It’s been awhile since the Bush administration pointed to the 18 benchmarks meant to gauge political progress and national reconciliation in Iraq, but credit is due the Iraqi parliament for its passage of one of them — a law enabling former members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party to have government jobs or benefits. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a surprise visit to Baghdad Tuesday, overdid it in describing national reconciliation as moving along “quite remarkably,†but the law counts as welcome progress.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi defense minister said Monday that it would be another four years before Iraq would be able to take full responsibility for its internal security, and it would be at least until 2018 before it could defend its borders.
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24 Comments
If we keep on at the current pace, we’ll be bankrupted before 2018.
Hmmmm.
“it would be another four years before Iraq would be able to take full responsibility for its internal security, and it would be at least until 2018 before it could defend its borders.”
Betcha if we pulled out those numbers would be drastically reduced.
and it would be at least until 2018 before it could defend its borders.
Let me translate.
The US appointed governor of the client state Iraq of the United States empire says it will be necessary for the Empire to maintain a garrison in the client state until further notice.
Anybody surprised?
But … but …
I thought it was supposed to be only “weeks … maybe months … not years”!
Oh yea, now I get it. Not years. DECADES!!!!!!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!
Oh goody, nearly 4,000 Americans dead, nearly a trillion dollars spent but we got some people their jobs back.
At this rate, it will be 2018 - fifteen years after Mission Accomplished - before we get back to the point where Iraq was in February 2003?
What have we accomplished - we deposed a two-bit, tin-pot paper tiger of a dictator that, even WITH WMD could not defeat a third rate military power (Iran)next door, could not even control all of his own country, had no definable ties to al Qaeda, no connection to 9/11, no threat to the USA - but he was a bad man.
Great.
A trillion plus dollars later - and counting - 4,000 dead, countless wounded, a military stretched to the limit - for what?
To get rid of Saddam Hussein?
Christ.
And it is going to take until 2018 to get back to the point where Iraq was PRIOR to the invasion?
Worst President Ever - without a doubt.
No Republicans on this thread………….. hmmmmmmmmm…………
Before you all start, however, remember that EVEN George F. Bush has stated to Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, that the CIA has stated that Saddam had no connection to al Qaeda, Bush has admitted that Iraq did not possess WMD, etc.
Saddam was a paper tiger - just as the folks - like me - that protested the War before it began stated emphatically.
No Iraq War!
January 2003.
Maybe y’all should have listened just a bit.
There is more progress going on in Iraq. The government has convened together to tackle a serious issue to unite the country. The plan is to change the lettering of the Iraqi flag which says, “God is great” from green to yellow.
You see, it was all worth it.
“No Republicans on this thread………….. hmmmmmmmmm…”
Yeah I see that too WS.
And mine will be only the ninth post.
Can it be?
I said all along that bush’s handlers “strategy” would be to wait the public out til they became numb. That eventually, “acceptable” losses level would be reached. That the attention span of the public would fail and we would have troops in Iraq essentially forever.
Are we there? Seems like.
2018 before Iraq recovers; how much longer than that before the U.S. recovers from GWB’s Big Adventure?
George W is an addict, and the American people, especially the U.S. Congress, are his enablers!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN5yvoIsnnE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YENbElb5-xY too bad Bush didnt listen to this guy
But you will see Paul and other neocons frothing at the mouth for another war - against Iran - with their Gulf of Tonkin incident.
What have we accomplished - we deposed a two-bit, tin-pot paper tiger of a dictator that, even WITH WMD could not defeat a third rate military power (Iran)next door, could not even control all of his own country, had no definable ties to al Qaeda, no connection to 9/11, no threat to the USA - but he was a bad man.
Great.
A trillion plus dollars later - and counting - 4,000 dead, countless wounded, a military stretched to the limit - for what?
To get rid of Saddam Hussein?
Christ.
And it is going to take until 2018 to get back to the point where Iraq was PRIOR to the invasion?
Worst President Ever - without a doubt.
WSClark
Posted January 15, 2008 at 2:42 pm |
You forgot about OBL free. but BUSHIT isnt concerned about that
Worst President Ever - without a doubt.
Y’know, the Marshall Plan that rebuilt all of Europe after WWII wasn’t nearly as expensive or time-consuming as this so-called plan to secure a mostly desert that was secure before we came along. Maybe we hung Saddam too soon.
Ben
Posted January 15, 2008 at 1:27 pm | \l “comment-274194″
But … but …
I thought it was supposed to be only “weeks … maybe months … not years”!
