What provisions are there in the Iraqi constitution to prevent this? We all know that democracy can be abused so easily, and judged even more easily.

Would the US leave then? It would have to. It cannot judge the people who are culturally different than they are. The Shiites in Iraq have an agenda, and want to pursue it.

Their cause is the Mahdi cause, and they will all vote for it. You can call them all “extremists” if you like. But that’s the power of the that religion.

Not at all. Maps of the Mideast, where nationalism is nowhere near the force it is in many other regions, are just for the convenience of foreigners. And the arbitrary maps drawn by foreigners have little meaning to the locals.

Just another area where Westerners have proven incapable of understanding the Mideastern mind set to the detriment of all of civilization.

#jb Says:
Thanks for the good news JK, I’m also pleased to know that W will have his name on a sewer plant. what a striking victory.

Actually, it looks like that may not happen. Apparently a lot of people are complaining that the sewer plant has a purpose and does good work for the people of SF. They think it would be an insult to the sewer plant to have it named after Bush.

Well, then maybe they could pick out one particularly stinky turn and name that after him.

True, CJ. There are no credible claims that al-Maliki did not say he wants all our troops out and 16 months sounds like a realistic amount of time.

The only thing being denied is the implication that his comments constituted an endorsement of Obama. And I’m not sure that anyone credible made that claim.

The trolls, as always, have nothing on which to base their delusions. Al-Maliki and most other Iraqis want us out ASAP. Period.

Iraq, by virtue of it’s location, is strategically essential to control of the Mideast. That’s why virtually every ancient empire placed so much importance on the domination of Iraq, even when other areas were allowed to slip away. It’s also why every single one has ultimately failed. It still may be the most valuable piece of dirt on the planet.

Airbases in Iraq can dominate the entire region. They could strike anywhere from the Mediterranian to Easternmost Iran within a half hour. And ground troops serve to keep Syria and Iran, as well as Persians and Turks, physically separated. It’s like the center square in tic-tac-toe.

Criminality aside, occupying Iraq is sound strategy until they get really pissed off and massacre our forces to the last man/woman. The sad fact is that our leaders have ignored the historical fact that no dominant force has ever lasted very long in Iraq. And I’m certain that, under continued Reichwing control, the signs would be ignored until after the last Westerner in Iraq has his/her head hung from a pole.

To a culture which predates written language, being occupied for a few years, or dominated for thirty by a home-grown dictator, is just a phase. Heck! They’ve maintained their identity, charted their own destiny, and cast out invaders after occupations which lasted far longer than our nation’s entire history. If our defeat is left to the grandchildren of today’s generation? That would be, as Muslims are want to say, “as Allah wills”. 6,000 year old cultures can afford to take a long range approach.

All they need to do is endure and they will win. They’ve already won and they know it. It is we who are ignorant of how Empires are overthrown. And every single death strengthens their resolve and adds ferocity to their eventual uprising.

At this point our only hope is to recover the bulk of our people before those who want us out realize that our position in Iraq is untenable. Bushco has offered up the best possible target. A few hundred-thousand troops and mercenaries cut off in hostile territory and pinned down by a handful of fanatics. If they realize the relative strengths of our positions? It could be the worst defeat since Stalingrad.

Dont forget CENTCOM..thier the ones who issued Malikis alleged statement about a “mistranslation”:

http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/the_walkback.php

Gotta love it when a foreign leader says something then an occupying army issues a retraction of that statement…

heres a few links to feed to the freepers who are claiming this is a “wiped off the map” misunderstanding..

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/204796.php

Iraq is the size of Caloifornia. Kuwait is at one end of it.

There is more to the utility of Bases than Warplanes. There is fuel, food , ammunition, spare parts, land vehicles, radar and satellite sites…all subject to the laws of logistics. The military requires places to park and store all this stuff, and guard it from the enemy. Bases allow this, and the closer to the action, the better.

My bottom line, however, is that Bush and Cheney would not be building all these bases, if they could accomplish their goals from kuwait.

The Saudi’s ( and Bin Laden) asked us to leave, and we did. Cheney & Bush needed to move the forces, and Iraq served their purposes.

Your statement is misleading at best. Ever hear of Kuwait? Also, the warplanes either flew in from flattops in the region or far away places like Germany, with refueling. No local airstrips were used until after the invasion was well underway. This brings us back to square one, which is the oil. They have it and we want it.

But our ability to move equipment and men has drastically increased in the last 50 years. As the Air Force advertises, the nature of modern war is to keep the personnel away from the front lines. Send in drones.

As such, wouldn’t we have less need for foreign bases ?

The only thing the Iraqis are “denying” is that al-Maliki’s statements constitute an endorsement of Obama. Which, considering that George “SURRENDER MONKEY” Bush has several hundred-thousand armed henchmen in country, could be construed as simple self-preservation. I don’t know about anyone else but, if Blackwater had an office across the street, I would sound like a good lil’ GOOPER. In public.

Poor trolls. It must suck to have no conception of context or understanding of, well, just about anything. Where do they find the resolve to drag themselves to Mommy’s basement every day? Personally, I’d just give up and stay in bed.

Man… Ole John Kerry has really come UNGLUED!

I always wonder if people like this John Kerry fellow were sane prior to the 2000 election.

Actually, it looks like that may not happen. Apparently a lot of people are complaining that the sewer plant has a purpose and does good work for the people of SF. They think it would be an insult to the sewer plant to have it named after Bush.

Besides, didn’t Bush say that if the Iraqi’s wanted us gone, we would leave? Why isn’t anyone pointing out that not only McCain but also Bush lied.

It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion… Disoriented, discombobulated, disjointed.

All that’s left for it to do is add goofy “HAHAHA!!!!” signing statements onto factual indictments of its monkey idol and its rapidly devolving political party…

Somehow, one actually feels just a little sorry for it the same way you feel bad for Golum in the cave…

My precious… Where IS it! They STOLE MY PRECIOUS!!!!!