The Crypt reports:
The Iraq Study Group might get a second go-round. Legislation pushed by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), which is now law, directs the U.S. Institute of Peace to support a second version of the commission that would send former Rep. Lee Hamilton and former Secretary of State James Baker III and two other commissioners to Iraq to assess the situation. Hamilton has told the Institute that he is prepared to go, according to Hamilton and an Institute spokesman.
“I think they could really be an asset,” said Wolf. “They ought to do it sooner and not later.” The Iraq Study Group initially recommended negotiations with neighboring countries and a gradual troop withdrawal. A second report, however, is waiting on Baker.
More phony facts prepared by cheeeny's office will emerge.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:08 pm.
Stay in Iraq Sudy Group.
.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:14 pmMore lies, fear and "stay the course."
January 21st, 2008 at 3:16 pmAnd BushCo won't ignore this version because... ???
January 21st, 2008 at 3:17 pmCould we please hear more about the U.S. Institute of Peace?
Origin? Life? Members?
Anyone?
January 21st, 2008 at 3:21 pmMy main problem with study groups like this is that they never get out and see anything. In 2003 these guys (and others like them) were crawling all over the Al-Rasheed hotel in the Green Zone or talking to PAO's at the Presidential Palace (I got in trouble for sneaking into the swimmming pool there once). But you wouldn't see them anywhere near airport road, RTE Irish, or MSR Sue. If they really want to know anything about what is really going on in Iraq, they can't just sit around in the IZ. They need a study group with guys emplaced in safe houses in Sadr City, embedded with troops in Diyala, or a transportation unit that runs between Cedars II and Anbar.
My second problem with them is that no one ever listens to them anyway. They could do all of the things that I mentioned above, and when they got back it wouldn't make a bit of difference. If they come back and say we should leave, is anyone really gonna listen?
January 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pmStay the Coors.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:23 pmthey should go only if they're willing to call out Bush.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pmThe USIP is not a traditional federal agency and is actually an "independent nonpartisan national institution" –-living both in the government and nonprofit worlds. Some have claimed this could create conflicts of interest.
No such thing ; anything for a buck and to further along Chimpy's/NeoCon ideals and idiocy.........
January 21st, 2008 at 3:32 pmAnother buying time attempt...
January 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pmwhy? so more recommendations can be cheney (cherry) picked and others ignored?
more historical revisionism and double think from the ministry of truthiness.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:34 pmYeah... study all those documents that you don't have again.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:40 pmhttp://www.tshirtinsurgency.com
Bottom line- if the corporate powers that be along with the PNAC neocons wanted a true democracy and a successful state, they would have let the Iraqi people rebuild their own country, as they begged to do so, and pennies on the dollar, years ago. It only takes a fifth grade mentality to understand if you give those the ability to work, rebuild and gain income war and mayhem are less likely. This purposefully did not happen.... all rhetoric, past, present and future is nothing but pure nonsense and a means to buy time while the powers that be continue to rape our treasury.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:42 pmHow many more "Friedmans" will it take?
January 21st, 2008 at 3:47 pmHoly shit! There really is a US Institute of Peace:
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan, national institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase peacebuilding capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide.
http://www.usip.org/
However, it appears the former name for this institute was the Ministry of Peace.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:47 pmWhat we need is a 2.0 version of the 43rd presidency. Upgrade to a thinking version based in reality, elected by a majority, defender of the Constitution, and competent. Please, everything a President should be but lacking in this version.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pmExactly how many study groups does one need before they come up with the correct answer. Di Mau Di. The Iraqis will figure out how to govern themselves. They aren't children.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:50 pmThe Iraqis will figure out how to govern themselves. They aren’t children.
Comment by RUCerious — January 21, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
And that's the heart of the tragedy that's playing out; both there and here in the good ol' U.S.A. Those who hold the power have lost sight of the fact that stable societies can only be built from within.
Until they rediscover that people are the greatest resource on the planet, and spend time/money/effort developing that resource; we are doomed to repeat the cycle.
January 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pmI don't get it.
As I remember it, the first Study Group appeared to be an attempt by daddy Bush to bail out Shrub boy and find a way forward. A lot of high credential folks with credentials from daddy Bush and Reagan were put on the group. They made their report that very diplomatically urged Sonny Boy to think in regional terms and work with other countries.
