islamic charities and other crimes that the Iraqi government and its American patrons have been largely unable to prevent, a classified United States government report has concluded. … – New York Times
Should read “…that the Iraqi government and its American patrons have been largely unwilling to prevent…”
November 25th, 2006 at 9:37 pmThis is what we wnt over to Iraq for? A generation of people who will hat America for generations to come.
November 25th, 2006 at 9:38 pmFYI:
November 25th, 2006 at 9:45 pmhttp://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/16092045.htm
It is becoming more and more evident our policy in the Middle East is spinning out of control. Iraq is imploding. We have less influence each day. Then we allowed Isreal to destroy southern Lebanon strenghtening Hamas, Iran and Syria. This team of all stars have placed the indespensible power in an untenable position regarding energy resources.
November 25th, 2006 at 9:51 pmyou do have to ask yourself where all these Charitable organizations concerned for the Iraqi people were during Saddams Rule, though.
November 25th, 2006 at 9:56 pmThis is what really matters:
November 25th, 2006 at 9:57 pmBy Courtney Dentch. Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) — US retail sales rose 6 percent to $8.96 billion yesterday, the first day of the holiday shopping season, as discounts and lower gasoline costs encouraged consumers to buy more gifts,…
#9, Karim: This is what we wnt over to Iraq for? A generation of people who will hat America for generations to come.
Exactly!
Generations!
As you may know already, prior to the deposing of Saddam Hussein, Iraqis use to sit in teashops in Bagdhad puffing away while cussing out Ghengis Khan, i.e. the marauder who sacked and defiled ancient Babylon about 800 years ago.
800 years ago!!
With the American sacking and defiling of Bagdhad (a modern holiest of holies) and the Internet, TV, newspaper imagery of Abi Ghraib in mind, how long do you think it will take before Iraqis stop cussing out Americans?
Who knows?
November 25th, 2006 at 9:58 pm311, darby1936: We have less influence each day.
Bush surrenders Iraq to Maliki’s death squads
by Ahmed Amr
Saturday November 4, 2006
When the time eventually comes to make historic documentaries about the Iraq war, there is one scene that will leave no doubt about the dark and sinister nature of George W. Bush. The timing is a week before mid-term elections. Along with his senior aides, the president is holding a videoconference with Nouri Al-Maliki – the Prime Minister of Iraq. After an extraordinary public feud, the two men kiss and make up in front of the cameras. But both walk away from the encounter – which was initiated at the request of Maliki – with the understanding that the United States will abandon efforts to tackle the death squads in Iraq.
The hastily arranged meeting was the result of a little spat between the administration and the Iraqi government on how best to deal with reign of terror in Iraq – largely attributed to Iranian trained and indoctrinated Shia militants that have infiltrated Maliki’s security forces.
A week earlier, the American military had attempted to arrest a notorious death squad leader by the name of Abu Deraa. But because the Prime Minister’s political allies are also the parties and militias that field the death squads – Maliki intervened to prevent similar ‘violations of Iraqi sovereignty’ from taking place in the future. As the Commander In Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Maliki was making a power play and exercising his ‘right’ to protect his death squad allies from any interference by Bush’s troops.
But Maliki didn’t stop there. He demanded more American funding and accelerated training of the very same Iraqi security forces that moonlight as death squads. And, of course, Bush had no other option but to comply with the absurd request to provide American tax dollars to further enhance the criminal capabilities of the militia infested police and army.
November 25th, 2006 at 10:01 pm#13, impossible, don’t you know that Consumer Confidence is down, fuel prices are up, the economy is out of whack, and the sky is falling
November 25th, 2006 at 10:18 pmSomething to ponder:
…submitted by a very good friend of mine. I think it has to do a lot with what’s happening in the world right now…
Mouse Story ….
A mouse looked through the
crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
“What food might this contain?” The mouse wondered -
he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard,
the mouse proclaimed the
warning.
“There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap
in the house!”
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and
said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you
but it is of no consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it.”
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a
mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”
The pig sympathized, but said,
“I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse,
but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.
Be assured you are in my prayers.”
The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There is a
mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!”
The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse.
I’m sorry for you,
but it’s no skin off my nose.”
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap– alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house –
like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the
darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake
whose tail the trap had caught.
The snake bit the farmer’s wife.
The farmer rushed her
to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup,
so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.
But his wife’s sickness continued,
so friends and neighbors came
to sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.
