O’Hanlon’s ‘Soft Partition’ Plan Envisions Long-Term Occupation Of Iraq
O’Hanlon’s ‘Soft Partition’ Plan Envisions Long-Term Occupation Of Iraq
Prior to the invasion of Iraq, Brookings Institution senior fellow Michael O’Hanlon predicted, “The United States and coalition partners would win any future war to overthrow Saddam Hussein in a rapid and decisive fashion. This will not be another Vietnam or another Korea.”
Since that time, O’Hanlon has remained a steady supporter of the occupation of Iraq. In January 2007, in a piece entitled “A Skeptic’s Case For the Surge,” he wrote of the escalation, “It is still the right thing to try — as long as we do not count on it succeeding.” In March, O’Hanlon urged Congress to “give [Bush's] surge strategy a chance.”
With Bush’s escalation policy on the ropes, O’Hanlon earlier this month introduced a new plan to delay redeployment and maintain the U.S. occupation. He called for the “soft partition” of Iraq into three main regions. At a press conference, O’Hanlon explained the impact of his plan:
We do not think this will lead to an immediate troop reduction for the United States, at least not a major one. … So notionally, 155,000 U.S. forces now. If this plan were adopted in the course of the fall, you’re probably over a 100,000 U.S. forces throughout all of 2008, maybe even into 2009. And perhaps you settle into a range of perhaps 50,000 U.S. forces for perhaps several years thereafter.
Watch it:
With Congress mulling over a host of legislative proposals to deal with the future of Iraq, O’Hanlon is clamoring to get attention for his “soft partition” plan. Today, he appears on a panel in the Capitol building to discuss his proposal, along with the authors of the Center for American Progress’ Strategic Reset plan.
In a region torn by sectarian strife and civil war as a result of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, O’Hanlon believes the proper role for 100,000 American troops is to oversee the mass relocations of Sunnis and Shiites to different regions of the country. Clearly, O’Hanlon has learned nothing from the past four years.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Remember when the White House reassured us that the war on Iraq would last “weeks, not months”?
In less time than we’ve been at war in Iraq, FDR had defeated Japan, fascist Italy, and the Nazis. Bush can’t even defeat a third-world nation half the size of Texas.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:20 amhow does this differ from biden’s federalist plan?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:26 amPipe dream. Saddam used to have a million man army and we want to control Iraq with 150K troops? these guys must be smoking cracks.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 amLet’s see…….
Seize them in a hostile takeover.
Break them up and sell off their assets.
Iraq is to become a corporate raid on a monumental scale.
These imperialist chickenhawks are repulsive and anti American.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 amO’Hanlon: “It is still the right thing to try — as long as we do not count on it succeeding.â€
Ooo-kay. Why the hell isn’t this bloodthirsty warmonger not fighting for his beliefs in Iraq?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 amO’Hanlon (another “expert” who is wrong about everything) continues to spout ill-informed, dangerous (to the Iraqis and to us) crap. Either he comes up with this confused collection of bad ideas on his own, or he’s using someone else’s. After vomiting and farting for years, chasing away some guests while poisoning others, why does he get a place at the table? Who is paying him, and how much?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 amClearly, O’Hanlon has learned nothing from the past four years…
Along with the entire Bush administration, the Republican Party, Neoturds in general & trolls. Lots of Trolls.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:28 amOh, god… They’re still trying to put Humpty-Dumpty together again, and never acknowleding that they are the ones who pushed him off the damn wall!
July 16th, 2007 at 11:29 amHe called for the “soft partition†of Iraq into three main regions
WTF? We can’t seem to ‘win’ in Iraq, so let’s re-define the definition of Iraq???
“Today we made excellent progress in west IRAQ!”
“followed later by: “Southern IRAQ is SECURED & SAFE”
The main problem in Iraq, imho, is that we go into an area and clear it…Yay success!…then as soon as we leave to go secure another area, the bad guys just fill the first area again. It’s like digging a hole at the beach in wet sand.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:29 amYeah, because western countries have such a sparkling record of success when they try to draw boundaries in the Middle East. Isn’t that one of the reasons the region is such a mess?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:30 amAnd how again does a jerk like this get the title of Senior Fellow?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:31 amWould it be some serious Fellow fellatio?
When do we stop listening to O’Hanlon? He’s been flat wrong about Iraq for the last 5 years, and he’s probably wrong again now.
Honestly, I don’t know why you people even bother debating him. He might be a nice guy with a neat academic background, but he’s f*cking disaster wrt Iraq. Stop taking him seriously.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:31 amAll of this talk of troop reductions and hand-wringing is such a crock.
Cheney and Chertoff are busy making final preparations for their false flag attack against the US (Navy and/or “homeland”) – and will immediately thereafter declare Martial Law and commit our country to the first-ever OFFENSIVE NUCLEAR TRIKE against both Iran and Syria – on Israel’s behalf.
