Kucinich doesn't vote for any war finding bills. Period.
Posted by snark at November 15, 2007 04:30 AMNot while he is busy looking for UFO's.
Posted by jj at November 15, 2007 05:14 AMReturn on Success. That's what George W. Bush promised the American people. And now we are hearing success stories daily. Of course, it was never Bush's plan to leave Iraq. Just another lie to get funding for Occupation. Now we're told that its the government that's screwing things up over there....Listen, we'll soon complete 5 years in Iraq, nearing 4000 GI deaths, and we have no more of a plan to create stability in government now than we ever had. Bush has no plan.
Posted by T2 at November 15, 2007 06:10 AMLet's remember the history here as the GOoP and its corporate MSM strike up the band. Iraq was the secular bulwark against revolutionary Iranian power in the ME. That's how it functioned strategically, even with the Saddam-sanctions regime.
Iraq is 60% shi'a. Iran is the only other majority shi'a country on earth. It gave financial, moral and sanctuary support for Iraq's oppressed shia leaders for decades. With the coming of "democracy" to Iraq, the shi'a naturally gained control of the government of Iraq. Only a Repub election rigger could think they wouldn't.
The Iraq shi'a parties are not going to be hostile to Iran, ever. They are not going to serve as a adverse bulwark against Iranian power, ever. They are not going to be strongly pro-American, ever. The balance of power in the ME has been irreparably altered in Iran's favor. All the "surging" and "return on successing" in the world isn't going to change that.
Will the deposed sunni really accept this new reality? Who thinks that? Do they think that American troops will be aiding them in their coming battles with the "usurping" shi'a? Have they been told to expect our support?
This area will be a tinderbox for decades as a result of Cheney's invasion. Iran lives there, it's not going anywhere. The Iraq shi'a parties are now beginning to call for withdrawal of all foreign troops---once the shi'a parties all agree on that, good luck boys.
Posted by euzoius at November 15, 2007 07:06 AMAnothr possible analysis, of course, is that the US is building up the (obviously) anti-governmment sunni side, which causes the shi'a "government" side to upgrade their sectarian militias/army in response. The result is both sides building for greater confrontation, with Bushco thinking this will allow us to stay as the "spoiler" or kingmaker force "holding the country together" indefinitely.
Bushco has never shown such prescience. But it could be another unintended effect of their current "policy". It will work until both sides in Iraq understand they're being had and turn on the foreign invader/occupier at some future point. But by then Bush will be back "home" (Paraguay?) drinking and "investing".
Posted by euzoius at November 15, 2007 08:20 AMRight on, snark! And jj, whatya wanna bet that'll be the only question CNN asks him tonight during the debate? "Now what about this UFO you say you saw?"
That's assuming he's invited and if so, that they actually ask him a question.
Posted by Jeff Dinelli at November 15, 2007 09:05 AM"...CENTCOM now believes the biggest threat to Iraqi stability and the success of our mission isn’t Al Qaeda or extremists on both sides, but rather the intransigence of the Iraqi government itself."
Sigh! When are they going to realize what the great majority of Iraqis have understood for years. The greatest threat to Iraqi stability is and has been since March, 2003, the United States.
Get out. Get out promptly and quickly and completely. Only then will there be any chance at all for things in Iraq to begin to stop the escalating downward spiral, and eventually being to calm down, and ultimately heal.
Posted by Shirin at November 15, 2007 07:32 PMThis is a classic case of avoiding responsibility by blaming the victim. It's all the Iraqis' fault for preferring to look after their own interests instead of sacrificing themselves for the sake of the neocons' hopes and dreams.
Posted by Shirin at November 15, 2007 08:46 PM