The farmer’s wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came
for her funeral, the farmer
had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great
sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it
doesn’t
concern you,
remember –
when one of us is threatened,
we are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out
for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
REMEMBER:
EACH OF US IS A VITAL
THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON’S TAPESTRY;
OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.
One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.
November 25th, 2006 at 10:34 pmOne of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.
Comment by ItsJustKarma
Well said, Karma.
November 25th, 2006 at 10:39 pmIndeed Karma you are spot on..I feel sad that I have not been as successful at enlightening people as I would like to be for our survival depends on recognizing the fine line we walk and the silver cord that connects us all…
Hello Zooey! Hope all is well. The Chi is unusually sullen tonite..Karma senses it also.
November 25th, 2006 at 11:01 pmHello Zooey! Hope all is well. The Chi is unusually sullen tonite..Karma senses it also.
Comment by Zep Tepi
Hello Zep. The energy is low, as the season turns frozen and dark. This is a time of transition — seasonally, as well as politically. The winter solstice marks the beginning of more light each day, and the New Year may bring enlightenment and hope.
November 25th, 2006 at 11:23 pmNice reporting. Something sorely lacking in today’s society.
Gee, how long before the wingnuts start calling for the lynching of JOHN F. BURNS and KIRK SEMPLE for the gall of unearthing this important information?
Note To Wingnuts: It’s called r-e-p-o-r-t-i-n-g. If reporters only reported the obvious, they’d be called s-t-e-n-o-g-r-a-p-h-e-r-s.
November 25th, 2006 at 11:33 pmHello Zep. The energy is low, as the season turns frozen and dark. This is a time of transition — seasonally, as well as politically.
The winter solstice marks the beginning of more light each day, and the New Year may bring enlightenment and hope.
I truly hope so we find that enlightenment within us all Zoo.
GNite!
November 26th, 2006 at 12:28 amI really wish they had a link to the report so that it could be judged on it’s own merits.
November 26th, 2006 at 12:41 amBush claims to be trying to bring the Iraqi people democracy but they seem to be learning Republicanism instead.
November 26th, 2006 at 12:55 amThere is no sane way out anymore. Time to admit you have lost an get out as quick as you can. No amount of dead Americans can fill the holes in the dam.
November 26th, 2006 at 7:45 amNow that’s what I call spreading terrorism and not spreading democracy. Fools, each and everyone of them that follow Bush, Cheney and traitor Rove.
November 26th, 2006 at 9:06 amwhy is it not called a rebellion instead of insurgency? No matter the realm the indigenous people will fight an occupier to the death. The insuregents are freedom fighters trying to rid themselves of the occupiers.
November 26th, 2006 at 9:34 amThe greater failure is that of the western world (France & others), who wouldn’t support the voters of Iraq, and abandoned their efforts for self-determination.
People wonder how pre-WWII Germany could have marched through half of Europe unchallenged, but inaction is the first / last / most natural state of Democratic nations. Radical Islamists will now be emboldened to continue sweeping across the Middle East and Africa, and take down Israel once and for all.
November 26th, 2006 at 10:45 am> The greater failure is that of the western world (France & others), who wouldn’t
> support the voters of Iraq, and abandoned their efforts for self-determination.
Wow!? Trans-dimensional portal to alternate realities glimpsed! Care to explain?
November 26th, 2006 at 11:13 am#28 – Jason,
November 26th, 2006 at 11:16 amHitler’s forces did not march through Europe unopposed. They simply outgunned their enemies because they strategically merged infantry, armor and air power into a well-oiled war machine. The rest of Europe was prepared for a repeat of WWI – trench warfare. It took the Allies about three years to equip for the final thrusts into Nazi Europe. Meanwhile, resistance fighters were supplied with weapons that pinned down the German forces. Sound familiar?
It might be a good for the United States to become “self-sustaining financially” instead of borrowing Billions weekly with nothing to show but increased Chaos and a dollar worth less every day.
November 26th, 2006 at 11:19 amThe greater failure is that of the western world (France & others), who wouldn’t support the voters of Iraq, and abandoned their efforts for self-determination.
Comment by Jason M. Hendler — November 26, 2006 @ 10:45 am
Consistently for about a year now, Iraqis have been asking for the occupation to end. Poll after poll have reflected that reality. The Prime Minister and several other government officials have asked the occupiers to establish a timetable for their withdrawal.
Supporting, and respecting, Iraq’s right to self-determination means the occupiers should do as asked.