Everyone knows this is coming, and no one seems compelled to STEP UP and take one for the CONSTITUTION THEY ALL SWORE TO UPHOLD in order to stop it.
A culture of liars and men of immoral character – the “oath” meant nothing to them. Congress is full of traitors, pigs and vultures.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:32 amThe partitioning of Iraq was proscribed by Israel over twenty years ago.
The PNAC called for a “New Pearl Harbor”
The final outcome will look for all the world just like this map:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/greater-israel-maps.htm
Probably just a massive fucking coincidence, eh?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:34 amIn less time than we’ve been at war in Iraq, FDR had defeated Japan, fascist Italy, and the Nazis. Bush can’t even defeat a third-world nation half the size of Texas.
Actually Truman was the POTUS who oversaw the defeat of Japan, though technically FDR laid the groundwork. That being said, FDR allowed the firebombing and total destruction of countless German and Japanese cities with the intent to destroy the civilian apparatus that supplied their armies. Then of course we have the use of not one but two nuclear bombs used against Japan.
You might also want to pick up a book and research the role of a little entity known as the Soviet Union who fought and defeated gigantic German armies, forces that would have stopped us cold in the west had they been available.
So hey, maybe we should adopt FDR’s tactics and start destroying the cities of our enemies, how about we start with Tehran?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:36 amAce, the Joooos are coming for you.
The Jooos are crawling through the shadows, sneaking across your wall at night, sharpening their claws under your bed in preparation to slit your throat while you sleep.
The Joooos are coming for you, Ace, RUN! RUN while you still can!
July 16th, 2007 at 11:38 amAnother Neocon pussy steps up to defend out country and support our troops.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:40 am14: You might also want to pick up a book…
Don’t patronize me, Bladderwater.
You might also want to pick up a book yourself to remind you that the principle difference between then an now is that FDR wasn’t fighting a unilateral war pre-emptively on a third-world nation based on phony intelligence.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:42 amah yes, the endless war for endless peace continues. And on top of it, the US government is going to decide the future and structure of their new garrison in Iraq.
But hopefully most are not fooled. Peace, prosperity, liberty, etc – are not the reason for this continued occupation. It’s power and profits – plain and simple.
Some reading on this:
July 16th, 2007 at 11:43 am“Revealed: Why your sons and daughters died in Iraq”
http://www.populistamerica.com/revealed_why_your_sons_and_daughters_died_in_iraq
blackwater = Mr. President, in one of his many identities.
Clearly TP knows this is a troll, here on Israel’s behalf – and condones his actions.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:44 amI see now, Artless, you no longer want to make comparisons? How convenient for your argument.
Libs, you just gotta laugh.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:45 amHanlon looks young enough to be in the army – what’s he still doing here telling other people what to do?
Isn’t it time to ban Blackwater – anti-semitism seems like gjround to me?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:45 amThe war against Saddam Hussain did go very quickly. The problem was that this administration kept changing the goals and kept redefining who the enemy was.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:45 amThey kept moving the goal posts.
And it looks like, they are digging them up again.
Uh, don’t look now…But Pakistan’s starting to come apart. Fortunately, we’re busy in the Central Front in the War on Terror: Messo’ potamia.
Gawd. Just when you think Arrogance, Greed and Dishonesty are their stock in trade, Stupidity’s back in first place.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:47 am#
Ace, the Joooos are coming for you.
The Jooos are crawling through the shadows, sneaking across your wall at night, sharpening their claws under your bed in preparation to slit your throat while you sleep.
The Joooos are coming for you, Ace, RUN! RUN while you still can!
Comment by Blackwater — July 16, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Mr. President appearing to use multiple screen names – but always with the same jooooooooos message…using Megaphone software:
“We need 100,000 Megaphone users to make a difference. So, please distribute this mail to all Israel’s supporters.
Do it now. For Israel.
Amir Gissin
Director Public Affairs (Hasbara) Department
GIYUS currently claims 24,000 Megaphone users.”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/06/giyus_megaphone/
One of Megaphone’s supporters is ERETZ MAGAZINE:
GIYUS.ORG – Give Israel Your United Support
Many of us recognize that the internet is the new battleground for Israel’s image. Now is the time to improve our efforts on this front by better coordinating our on-line efforts. An Israeli software company has developed a free, safe, and useful tool for this purpose: the Internet Megaphone. Please go to http://www.giyus.org and download the megaphone. You will then receive daily updates with links to important internet polls, problematic articles that require a response, and more.
http://www.eretz.com/NEW/
Why does this matter?
Because whether Israel or the United States bombs IRAN – it will be done for Israel – at US Taxpayer expense.
ERETZ ISRAEL:
“We declare openly that the Arabs have no right to settle on even one centimeter of Eretz Israel… Force is all they do or ever will understand. We shall use the ultimate force until the Palestinians come crawling to us on all fours.” Rafael Eitan, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces – Gad Becker, Yediot Ahronot 13 April 1983, New York Times 14 April 1983.