Oh yea, now I get it. Not years. DECADES!!!!!!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!
Ben recently I read that they actually believed it, Richard Pearle special advisor to the DOD said that the plan was for Iraq prior to the invasion was, it would take a matter of two weeks to defeat Saddam and then Jay Garner would be installed as the Viceroy of Iraq and within six months the infrastructure would be back up and running and all troops would be out. To show how clueless this Neoconservative is, he also was advising that it would not take more then forty thousand troops to invade, hold and control Iraq. This was the only point of contention within the White House Neo-con ranks was the number of troops needed to accomplish their goals.
“Before you all start, however, remember that EVEN George F. Bush has stated”
WS it is George “W” Bush… Oh wait a minute…George “F” oh OK I get it!
said all along that bush’s handlers “strategy” would be to wait the public out til they became numb. That eventually, “acceptable” losses level would be reached. That the attention span of the public would fail and we would have troops in Iraq essentially forever.
Are we there? Seems like.
JR yes their strategy does seem to be working, I railed when it has been said lately that the electorate have turn away from Iraq being a major concern to the economy.
But then I was not surprised, often the easiest way to deal with a 800 pound Gorilla is to ignore him. In a real sense I think that is why Bush has not been impeached and is was easy to Impeach Clinton. There were no fantasies of removing Clinton from office for lying about a B.J. It was to simply discredit him and they knew there would be only grumbles about it among the American people.
But to Impeach Bush would mean that the whole sorted details would be exposed to the light, not just for the world but here. The claim maybe that it would tear the Country a part, the reality is that it would tear the people away from the Government. Destroy our very way of governing and destroy the country in a way that a thousand planes slamming into a thousand building could not do. So it is best we forget, keep grumbling and with time this will all be pushed aside with some new minor complaint.
BTW, thanks for the invite to the DNC I had thought about it some time ago and even going Independent.
But JR to be honest, the Democrat have played as much of a part in it all as the Republicans. Neo-cons do not just come in one flavor. They do not just wear dark Blue pinstriped suits but also Brown dress coats.
Hillary is as much a Neoconservative as Cheney or Bill Kristol.
So who is the answer? You are, Hank is, WS is, GMC70 is, Capt is, WE are! It would be a telling tale if it were to happen. A push that would either lead to total reversal and this country finally becoming what the fairytales have portrayed. Or its total destruction, I do not believe there would or could be a middle ground.
WE have been raised to believe in this country as the ideal of the best in human adventure. So much that ever if not true there is still an abiding desire to believe it so and possible. Patriotism, honor and faith not just for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children. You have never claimed to be in this fight for yourself is has always been for your son.
But learning of the ideals that govern the Governors of us all, that such popular myths of Patriotism and religion as they refer to them can be used to control the masses. Bring into question those of the most worthy and honorable ideas. Does believing in the brightest future for ourselves and our descendants make us fools or better then the Governors? To turn to the Bible and a quote “All fall short of the glory of God”
Its meaning is that no matter how we try we will never obtain the greatness. But to not try to obtain that greatness is to accept that we can never be anything else but the lowest of the low. Will you be happy in that, stupid question! Just the fact that you continue to fight for your son’s future mean you still believe it is obtainable.
So what kind of country will this be if we do finally stand up and demand the fairytale become true?
That we do finally stand up and say that such Popular myths as Patriotism and religion in one’s personal lives be the reality instead of the method to control the masses? Perhaps then a country that is worth believing in not just pretending to be it is worth it.
Now you all have heard from a Republican!
I wasn’t aware that benchmarks were the same as timing posts on a racetrack.
Yep, James, give them just another ten years and they will be right back to where they were………. prior to the invasion.
Good job, George.
What have we gained?
Writerdog maybe going Libertarian would better suit you?
“…it would be at least until 2018 before it could defend its borders.”
>snort<
Tom Paine
Posted January 15, 2008 at 10:07 pm | \l “comment-274591″
Writerdog maybe going Libertarian would better suit you?
And Tom perhaps I should check the Libertarians out, I have only heard one candidate speak before and he was local. I was not too impressed and did not see what the party’s platform and there core stated believes were. But if Ron Paul is a good example than they might be a good fit, Ironically as popular accord as Dr, Paul has hit. I really think if it was not for him running on a major party ticket I doubt I would have ever heard of him or his message.
The Libertarians I had always heard were in line with the John Birch society. I have read some of the Birch doctrine and found it out there. But perhaps it was I who was just out of it!