Ignoring the wishes of the people of Iraq, and remaining in Iraq indefinitely until some hazy goal comes to happen -all the while building “enduring” military bases- is not the way to help Iraqis in their way to self-determination. This should be obvious.
People wonder how pre-WWII Germany could have marched through half of Europe unchallenged, but inaction is the first / last / most natural state of Democratic nations.
So you think totallitarian regimes and tyrannies do a better job at protecting their citizens from an external aggression than democratic states. I guess the abuse, repression, torture, and denial of basic human rights are the price citizens have to pay for their “protection”. Internal aggression vs. external aggression. I see no difference but maybe you do.
It would follow that Iraqis under Saddam were better off than they are now, since they would have been better “protected”. The US and Europe need to drop their democratic pretensions as quickly as possible and adopt oppresive regimes -their citizens are not “protected”.
Radical Islamists will now be emboldened to continue sweeping across the Middle East and Africa, and take down Israel once and for all.
I find it odd when people think they know what will “embolden” radical islamists. It makes me wonder how can anyone know what fundamentalist militias are thinking or planning. But then maybe you are in communication with them, Mr. Hendler, or have psychic powers. Did you make this prediction based on your last reading of your Tarot cards? Tea leaves? How do you know what will “embolden” them, if anything at all? What fundamentlist Islamic state or militia has the capacity to “take down Israel”?
November 26th, 2006 at 11:21 amWaltTheMan,
Well said. Mr. Hendler seems to have forgotten all about the British refusal to surrender, the siege of Stalingrad, the French resistance, and the Polish cavalry charges. Not to mention the efforts in many other European nations to oppose the Nazis in any possible way.
November 26th, 2006 at 11:33 am#28, Jason M. Hendler: The greater failure is that of the western world (France & others), who wouldn’t support the voters of Iraq, and abandoned their efforts for self-determination. [snip] Radical Islamists will now be emboldened to continue sweeping across the Middle East and Africa, and take down Israel once and for all.
You are palpably ignorant.
Your post is laughably absurd.
HINT: The majority of Iraqis voted for individuals that are Islamic fundamentalists who have been trying to transform a secular Iraq (under Saddam Hussein) into an Islamic fundamentalist republic for over the last twenty years.
By deposing Saddam Hussein, Pres Bush with your support inadvertently fathered a burgeoning Islamic fundamentalist republic which has extremely close and long standing ties to Iran, Hezbollah, et al.
What is sick about this is that this burgeoning Islamic fundamentalist republic in Iraq is what Pres Bush has done in direct response to the horrific attacks of 9/11.
On 9/11, nearly three thousand people died horrible deaths and tens of billions of dollars in damage were incurred.
What did Bush do in response?
Bush inadvertently fathered the burgeoning Islamic fundamentalist republic in Iraq at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and $400 billion!!
[Keywords: 9/11, Iraq, Islamic fundamentalism, Sharia, Iran, democracy, Saddam Hussein, President Bush]
November 26th, 2006 at 11:47 am#32, Gregor Samsa: I find it odd when people think they know what will “embolden†radical islamists. It makes me wonder how can anyone know what fundamentalist militias are thinking or planning.
Cheney’s push for democracy has in fact emboldened AND empowered radical Islamists in Iran, Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt.
Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?
F. Gregory Gause III
From Foreign Affairs, September/October 2005
Summary: The Bush administration contends that the push for democracy in the Muslim world will improve U.S. security.
But this premise is faulty: there is no evidence that democracy reduces terrorism.
Indeed, a democratic Middle East would probably result in Islamist governments unwilling to cooperate with Washington
Beware of What You Wish For
F. Gregory Gause III
From foreignaffairs.org – author update, February 8, 2006
As I recently argued in Foreign Affairs (”Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?”, September/October 2005), however, Bush’s logic is flawed.
There is no evidence that states ruled by dictators produce more terrorists or more terrorism than democracies.
Moreover, al Qaeda and its affiliates and imitators see democracy as a Western innovation leading Muslims away from government based on Islamic law.
They would certainly not give up their jihad even if all Muslim countries became democratic, particularly if the democracies proved to be the kind that the United States would like to see: tolerant, pluralist, pro-American, and at peace with Israel.
November 26th, 2006 at 11:56 amLets compare Hitler and Saddam for a moment:
Hitler: Via a series of gradual increments, which went unapposed, gathered power. His militarisation of the Rhineland was ignored, as was his union with Austria. His invasion of Czechoslovakia was equally ignored. Europe, at the point of Hitler’s rise was suffering from the Great Depression as well as war weariness brought about by the massive casualties of WWI.