On 04 September 2001 a demonstration was held in Jerusalem to support of the Idea of the State Israel from the Nile to the Euphrates. It was organised by the movement Bead Artzein (”For the Homeland”), headed by rabbi and historian Avrom Shmulevic from Hebron. According to Shmulevic, “We shall have no peace as long as the whole territory of the Land of Israel will not return under Jewish control…. A stable peace will come only then, when Israel will return to itself all its historical lands, and will thus control both the Suez and the Ormudz channel…. We must remember that Iraqi oil fields too are located on the Jewish land.”
What is “Eretz Israel?
THIS is Eretz Israel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Israel
“We have to kill all the Palestinians unless they are resigned to live here as slaves.” Chairman Heilbrun of the Committee for the Re-election of General Shlomo Lahat, the mayor of Tel Aviv, October 1983.
“We should prepare to go over to the offensive. Our aim is to smash Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, and Syria. The weak point is Lebanon, for the Moslem regime is artificial and easy for us to undermine. We shall establish a Christian state there, and then we will smash the Arab Legion, eliminate Trans-Jordan; Syria will fall to us. We then bomb and move on and take Port Said, Alexandria and Sinai.” David Ben-Gurion, May 1948, to the General Staff. From Ben-Gurion, A Biography, by Michael Ben-Zohar, Delacorte, New York 1978.
“It is the duty of Israeli leaders to explain to public opinion, clearly and courageously, a certain number of facts that are forgotten with time. The first of these is that there is no Zionism, colonialization or Jewish State without the eviction of the Arabs and the expropriation of their lands.” Yoram Bar Porath, Yediot Aahronot, of 14 July 1972.
“Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours… Everything we don’t grab will go to them.” Ariel Sharon, Israeli Foreign Minister, addressing a meeting of militants from the extreme right-wing Tsomet Party, Agence France Presse, November 15, 1998.
“Every time we do something you tell me America will do this and will do that . . . I want to tell you something very clear: Don’t worry about American pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it.” – Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, October 3, 2001, to Shimon Peres, as reported on Kol Yisrael radio.
THESE ARE THE SPONSORS BEHIND THE TROLLS ON THIS SITE.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:48 amBladderwater, show me where I said that.
Oh. You can’t.
What I want is for you to make meaningful comparisons, not spurious ones.
As if!
July 16th, 2007 at 11:49 amJust like a neocon, wingnut pussy: Equate any “enemy” – real or manufactured – as if it was one of the belligerent industrial giants of the 20th century. You notice that we didn’t have much of a problem with Italy, right? Care to ponder that fact? Here you go: Italy didn’t have the military/industrial wherewithal to put up much of a fight. Tehran/Iran is even less capable than was Italy. On the other hand, the Iran/Iraq war clearly demonstrates that the Persians will fight to the last man – regardless of the odds.
So, why don’t you suit-up and lead the charge, Sarge?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:49 amUS/Israel will control all of Pakistan, Iraq, Iran. & Syria within a matter of weeks.
Millions will be dead.
Will no one stop this?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:50 amYeah, because western countries have such a sparkling record of success when they try to draw boundaries in the Middle East. Isn’t that one of the reasons the region is such a mess?
Comment by clb72 — July 16, 2007 @ 11:30 am
It depends on your perspective. If the goal was to split some ethnic and tribal groups and juxtapose others in order to minimize cohesion and increase the changes of failed states and dependency, then Europe’s post-colonial policies have been a resounding success.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:51 amThe Joooos are coming for you, Ace, RUN! RUN while you still can!
Comment by Blackwater — July 16, 2007 @ 11:38 am
As well you better run, the Islamists are coming for you.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:52 amhow about we start with Tehran?
I guess you meant to say Riyadh, since most foreign insurgents in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia, not Iran.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:53 amUS/Israel will control all of Pakistan, Iraq, Iran. & Syria within a matter of weeks.
Millions will be dead.
Will no one stop this?
Comment by ace
I think you’re getting a bit hysterical here. W/in weeks? I’m truly firhgtened that Bru$chCo is going to start WW III too, but they’re not going to end up in control of the Middle East w/in weeks. They could bring the world economy to halt that quickly, but control of the Middle East? Shit, those fools can’t even maintain order in Iraq.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:54 amI guess you meant to say Riyadh, since most foreign insurgents in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia, not Iran.
Comment by Arthur Cravan — July 16, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Not to mention, Arthur, that most of the 9/11 hijackers were from S.A. as well. And after all, there’s a direct connection between the 9/11 hijackers and Iraq, right?
/sarcasm
Oh, and Blackwoosie — that S.A. is Saudi Arabia, not South America — I knew I’d have to ’splain that to you.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:56 amLibs, you just gotta laugh.
Comment by Blackwater
Blackpuddle, when we read the nonsense you post, we do laugh.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:57 amUS/Israel will control all of Pakistan, Iraq, Iran. & Syria within a matter of weeks.
