10.
By on Jun 19th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
10.
Number of U.S. Foreign Service Officers at the Baghdad Embassy, out of 200, who are proficient in Arabic.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
This grat news!
June 19th, 2007 at 11:09 pmI love bad news!
If we had more, we would be able to communicate with Arabic speakers. If we could communicate with Arabic speakers, they would appear more human, people you can actually deal with – negotiate with. BushCo doesn’t have any interest in communicating with Arabic speakers.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:10 pmBullets and the electric chair need no translation.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:10 pmI’m actually a tad surprised that there are even that many!! keep up the good work!
June 19th, 2007 at 11:11 pmThis is good.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:11 pmAnything that makes Bush look bad is good!
And the wingbats think this is good. Morons
June 19th, 2007 at 11:12 pmDon’t be silly…it’s not as if anyone at that embassy is going to be expected to actually communicate with the dirty brown people…
</snark>
June 19th, 2007 at 11:12 pmWhat’s worse, the embassy employees probably speak Modern Standard Arabic, which is quite distinct from Mesopotamian Arabic.
So that means all ten speakers together probably add up to about three actuals fluents in Iraqi Arabic.
Nice.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:14 pmm12 sez:
Neither do IEDs, dolt. The downside of such “universal” methods of communication should be obvious.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:14 pmBullets and the electric chair need no translation.
Comment by m12 — June 19, 2007 @ 11:10 pm
You’re being too harsh, I’d only advocate prison time for BushCo.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:15 pmBullets and the electric chair need no translation.
Comment by m12 — June 19, 2007 @ 11:10 pm
nor anything resembling the virtues of our flag. You need to think my friend
June 19th, 2007 at 11:16 pmComment by Ceasar — June 19, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
=
Does not speak for the Senatus Populusque Americanus
June 19th, 2007 at 11:16 pmBushCo doesn’t have any interest in communicating with Arabic speakers.
Comment by Namtillaku
Really sad how openly mad they are ( Bushco and the trolls), in a, they need a straightjacket kind of way.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:16 pmReally sad how openly mad they are ( Bushco and the trolls), in a, they need a straightjacket kind of way.
Comment by Wayne — June 19, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
Things are really coming unglued. The RNC email thing is going to explode on them – one indication is the fact that it’s SO egregious yet check the front page of all the MSM outlets – nothing. The RNC email thing is the one that will bring BushCo down.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:19 pmLOL Bush only cares if the Embassy staff can say “Give us the oil” in Arabic.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:20 pmIt seems Bush can’t speak English also.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:21 pmيعطينا [م12] وصغيرة يبالى متعصبات [ترّوروريستس]M12 أمل بما أنّ هو وأنا
June 19th, 2007 at 11:21 pmيكون واØدة ÙÙŠ ال Ù†Ùس.
Your Conscience, my arabic is rusty but that looks like you stated
“M12 and small minded bigots give us terrororists hope as he and I are one in the same.”
Is that correct? Am I close?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:24 pmجدّا قريبا
Very close, and very good.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:27 pmas he and I are one in the same.â€
Is that correct? Am I close?
Comment by Heterodoxy
Very close, and very good.
Comment by Your Conscience
It does tend to work out that way, doesn’t it?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:31 pmEverytime I think of my conscience, I can only see that little freak that used to mess with Fred Flintsone but he never could do that cool keyboarding stuff. I am an old duff. How do you learn arabic and keyboard it? Very cool! Please tell me that #17 tells M12 to smarten up.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:35 pmComment by Jim Wolf359 — June 19, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
Good name. Are we making our last stand against the Borg here?:-)
June 19th, 2007 at 11:35 pm#9
You falsely assume that Islamic fundamentalists can be reasoned with.
These men have already called for our allies to be wiped off the map, counting down the end to Israel’s existence.
And they are constructing weapons of mass destruction. I don’t know about you, but most people don’t usually hang those on Christmas trees.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:42 pmEverytime I think of my conscience, I can only see that little freak that used to mess with Fred Flintsone but he never could do that cool keyboarding stuff.
Comment by dbadass — June 19, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
You mean the Great Gazoo?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:42 pmm12 > is a GOPer Borg troll > we all must be assimulated or destroyed.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:47 pmComment by Jay Randal — June 19, 2007 @ 11:47 pm
Resistance is NOT futile!
June 19th, 2007 at 11:49 pmComment by m12
Maybe you need a deadbolt on the door of the basement you sit shivering of fear in.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:49 pmYour fear makes you irrational.
m12 > is a GOPer Borg troll > we all must be assimulated or destroyed.
Comment by Jay Randal — June 19, 2007 @ 11:47 pm
His life
as he has known it
is over.