Saddam Hussein: His invasion of Kuwait was resoundingly crushed, as have all of his expansionist moves. Unlike Hitler, Saddam has had to contend with sanctions and hostile neighbours. Enforcement of the No-Fly zone in northern Iraq has not let up since its institution, to the point where US soldiers have suffered on the recieving end of it when failing to communicate just who they were.
Hitler, the world did nothing.
Saddam the world did quite a frigging lot, only retards like Jason fail to give credit where it is due, so they whine about “Nothing being done.”
November 26th, 2006 at 12:35 pmJust some more food for thought. Why is it that the MSM seems to always leave out who funds the Sunnis in this “sectarian violence”? Is it because they are funded by the US’s good buddies the Saudi’s? **sweeping gesture with arm** Discuss amongst yourselves.
November 26th, 2006 at 12:38 pmWhy did my post get deleted?
November 26th, 2006 at 12:50 pmNow it is back, weird. Sorry.
November 26th, 2006 at 12:52 pmIsn’t it called ‘State Of Denial’ on behalf of a majority of the people in the US? Why are there still no Impeachment procedures on their way? Why are the people who caused the most brutal conflict in decades not only still at large, but yet still in power?
November 26th, 2006 at 3:21 pmWHY?
Why is my post deleted?
November 26th, 2006 at 3:51 pmBluedahlia,
November 26th, 2006 at 4:17 pmWhich one – #37, #38 or #39? Did you try a refresh?
Funny…I’ve heard the same comments for years. The Iraqis are not capable of governing themselves. Well, they seems to have all the characteristics needed to govern themselves. Leadership, strength, tenacity, intelligence, resolve, love of country… I could go on and on. The point is the Iraqis don’t blindly serve the US. Who expects them to. They have the capability to govern. Why not let them do it? It may not be what we want but do they care?
November 26th, 2006 at 5:00 pm#33 – Gregor,
November 26th, 2006 at 10:07 pmOne of my uncles ferried bombers over to Khabarovsk (I think B-25’s) and returned with a wingman in a two-seater trainer. Up to DDay, he had flown about 200 over.
Cheney’s push for democracy has in fact emboldened AND empowered radical Islamists in Iran, Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt.
Comment by goodscarrier — November 26, 2006 @ 11:56 am
My problem with the expression “embolden the terrorists” begins with the fact that it was used extensively by the Bush administration and its minions to muzzle dissenting opinions. It bothers me even more that such an obviously flawed argument can been used with so much effect.
The argument “don’t do or say ‘X’ lest you embolden the terrorists” is fallacious not only because it implies the person saying it has some insight as to the state of mind of those “terrorists” (a clear impossibility in Mr. Hendler’s case), but also because there is no possible way those terrorists are scanning all that’s been said (or printed) and gaining courage from it.
Based on past experiences, someone can argue at length what radical islamists may do next. One can especulate what Iraq’s future might hold based on current trends. Someone may propose resulting scenarios (like the authors you cited), but there is no bloody way anyone can tell me that by saying “Iraq is an unmitigated disaster”, I am emboldening the terrorists. People use that argument to end a discussion they are losing, not to honestly debate the issues. That is exactly the way Mr. Hendler was using it because he is intellectually dishonest.
November 26th, 2006 at 11:19 pmWaltTheMan,
Nothing like family history to gain some perspective into past events, eh?
200 is a lot of bombers…
November 26th, 2006 at 11:32 pmWalt,
November 27th, 2006 at 9:53 amYes, I refreshed! I am talking about the post I made before 37. There was nothing (according to the new rules) in it to warrarnt deletion. I do not condone offensive posts. I guess I do not understand TP’s reasoning.
#46 – Gregor,
November 27th, 2006 at 4:28 pm200 bombers is a drop in the bucket when you consider the fatality list from the Soviet Union. They lost about 25.5 million people – 8.5 million of them military. FDR made an investment and traded Soviet lives for American lives. At the end of the war, it was estimated that American fatalities in Europe would have tripled had Hitler not invaded the Soviet Union.
#47 – Bluedahlia,
November 27th, 2006 at 4:33 pmThe SPAM filter tends to be somewhat impersonal. It does eat some innocent posts. Usually, the WEB hosts manage to fetch them back out.
Pay Day Loans
March 21st, 2008 at 4:58 pm