Of course, the Decider was right all along and continued with more of the same. The Iraq Study Group report was intentionally ignored including statement to the press that it had no standing.
So what good is repeating it ?
January 21st, 2008 at 3:58 pmMaybe I should add, it will take a while for the study. So if a dem gets elected president it will be released in their early administration. So is this an attempt to box in the democratic president ?
January 21st, 2008 at 3:59 pmwhat a crock...all to "bless the surge" and pave the way for President McCain and Vice President Lieberman.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:05 pmHow many more “Friedmans†will it take?
Comment by Impolitics — January 21, 2008 @ 3:47 pm
----
Two.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:11 pmAnd what was adopted of the previous Study Group report?...nothing.!!
Bush fired D. Rumsfeld about the time the report came out a year ago, replaced him with Robert Gates.
And instead of reducing the number of troops per the Iraqi Group's suggestions in the report, Bush started the Surge.
The Report called for an open discussions with Syria and Iran. Bush in his last trip to the Middle East did the opposite.
And now someone is looking for another Iraq Study report...a year later.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:18 pmwhat for?!!
Whatever happened to the War Czar, anyway?
January 21st, 2008 at 4:19 pmWhat a crock! The first "Study Group" was mostly just a stalling tactic, and Georgie-boy ignored ALL of their recommendations and did exactly the opposite.
This is an even more transparent stalling tactic.
Baker is and old Bush-family fixer, anyway. He's a completely untrustworthy snake.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:30 pm#26 Sigh. Another really, really stupid comment from bedwetter extraordinaire Frank.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:38 pm#26 So, pendejo, tell us again why oil is $100 a barrel?
On second thought, don't.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:40 pmThe bottom line appears to be that chimp is locked on to: 'I'll win this war if it takes killing every soldier we've got.' Someone PLEASE take him to the nut ward...quick.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:41 pm#28: Can you imagine how much more than $100 it would cost us if we weren’t in Iraq? Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
MORE? ROTFL, you're DUMB!
January 21st, 2008 at 4:54 pmMemo to Study Group II:
Don't bother.
January 21st, 2008 at 4:54 pmThe next administration is getting us the hell out of there.
Mistake accomplished.
#27: Don’t tell me you believe we can get by without oil? This study group is nothing but an effort by the dissenters within the administration to stab the President in the back. Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
Why not tell you? You don't want THE TRUTH? ROTFL!!! We have the TECHNOLOGY TODAY, we just don't have the POLITICAL WILL! Why? Because BIG OIL OWWNNNSSSS YOUR PARTY!
January 21st, 2008 at 4:55 pm#28: Can you imagine how much more than $100 it would cost us if we weren’t in Iraq?
Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
Uh, $40? Is this a trick question?
Frank, your stupidity is truly mind-numbing.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pmFrank's understanding of how the world works doesn't rise to the cartoon level. I doubt he could find France on a map.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:06 pmDon’t tell me you believe we can get by without oil? This study group is nothing but an effort by the dissenters within the administration to stab the President in the back.
Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
we can only hope they are successful, literally. Bush promised to keep oil prices down, and failed. he should be removed from office for all of his lies and treason.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:12 pm#28: Can you imagine how much more than $100 it would cost us if we weren’t in Iraq?
Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
Hmm. Let's see. After 9/11, but before the invasion of Iraq, oil was between $26.00 and $30.00 a barrel. What's changed since then? We invaded Iraq. What's the current price of oil? Right around $100.00.
Gee. Ya think there might be a correlation? Ever hear of cause and effect?
January 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pmOil from the Middle East is America’s lifeblood and risking its free flow to us is tantamount to giving up our nuclear arsenal.
Comment by Frank M — January 21, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
oil from the middle east accounts for less than 1/3 of our consumption. You are as stupid as everyone freaed, frank.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pmOff Topic/
BART'S back as "mike831". Still lying through his teeth too.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:15 pm...'waiting on Baker'.....Baker is tied up and hid in cheneys office somewhere. Shredder companys award cheney: 'Shredder of the Year!".
January 21st, 2008 at 5:21 pmAnd Frank, how many barrels of oil a day is Iraq producing?