From this point forward,
he will service
us.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:49 pm24
June 19th, 2007 at 11:50 pmThanks! Couldn’t bring it up. The years of subversive thought may have broken some synapatic connections. I still hear God though! Well I think it might be God. I don’t know. I need a miracle….
Cheers
You are welcome, but don’t be too impressed. I looked it up in a trivia book. ;)
June 19th, 2007 at 11:54 pmComment by Wayne A. Schneider
So, ah, Wayne… how’s that knot on your head doing?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:57 pmI have written this previously on other threads, but shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor the FDR administration set up intensive Japanese-language schools on military bases. Although Japanese is also a difficult language with a completely different writing system, some of the best students became not only fluent but also good enough to crack military codes before the war ended. This invasion of Iraq has been going on even longer than US participation in WWII, yet the Bush administration has done virtually nothing to increase the number of people competent in Arabic in the foreign service and intelligence agencies.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:59 pmThe m2 troll can only think of bullets and electric chairs and doesn’t even have the brains to realize that interpreters/translators are necessary for intelligence-gathering.
Bush lovers are members of the GOPer Borg hive and are incapable of thinking for themselves. They operate as a collective mind, but a brain that is dysfunctional and not able to process information rationally.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:59 pmSo, ah, Wayne… how’s that knot on your head doing?
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 19, 2007 @ 11:57 pm
What knot??? I don’t remember any knot? Who are you, anyway? And who’s that strange woman sitting across the table from me with a bloody rolling pin next to her? And who am I? I didn’t order this steak!
Shhh, there’s a really cute girl sitting across the table from me. I think I’ll ask her out. Oh, it looks like she cooks.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:00 amThe m2 troll can only think of bullets and electric chairs and doesn’t even have the brains to realize that interpreters/translators are necessary for intelligence-gathering.
Comment by Lora
Well, clearly, Lora, m12 and the president he worships aren’t interested in intelligence, are they?
June 20th, 2007 at 12:00 amOh, it looks like she cooks.
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Righto! Onion rings coming right up!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:01 amm12 sez:
*You* falsely assume that everyone in Iraq is an “Islamic fundamentalist”. You also falsely assume that such fundamentalists cannot be reasoned with (although you might have a case if they’re at all similar to the idiotic Christian fundamentalists that Chimpy is so proud to number himself along).
Sounds like you’re referring to Ahmadinejad’s alleged call to “wipe Israel off the map”. Too bad that this call is actually the fabrication of the corrupt and complicit corporate media we have here in the U.S.. Check here for the truth of the matter.
At present, there is zero evidence of this, but don’t let that stop you.
(BTW, how exactly did this become about Iran, dolt? You do know that Baghdad is in Iraq, right?)
June 20th, 2007 at 12:01 amRighto! Onion rings coming right up!
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 20, 2007 @ 12:01 am
Did I ever tell you what onion rings remind me of? :D
June 20th, 2007 at 12:03 amComment by TripMaster Monkey
tripmaster, you should know by now that m12 NEVER lets facts get in the way of a pointless argument.
Geez, you guys are getting all serious on us here…
June 20th, 2007 at 12:03 amDid I ever tell you what onion rings remind me of? :D
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Uh, why, no, Wayne, you never did. Please feel free to elucidate.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:04 amUh, why, no, Wayne, you never did. Please feel free to elucidate.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 20, 2007 @ 12:04 am
Well, you know the part of a woman’s anatomy where…
June 20th, 2007 at 12:05 amمتØجرا انها لا ترقى ابدا. الوهم والوهم هو الكذب على النÙس ان يتمكنوا من السيطرة على آخر ØŒ وعندما ÙŠÙشل البداءيه ØŒ ويجهل
الارهابيون هم وقود واØدة ÙÙŠ Ù†Ùس بداÙع الخو٠يديالوغويس بسيطة الذهن وعدم الراØØ©.
القوة ما عليهم لانهم خسروا معركة Ø§Ù„Ø±ÙˆØ ÙˆØ§Ù„Ø¹Ù‚Ù„
M12 and terrorists are one in the same, fear driven idealogues, simple minded and afraid. Petrified that they do not measure up and never will. The illusion and delusion is lying to oneself that they can control another human being and when that fails primitive and ignorant force is all they have since they have lost the battle of the spirit and mind.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:07 amWell, you know the part of a woman’s anatomy where…
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Yeeesss???
June 20th, 2007 at 12:07 amTROS, don’t encourage him!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:08 amRighto! Onion rings coming right up!
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 20, 2007 @ 12:01 am
Did I ever tell you what onion rings remind me of? :D
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider — June 20, 2007 @ 12:03 am
And now we’ve come full circle. And yes, I meant circle … and come. Now get off my case.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:09 amYeeesss???