Millions will be dead.
Will no one stop this?
Comment by ace — July 16, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Not even Pakistan can control all of Pakistan – how do you expect the overstretched U.S. military to?
July 16th, 2007 at 11:57 am17. Well-said. Another difference, from “Slate,” 2005:
From December 1941 to August 1945—the attack on Pearl Harbor until the declaration of Allied victory—the United States manufactured 88,430 tanks and 274,941 combat aircraft. Yet in the two years after the invasion of Iraq, much less the four years since the attack on the World Trade Center, the Bush administration has not built enough armor platings to protect our soldiers’ jeeps from roadside bombs.
To fund World War II, the United States drastically expanded and raised taxes. (At the start of the war, just 4 million Americans had to pay income tax; by its end, 43 million did.) [P.S.: The U.S. government spent seven times more between 1941 and 1945 than it had between 1776 and 1941] Beyond that, 85 million Americans—half the population at the time—answered the call to buy War Bonds, $185 billion worth. Food was rationed, scrap metal was donated, the entire country was on a war footing. By contrast, President Bush has asked the citizenry for no sacrifice, no campaigns of national purpose, to fight or fund the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. In fact, he has proudly cut taxes, heaving the hundreds of billions of dollars in war costs on top of the already swelling national debt.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:58 amOh, and Blackwoosie — that S.A. is Saudi Arabia, not South America — I knew I’d have to ’splain that to you.
Comment by The Dogfather
Perhaps if you could put the idea into easy-to-understand pictures…
July 16th, 2007 at 12:00 pmNot even Pakistan can control all of Pakistan – how do you expect the overstretched U.S. military to?
Comment by toasterhead — July 16, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Tactical nukes – by the ton.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:00 pmTactical nukes – by the ton.
ace’s wet dream? 164 million civilians incinerated.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:02 pmTactical nukes – by the ton.
Comment by ace — July 16, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
I don’t think even the neocons are that stupid.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pmWatch “War Made Easy – How Presidents & Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death” featuring Norman Solomon and narrated by Sean Penn.
http://www.warmadeeasythemovie.org/index.html
Fascinating, impacting, highly educational film. All of this has been said and done before. Many times. It is fascinating watching numerous presidents lined up on the screen using the same words to sell a conflict, using the same words to justify staying, and using the same words to escalate or ’surge’. It was almost bizarre.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pmEvery American should watch this film. It is THAT important.
Is a Soft Partiton anything like Coitus Interruptus?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pmIn fact, he has proudly cut taxes, heaving the hundreds of billions of dollars in war costs on top of the already swelling national debt.
Comment by bogtrotters
Sh*t, dude, we all supposed to go shopping!
“Uncle Wal-mart needs your dollars!”
“Spend… all that you can spend…”
“Ask not what your country can do for you… but, rahter, is it on sale across town?”
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pmTHESE ARE THE SPONSORS BEHIND THE TROLLS ON THIS SITE.
Comment by ace
You’re really giving the idiot trolls too much credit.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:04 pm42. Republic of Stupidity. LOL. Good job!
July 16th, 2007 at 12:04 pmIs a Soft Partiton anything like Coitus Interruptus?
Comment by bogtrotters — July 16, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
Better than the current Penis Captivus
July 16th, 2007 at 12:05 pm” I am deeply concerned that this Administration may well be encouraging the very nuclear proliferation we seek to prevent – through its policy of preemption combined with the pursuit of new nuclear weapons,” Senator Feinstein said.
The first hints of the Administration’s nuclear policy came in the 2001 Nuclear Posture Review – which was leaked to the press in early 2002. The Review cited the need to develop a new generation of tactical nuclear weapons, blurring the lines between conventional and nuclear forces.
According to press reports, it named seven countries against which it would consider launching a nuclear first strike: North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, China, and Russia. It also proposed a “new triad,” in which nuclear and conventional weapons co-exist along the same continuum.
“The Administration’s nuclear policy blurs the distinction between nuclear and conventional weapons and suggests that they could be used as offensive weapons,” Senator Feinstein said. “This represents a major departure from past U.S. policy and makes our nation less safe – not more.”
The Administration’s budget requests for new nuclear weapons this year totals $96.5 million. Furthermore, the Congressional Research Service now reports that the Administration’s own long-term budget plans, including $485 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator between 2005 and 2009, “cast doubt” on the contention that the study of new nuclear weapons are, in fact, only a study.
“This ramp-up in funding can mean one thing and one thing only: the Administration is determined to develop and deploy a new generation of nuclear weapons. Yes, the Administration is seeking to re-open the nuclear door and is seeking more ‘usable’ nuclear weapons.”
http://feinstein.senate.gov/04Releases/r-rnep2.htm
July 16th, 2007 at 12:05 pm42. Republic of Stupidity. LOL. Good job!
Comment by bogtrotters
“I regret that I have but one measly credit card… and such a low credit limit… to spend for my country…”
July 16th, 2007 at 12:08 pm#45
July 16th, 2007 at 12:10 pmOr the also current nuts in the grinder (balani molere…)
Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator
In the Summer of 1991, a team of Los Alamos nuclear weapons scientists delivered a briefing to the Defense Science Board, provocatively titled “Potential Uses for Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons in the New World Order.”
Shortly after Bill Clinton entered the White House, Representatives John Spratt (D-S.C.) and Elizabeth Furse (D-Ore.) introduced an attachment to the FY 1994 defense authorization bill, prohibiting U.S. weapons labs from conducting any research and development on low-yield nuclear weapons. The measure, which was passed and signed into law by President Clinton, defined low-yield nukes as having a yield of five kilotons or less.
Destroying a target buried 1,000 feet into rock would require a nuclear weapon with the yield of 100 kilotons. That is 10 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Even the effects of a small bomb would be dramatic. A 1-kiloton nuclear weapon detonated 20 to 50 feet underground would dig a crater the size of Ground Zero in New York and eject 1 million cubic feet of radioactive debris into the air. Detonating a similar weapon on the surface of a city would kill a quarter of a million people and injure hundreds of thousands more.
Nuclear weapons cannot be engineered to penetrate deeply enough to prevent fallout. Based on technical analysis at the Nevada Test Site, a weapon with a 10-kiloton yield must be buried deeper than 850 feet to prevent spewing of radioactive debris. Yet a weapon dropped from a plane at 40,000 feet will penetrate less than 100 feet of loose dirt and less than 30 feet of rock. Ultimately, the depth of penetration is limited by the strength of the missile casing. The deepest current earth penetrators, the B61 Mod 11, can burrow is 20 feet of dry earth. Casing made of even the strongest material cannot withstand the physical forces of burrowing through 100 feet of granite, much less 850 feet.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/rnep.htm
The administration built them, and has them ready to use.
The only missing ingredient is the PRETEXT – but Chertoff and Cheney are working on finalizing that false flag atack against you and me in order to justify their use.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:12 pmSo let’s look at what the human costs of dropping a tactical nuclear weapon on Iran might entail.
They are astronomical.
“The number of deaths could exceed a million, and the number of people with increased cancer risks could exceed 10 million,” according to a backgrounder by the Union of Concerned Scientists from May 2005.
The National Academy of Sciences studied these earth-penetrating nuclear weapons last year. They could “kill up to a million people or more if used in heavily populated areas,” concluded the report, which was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Physicians for Social Responsibility examined the risks of a more advanced buster-bunker weapon, and it eerily tabulated the toll from an attack on the underground nuclear facility in Esfahan, Iran. “Three million people would be killed by radiation within two weeks of the explosion, and 35 million people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, would be exposed to increased levels of cancer-causing radiation,” according to a summary of that study in the backgrounder by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Even if these estimates are off by a factor of two or three, I think we have unquestionably entered genocidal territory. We can only pray that these scientists are profoundly in error. (A much lower estimate is provided by the Oxford Research Group: up to 10,000 immediate deaths, although their report also predicts a much broader and protracted regional war to follow. That would obviously lead to many additional casualties.)
And please remember the overwhelmingly critical fact: we are talking about a threat — if it is one at all — that still lies five or ten years in the future. All these deaths, whatever their number, would result from an attack predicated on a potential threat that does not exist at present, or that will exist in the near future. Many Americans might still look to our “good intentions” and our “exceptionalism” to save them from identifying the savage and inhuman barbarism that the United States would then embody — but much of the rest of the world would not be forgiving or delusional on the required scale. There can never be any kind of forgiveness, even in the smallest degree, for this kind of act.
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2006/04/morality-humanity-and-civilization.html
July 16th, 2007 at 12:13 pmWe’re going to nuke Iran despite the FACT that they are ten years from having the bomb, yet…
NUKES IN ISRAEL:
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, December 22, 2003.
Q Is the President in favor of international inspection of Israel’s nuclear arsenal, which is pretty well known?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don’t know that I agree with that, the premise of your question. But the United States has a longstanding position of universal adherence to the treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. That has been our longstanding position –
Q They never signed it.
MR. McCLELLAN: — and that is universal adherence. Well, we have urged all states that have not yet adhered to the treaty to do so, and to accept the IAEA safeguards on nuclear activities that would come with it.
Q Are we trying to persuade Israel to sign it, and to be open to inspection?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think that, one, in terms of specifics about the Israeli government, you need to refer those questions to the Israeli government.
Q No, no, I’m asking our position.
MR. McCLELLAN: And I’ve told you that the long held position of the United States is the universal adherence to the nonproliferation treaty.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/briefing.html
July 16th, 2007 at 12:14 pmThe monks smashing their heads while they chant…
July 16th, 2007 at 12:19 pmIs a Soft Partition anything like Coitus Interruptus?
Bogtrotter, I’m not sure about that, but I do hope we soon have an ‘Iraqi Interruptus’ & go home.
I believe O’Hanlon has a soft partition in his cranium, by the way.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:21 pmHmmm, relocate Sunnis and Shia, hmmmm, ……I think this clown may have made a good little Nazi, he’s at home with the NeoCON SCUM.
Like the pundits who proposed another “strongman” to lead eye- rack.
Wait, didn’t Saddam “relocate” Sunni Arabs in Kurdistan? Oh yeah, he called it “resettlement’, so “relocation” is O.K.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:31 pmO’Hanlon looks like he got pantsed and wedgied a lot in middle school.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:33 pmAnd please remember the overwhelmingly critical fact: we are talking about a threat — if it is one at all — that still lies five or ten years in the future.
So the best course of action is to wait five or ten years and then deal with the problem. It worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:36 pmSo the best course of action is to wait five or ten years and then deal with the problem. It worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
What’s the rush? Afraid the Republicans won’t get the chance to initiate the end of planet earth on Bush’s watch? Afraid of living in peace?
Why are you so fearful?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:39 pmSo the best course of action is to wait five or ten years and then deal with the problem. It worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Ah yes. Because the “preventative invasion” strategy worked so well in Iraq. Good plan!
July 16th, 2007 at 12:42 pmWhat’s the rush? Afraid the Republicans won’t get the chance to initiate the end of planet earth on Bush’s watch? Afraid of living in peace?
You trust your future to the Kim Jong and the mullahs, Ill trust my future to western democracy.
You keep that in mind next time you decide to whine about Bush not doing anything about the North Korean nukes.
Then again, youre an anti-semitic liberal, I expect you to blindly trust and embrace dictators.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:44 pmIt worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER
What the F*CK are you talking about? This makes no sense what so ever.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:46 pmAh yes. Because the “preventative invasion†strategy worked so well in Iraq. Good plan!
So did clinking champagne glasses with Kim J. or proclaiming “Peace in our time”. Also good plans.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:46 pmYou trust your future to the Kim Jong and the mullahs, Ill trust my future to western democracy.
You keep that in mind next time you decide to whine about Bush not doing anything about the North Korean nukes.
Then again, youre an anti-semitic liberal, I expect you to blindly trust and embrace dictators.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
You’re in favor of killing 25,000 Jews in Iran. How can you call anyone else anti-semitic?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:47 pmYou keep that in mind next time you decide to whine about Bush not doing anything about the North Korean nukes.
Then again, youre an anti-semitic liberal, I expect you to blindly trust and embrace dictators.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER
Please, PLEASE, try and make SOME sense.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:47 pmWhat the F*CK are you talking about? This makes no sense what so ever.
It makes perfect sense, youre just too stupid to comprehend it.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:48 pmMr Pee, again with another moniker. Dead soldiers too boring Mr Pee?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:49 pmYou’re in favor of killing 25,000 Jews in Iran. How can you call anyone else anti-semitic?
Ok, quit stamping your little size five feet and link to where I said that. Ill wait.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:49 pmIt makes perfect sense, youre just too stupid to comprehend it.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER
What a self-serving fantasy. BTW, Bush did nothing to stop Kim-il Jong for several yrs running. And Bush’s grandfaterh was so deep in the nazi’s hip-pocket taht he got his assets confiscated by the Feds as punishment.
Now, again, try making some sense, or do we need to wash your mouth out w/ soap?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:50 pmOk, quit stamping your little size five feet and link to where I said that. Ill wait.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
So the best course of action is to wait five or ten years and then deal with the problem. It worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
In other words, you want either a tactical nuclear strike or invasion of Iran immediately, either of which would kill thousands of innocent Iranis, a populaton that includes 25,000 Jews. Anti-semite.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:53 pmYeah, thats it, the North Koreans managed to create and implement an entire nuclear weapons program in just a couple years which they started the day Bush took office, yet the Iranians with more money and access are going to take a decade to do the same?
You short-bus riders need to try harder at controlling your frenzies.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:54 pmSo the best course of action is to wait five or ten years and then deal with the problem. It worked so well with Hitler and Kim Jong, it will work here too.
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
(sarcasm)
Nope, the best course of action is to nuke Iran, of course! Then, when their allies AND enemies in the region (save Israel), and all of the countries which have a vested interest in the petrochemicals in the region destroy every American soldier in the region, and turn Israel into a vast expanse of glass, we can start armageddon. For realsies!!! Then, it’s all “Rapture, here I come!”
(/sarcasm)
Imbeciles. If we use even a single nuclear warhead, be it a tactical nuke or a “bunker buster”, the United States of America as we know it is done. Totally…fucking…DONE! You want to see WMD terrorist attacks in this country? Attack Iran. You want to see the price of petrochemicals skyrocket, grinding our economy to a halt (unless you are already wealthy, or in the oil industry, of course!)? Attack Iran. You want to see the U.S. truly become the next Nazi Germany, and get our collective asses kicked by the majority of the rest of the world? Attack Iran, assholes.
Imperialistic hegemony is specifically un-American, and is precisely what our Founding Fathers rejected when declaring our independence. Offensive and aggressive use of nuclear arms is absolutely NOT a viable option. Ever. Under any circumstances. Hopefully our troops will listen to Lt. Gen. Odom, and disobey illegal orders given by their superiors, especially with regards to the use of nuclear arms.
That anyone thinks we should expand our “war” to a third front is astounding. That they think we can defeat a far better armed and supported State than Iraq or Afghanistan, who have a standing army and citizenry willing to fight to the last man, woman and child, and are more than willing to use guerrilla tactics to get us out is, well, insane. To think we can carpet bomb a country like Iran without vast repercussions is mind-boggling. To think we can do so with any sort of nuclear device is downright evil.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:56 pmYoure not too smart, are you spuzzhead? Would you also say that we were anti-Shinto because we bombed Japan in WWII? (BTW, its “Iranians”, not Iranis…dope).
Im not sure I can debate you retards anymore, the simple things seem to escape you.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:57 pm49: So let’s look at what the human costs of dropping a tactical nuclear weapon on Iran might entail…. They are astronomical.
Thanks for that report, ace. Good info.
July 16th, 2007 at 12:59 pmThis is definitely the D-list of liberals here, you freaks are either way way out there or are having trouble controlling your drool cup while you type as evidenced by the quality of your debate. Id have more fun watching paint dry, and not the lead type that most of you evidently ate as toddlers.a
July 16th, 2007 at 12:59 pmm not sure I can debate you retards anymore, the simple things seem to escape you.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER
No doubt you will hereby retreat to your “Fortress of Solitude”, AKA “Mom’s Basement”, wherein you will admire your own manliness, all the while wearing your mother’s best dress, until she has to go to that 2nd job she needs to help support her worthless son in the basement.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:01 pmThe “I have Nothing to say so I’ll scream obscenities” tact.
Not since the yahoo boards…
July 16th, 2007 at 1:04 pmIn order to make this work, I say, we need to come up with a psychological strategy to deprogram the Iraqi people. Hopefully, one that will sever their sense of sectarian identity while reinforcing a sense of the new “Western” Iraqi nationality. Of course, this may take years and will require extensive propaganda.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:04 pmYoure not too smart, are you spuzzhead? Would you also say that we were anti-Shinto because we bombed Japan in WWII? (BTW, its “Iraniansâ€, not Iranis…dope).
Im not sure I can debate you retards anymore, the simple things seem to escape you.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER — July 16, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
Actually, “Irani” is correct in Farsi. And since you do not deny that you want to use either a tactical nuclear strike or a pointless invasion against Iran, I’m going to keep on calling you anti-semitic.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:06 pmNo doubt you will hereby retreat to your “Fortress of Solitudeâ€, AKA “Mom’s Basementâ€, wherein you will admire your own manliness, all the while wearing your mother’s best dress, until she has to go to that 2nd job she needs to help support her worthless son in the basement.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
Is the second job prostitution? Please say it’s prostiuition.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:06 pmComment by Mr. President — July 16, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
Your well of stupidity is truly bottomless.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:06 pmYour well of stupidity is truly bottomless.
Comment by SGT Higgins
his cup runith over with stupidity
July 16th, 2007 at 1:08 pmBut on the plus side, he hasn’t taken the name of a Fallen Soldier in a while, so maybe he can learn something.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:09 pmYour well of stupidity is truly bottomless.
Comment by SGT Higgins — July 16, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
It’d be funny if it weren’t so sad.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:09 pmOf course, this may take years and will require extensive propaganda.
Comment by Mr. President
Riiiight… and you call us “Stalinists”…
(Pssst… don’t worry, I won’t ask you you any scary questions… or are you going to claim you “answered them” and they got deleted?)
July 16th, 2007 at 1:11 pm“Soft” partition? Is that supposed to be like the soft partition of British India (estimated 1 million dead) or the soft partition of Palestine (hundreds of thousands dead and still counting)?
How about the soft partition of Ireland (80 years of civil strife) or the soft partition of Germany (the Berlin Wall)? Maybe he means the soft partition of Bosnia? Now THERE is a role model.
Soft in the head, is more like it.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:11 pmComment by Peter Principle
absolutely. We have learned alot about how to treat “insurgents” from the “soft partitioning” of Palistine.
Nothing soft about that wall that got built on Palistinian land.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:14 pmlease say it’s prostiuition.
Comment by biffloman
You say that like it’s a bad thing, Biff. W/out our proud working moms, think of the all unhappy young men of the Fightin’ 101th Keyboarders who would have to go get low paying jobs at Pizza Huts and Blockbusters, or just how much worse the sex lives of repubs everyhere would get!