January 21st, 2008 at 5:24 pmVerbalKint,
January 21st, 2008 at 5:44 pm2 million barrels per day.
They better hurry if that want to save Bush's legency, which surly this is. I think it's a bit late to study any more it's already been done, he's just looking for better results. Reality is always tough on Bushie boy and the neocon's.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pmVerbalKint,
2 million barrels per day.
Comment by WaltTheMan — January 21, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
Yup, and the Bush plan was for Iraq's reconstruction to be paid for by oil revenues under the expectation that it would be 8-10 million a day.
Some success, huh Frank?
January 21st, 2008 at 5:51 pmAnother S-hit and run by Frank, poor little TARD! Too BRAIN DAMAGED and COWARDLY to STAND AND FIGHT! Tell us Frank? How do you plan to stand up to Al Qaeda, when your too big of a pansy to stand up to us? ;)
January 21st, 2008 at 6:02 pmOil WAS $22 a barrel right after Sept, 11 2001!
January 21st, 2008 at 6:05 pmFrank had to go change his pants. Third time today.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:06 pmWhatever happened to the War Czar, anyway?
Comment by VerbalKint — January 21, 2008 @ 4:19
Wow - good question! Maybe someone in the PR department in the WH said "this looks really bad" and he has quietly sat in his cubby ever since.
Study Group Shmuddy Group. I like Baker a lot, but they can study all they want and it won't make any difference. Bush will not signifigantly alter the course in Iraq, and the next President is going to have armies of advisors telling them what to do. Maybe President Bloomberg would listen, but that is all I can see coming of this, which is zilch.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:20 pmFrank does not wear pants, he just drops it onto his mom's basement floor and she hoses it down in the morning. His computer chair is a porta-potti without the basin.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:23 pmIt can't get by them twice.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:29 pmbut they can study all they want and it won’t make any difference.
The Sunni Shieks offered the same basic deal TWO YEARS AGO. They would help us fight Al Qaeda in Iraq in exchange for cash and amnesty. And they WOULD NOT support Al Malaki's Green Zone Govt. Bush rejected it.
Two years later...A desperate Bush and a savy Gen. Petraeus take the Deal. Bush is definitely NOT a Quick study.
How many car bombs and Ieds went off while Bush got up to speed??
January 21st, 2008 at 6:31 pmOh I already know their conclusions:
http://americangoy.blogspot.com/2008/01/counter-insurgency-americangoy-explains.html
Yes I know shameless.
But actually topical....so there...
January 21st, 2008 at 7:35 pmStudy Group Shmuddy Group. I like Baker a lot, but they can study all they want and it won’t make any difference. Bush will not signifigantly alter the course in Iraq, and the next President is going to have armies of advisors telling them what to do. Maybe President Bloomberg would listen, but that is all I can see coming of this, which is zilch.
Comment by Keltoi at Night — January 21, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
So you believe going through the effort of determining the best way forward shouldn't be done, because bush is too stubborn and stupid to listen? ROTFL, it's clear YOU'RE the one that's TOO STUPID to understand what RIDICULOUS POSTS YOU MAKE! They are an EMBARRASSMENT TO YOU, and I'm ASHAMED FOR YOU, because you OBVIOUSLY ARE TOO STUPID TO HAVE ANY SHAME FOR YOURSELF! ;)
January 21st, 2008 at 8:20 pmPlease, go back to Iraq, drive around Baghdad in a convertible, just you guys, a driver - take notes - lots of pictures - show us just how successful the "surge" has been.
If you come back in anything other than a box - give dip-shit some more suggestions he can ignore or mock. Better yet - take him with you, he seemed to miss Iraq on his last trip. Maybe he thought he was so successful there, there was no need to visit. Let's just be sure - take him.
I want to see people throwing ... ah, ...flowers ... at him for "liberating" them. That would be nice. Have him sitting on top of the convertible back-seat so everyone can get a good shot ... ah, look at him ... yeah, tell the stupid prick it's a photo-op - he gets to wave another sword around - he'll go for it ...
January 21st, 2008 at 9:13 pmBaker-Shultz rematch. The winner gets to decide foreign policy of the new administration, and who our new President will be (Shultz-McCain, Baker-Obama, Hillary will take orders from either Shultz/Baker so long as they keep Wall Street happy)
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am