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 20, 2007 @ 12:07 am
Was that out loud? Hey, where’s that steak I ordered?? And who is that strange woman over there with a bloody rolling pin? Christ, I’ve such a f*cking headache! I wonder what brought that on?
Hold it, there’s that cute girl again…
June 20th, 2007 at 12:10 amTROS, don’t encourage him!
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
Well Jane, I’m fraid that ship has sailed. There is NO GOING BACK.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:11 amTROS, don’t encourage him!
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
What??? What??? What did I say? Not once have I mentioned Bradley Schlongman in this convesation.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:11 amAnd now we’ve come full circle. And yes, I meant circle … and come. Now get off my case.
Comment by shane — June 20, 2007 @ 12:09 am
Wait, shouldn’t that have been “Now you jerks–off my case!”
June 20th, 2007 at 12:11 amHold it, there’s that cute girl again…
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider — June 20, 2007 @ 12:10 am
Just wondering, are you wearing anything blue?
June 20th, 2007 at 12:13 amWow, that is an imporovement (10). I read an article several months ago that state that only 4 people at this new enormous embassy spoke Arabic..
June 20th, 2007 at 12:13 amtripmaster, you should know by now that m12 NEVER lets facts get in the way of a pointless argument.
Geez, you guys are getting all serious on us here…
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
I haven’t seen that any trolls–not to mention the Bush administration–ever let facts get in the way.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:13 amThe Republic of Stupidity,
I think she likes me. Wish me luck!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:14 amWell Jane, I’m fraid that ship has sailed. There is NO GOING BACK.
Comment by shane
Indeed, Shane, indeed…
(Cue up music…)
We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine… we all live…
June 20th, 2007 at 12:14 amAn improvement of 250%!! Wow! Good news at last!!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:14 amWait, shouldn’t that have been “Now you jerks–off my case!â€
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
Alas, a missed opportunity. : o
June 20th, 2007 at 12:14 amI haven’t seen that any trolls–not to mention the Bush administration–ever let facts get in the way.
Comment by Lora
See, Lora, that’s because you insist on living in a fact-based reality. To the Brusch Admin, there are no “facts”, per se. Like the Geneva Conventions, BruschCoâ„¢ considers “facts” to be quaint and out-dated.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:19 amAn improvement of 250%!! Wow! Good news at last!!
Comment by JG
Well if you believe every thing that’s said at a State Department press briefing … and then there’s always the chance they’ll decide some of the 10 are … gasp, GAY.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:19 amI think she likes me. Wish me luck!
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Hmmm, isn’t that a rolling pin in one hand?
Oh, waitress, extra large bottle of Extra-Strength Tylenolâ„¢ for my friend over here!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:20 amand then there’s always the chance they’ll decide some of the 10 are … gasp, GAY.
Comment by shane
Well, if they’re truly cunning linguists, isn’t that a given?
June 20th, 2007 at 12:21 am: o
Comment by shane — June 20, 2007 @ 12:14 am
Hey, that looks like an onion ring!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:23 amand then there’s always the chance they’ll decide some of the 10 are … gasp, GAY.
Comment by shane — J
Of course, gay people are so much more scary than Al Qaeda, the Taliban, etc. (sarcasm off)
June 20th, 2007 at 12:24 amIn reality, some of the best interpreters/translators of Japanese during WWII turned out to be gay. The war probably would have lasted a lot longer without them.
You falsely assume that Islamic fundamentalists can be reasoned with.
Comment by m12
They can. Bush uses to hold hands with them and Cheney just visited them.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:25 am“Of course, gay people are so much more scary than Al Qaeda…”
Comment by Lora
What!?! You’ve never heard of Al Queerda?
June 20th, 2007 at 12:26 amDo you guys have any idea how hard it is to stick to a diet with all this talk of onion rings?
June 20th, 2007 at 12:26 amI wonder what they call them in Arabic…
As long as they can clean the pool
June 20th, 2007 at 12:26 amWhat!?! You’ve never heard of Al Queerda?
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
Thanks for the laugh.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:27 amI wonder what they call them in Arabic…
Comment by SKdeA — June 20, 2007 @ 12:26 am
Vaginas.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:28 amIt’s been a real hoot tonight and it’s time for dinner…
Hmmm… onion rings? Naaaah, I don’t think so.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:29 amHold it, there’s that cute girl again…
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Where are you again? :}
June 20th, 2007 at 12:30 amWhere are you again? :}
Comment by Juan C — June 20, 2007 @ 12:30 am
Home. He’s delusional.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:31 amLong story, Juan C. Check out the “Onion Rings” thread (a/k/a Althouse’s Clinton Obsession). That’s where it all started. It was fun.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:32 amEverytime I think of my conscience, I can only see that little freak that used to mess with Fred Flintsone but he never could do that cool keyboarding stuff. I am an old duff. How do you learn arabic and keyboard it? Very cool! Please tell me that #17 tells M12 to smarten up.