July 16th, 2007 at 1:14 pmComment by The Republic of Stupidity
Of course! It’s a cottage industry! Pimp dat Ma!
oh, I’m sorry. Don’t start with the racial slang again there, Mr. P.
oh thats right, it wasn’t you.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:16 pmabsolutely. We have learned alot about how to treat “insurgents†from the “soft partitioning†of Palistine.
Nothing soft about that wall that got built on Palistinian land.
Comment by willyloman — July 16, 2007 @ 1:14 pm
Apartheid by any other name smells just as crappy
July 16th, 2007 at 1:17 pmApartheid by any other name smells just as crappy
Comment by toasterhead
careful with the A-word. (remember Jimmy Carter?) pssssst. they have ears eeeeevrywhere.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:19 pmIt is Apartheid and it must end.
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/
If you want to read up about what is going on locally to help end the situation, please link above.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:21 pm*
has anyone else heard of TAX FREE $50k signup bonuses offered to the military people? … as in, RE-signup, while in “theater”, they get $50k,
tax free…
anyone wonder why these guys are “re-enlisting”?…
just heard a caller on ed schultz…
July 16th, 2007 at 1:34 pmtaking a mowing break… back to it…
oh! after this segment with JOHN EDWARDS…
…
has anyone else heard of TAX FREE $50k signup bonuses offered to the military people? … as in, RE-signup, while in “theaterâ€, they get $50k,
tax free…
anyone wonder why these guys are “re-enlisting�…
Comment by katy
Bingo! Although bonuses of that size are for select specialties and for 2nd or 3rd enlistments. The Military will pay boo-koo bucks for Soldiers to stay in. And re-enlisting downrange, if you’re going to, is just SMART. It’s tax-free like you said.
July 16th, 2007 at 1:42 pmanother “heard on ed”:
bush has just called for a special mid east conference
(have you heard?)
ed says – dubby is using the same language and objectives
as JOHN KERRY did in the campaign…
huh… he stole another idea… again, maybe too late…
imagine that…
back to the yard…
great EDWARDS interview, btw…
July 16th, 2007 at 1:49 pm…
Bah, liberals cannot be trusted with national security.
Comment by Abba-Best Band EVER
July 16th, 2007 at 2:04 pm* * *
Yeah, that goddam FDR.
Can we send O’Hanlon to Iraq to walk point? Let’s see how his occupation plans are revised.
July 16th, 2007 at 2:47 pmShouldn’t a “Senior Fellow” at least have to shave?
July 16th, 2007 at 3:41 pmQuick Quiz:
Question 1: What are the most loyal, reality-denying, Republican-loving crazed Christianists known as?
Answer: The ‘base’.
Question 2: What does “Al-Qaeda” mean in Arabic?
Answer: “The Base”.
Question 3: What does the crazed Christianist ‘base’ of the Republican Party desire?
Answer: A return to a time in the past with fundmentalist theocrats in control of every aspect of citizens’ lives.
Question 4: What does the crazed Islamist ‘base’ of Al-Qaeda desire?
Answer: A return to a time in the past with fundamentalist theocrats in control of every aspect of citizens’ lives.
Now I know what Michael Chertoff is talking about when he says that Al-Qaeda likely already operatives in the US. Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Dick Cheney, et cetera.
July 16th, 2007 at 3:42 pmComment by SGT Higgins — July 16, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
It’s spelled “beaucoup.”
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/beaucoup
July 16th, 2007 at 4:44 pmI think hanlon is right. Partition is consistent with reality and what is actually possible, unlike bush/neocon. Their vision would take 1000 years to succeed. And thousands of more us troop casualties.
July 16th, 2007 at 7:59 pmShouldn’t a “Senior Fellow†at least have to shave?
Comment by aMike — July 16, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
ha!! – exactly what i thought!!! – and “it’s the right thing to try – as long as we don’t count on it succeeeding…” – what the?? – isn’t that why people try things? – in the belief that the result will be positive?? – trying things is a good idea if one has a theory,evidence that there is a problem to be solved (or in hanlon’s sophisticated scholarly terminology,”a reason to try some things”),a competent team,resources, a viable plan and timeline and knowlege in the area of the things that one is trying….bush i suppose had a theory – a f**ked one,but a theory nonetheless…..and this hanlon guy gets paid to say stuff like this??!!?? – i’m going to apply for a job at brookings mental institution and see how far i can get!! – toooo funny!!!!
July 17th, 2007 at 1:27 am… Why does this administration always seek advice from 24 year old prepubescent narcissists?
July 17th, 2007 at 2:07 amIf this partition concept is so wonderful for Iraq, I don’t see why they don’t try it out in the Occupied Territories. These neocons from the Saban institute can relocate the settlers back to behind the 1967 borders.
I think it would be a great proof of concept.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:42 am