Comment by dbadass — June 19, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
Thanks for the id, Wayne!!!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:40 amNow is it just me or do those characters clearly say “Wise Up”?
Little help here!
Whatever it says, please do not let either of my princesses come home with any more tatoos
Re: Fred “Rent a truck, drive a late model” “Faux-Populist hack phony” Thompson. It’s not just theory that $51 million US tax dollars were spent on Jihadist textbooks sent to hundreds of madrassas in Afghanistan, also funded with our money under Bonzo Reagan, and it’s not just an episode of a purile overwrought phony piece of teevee propaganda bullshit masquerading as some sort of self-righteous excuse to pervert actual law and order for the oil/weapons/nuclear status quo that profits from killing our Best and Bravest while pointing its bloody fingers at so-called unpatriotic liberals. It’s fact. Fred Thompson is the loony fringe traitorous emboldener of our enemies for supporting the nurturing of radical terrorists by his very own totally corrupt GOP. Oh, and google the 1 hour 45 minute documentary “Take Back 9/11″
June 20th, 2007 at 12:42 amI wonder what they call them in Arabic…
Comment by SKdeA — June 20, 2007 @ 12:26 am
Vaginas.
Comment by Jane E. Schneider — June 20, 2007 @ 12:28 am
I find that when I am overseas, I just can’t get the word out of my mouth.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:42 amI find that when I am overseas, I just can’t get the word out of my mouth.
Comment by dbadass — June 20, 2007 @ 12:42 am
How often does it come up in conversation? ;-) Now I REALLY have to get some sleep!
Goodnight, all!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:47 amfind that when I am overseas, I just can’t get the word out of my mouth.
Comment by dbadass — June 20, 2007 @ 12:42 am
How often does it come up in conversation? ;-) Now I REALLY have to get some sleep!
Goodnight, all!
Comment by Jane E. Schneider — June 20, 2007 @ 12:47 am
Rarely, what with the full mouth and all
June 20th, 2007 at 12:50 am190.
Number of U.S. Foreign Service Officers at the Baghdad Embassy, out of 200, who are proficient at contributing to the GOP, or kissing Dubya’s butt.
Cheers,
June 20th, 2007 at 1:05 amHome. He’s delusional.
Comment by Jane E. Schneider — June 20, 2007 @ 12:31 am
Long story, Juan C. Check out the “Onion Rings†thread (a/k/a Althouse’s Clinton Obsession). That’s where it all started. It was fun.
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider
Bah, I thought you were in Hooters /Jason M. Hendler :)
June 20th, 2007 at 1:06 amWell, if they’re truly cunning linguists, isn’t that a given?
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — June 20, 2007 @ 12:21 am
I can say with 100% certainty, NO.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:16 am: o
Comment by shane — June 20, 2007 @ 12:14 am
Hey, that looks like an onion ring!
Comment by Jane E. Schneider
Why yes, I believe it does. But just an onion ring, jeesh.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:17 am190.
Number of U.S. Foreign Service Officers at the Baghdad Embassy, out of 200, who are proficient at contributing to the GOP, or kissing Dubya’s butt.
Cheers,
Comment by Arne Langsetmo
No debate on this stat. Good one Arne.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:20 amAre the 190 who do not know Arabic taking classes in the language? Or is it too much to ask?/
June 20th, 2007 at 1:57 am#83 Devil’s Advocate
June 20th, 2007 at 6:17 amYes, competence is too much to ask of the Bush administration and its various appointees.
#37
Iraq is the gateway to the next phase of the war in Iran.
Whomever is the next President will have to continue the fight.
June 20th, 2007 at 6:52 amComment by m12 — June 20, 2007 @ 6:52 am
Not much of a rebuttal, m12. Care to try again, or should we just consider this subject closed?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:34 amWhomever is the next President will have to clean up Bushco’s mess-and fight for restoration of our civil liberties and the rule of law. And replace all the incompetents in the Iraq embassy. And add onion rings to the embassy’s menu?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:37 amWhomever(SIC) is the next President will have to continue the fight.
Comment by m12
Which fight do you mean, m2?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:51 amPs. Although I am somewhat glad to see someone using the somewhat neglected “whomever,” yoiur usage of it here is wrong. For a subject followed by a verb (eg. “is”), “whoever” is the correct form; “whomever” should be used as an object (such as in “pick whomever you like”).
Pps. Have you finally grasped the need for Arabic interpreters/translators in the US foreign service and intelligence agencies, or are you opposed to gathering intelligence that would be useful to the war on terror?
I guess the State Department does not think its an important posting!
June 20th, 2007 at 8:59 amAnd yet another reason why we are losing the war in Iraq.
June 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm