It's not a war -- it's the world's most expensive campaign commercial.
2002 was about going in -- remember the timing of the AUMF vote?
2004 was about 'staying the course'.
And it's got two more elections in it -- 2006, after Operation Heroes Homeward, and 2008, which will become a debate on "Who Lost Iraq". The answer will be Cindy Sheehan, Howard Dean, and whomever the Democrats nominate for president.
Thats four elections from one war.
And every bomb dropped, every round fired, had two targets - the tactical enemy abroad, and the domestic enemy at home.
If you gave the GOP the choice between a stable, democratic Iraq, and a prostrate and irrelevant Democratic party at home -- as their preferred 'victory', there is no doubt that they would leave the first on the table and take the second in a New York minute.
It looks like facts on the ground is going deny them the first, which is why they are using any means necessary to secure the second.
Posted by Davis X. Machina at January 29, 2006 08:01 AM• The endeavor would create a degree of controlled instability that would create an enormous revenue stream for the military industrial complex for years to come.
Posted by Simp at January 29, 2006 08:23 AMThat's extremely well said, Simp.
Posted by paradox at January 29, 2006 08:39 AMI say we should have nuked the fuckin' Towel-Heads flat and made that sand box glow blue in the dark. Just like we should nuke that fuckin' Eye-ran flat, fuckin' Sand-Niggers! (realizes his real predjudices are showing) I mean...we should bring democracy to our brown brothers.
Besides, the war in Eye-rack is protecting our democracy. Look at how they were trying to......(realizes there is no argument here). You liberal fuckers don't realize everything...and I mean everything...changed after 9-11.
You see, the problem with you fucks it's that Broke Back Mountain liberal-fuckin'-whining you do that is ruining your party (realizes his homophobia is showing. Wistfully remembers blowing his best friend when he was 15. It makes him feel bad...but it's also oddly exciting to him). I ain't got nothin against gays, but Broke Back Mountain is just how your party is (wonders to himself if they kiss in the movie. Always wishes he could have kissed his best friend in Vo-Tech school. Feels bad a little more).
Posted by phidipides as the average neo-con at January 29, 2006 08:45 AMThe strategy is laid out for all to see, and the Democrats just stand there blinking -- like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Why is it so difficult for Democrats to comprehend that Bush is the Gangster in Chief, whose primary goal is their utter destruction; and the GOP Culture of Corruption is far deeper and more vile than anything this country has ever seen?
Posted by ck at January 29, 2006 08:56 AMParadox, this is a fantastic post.
Posted by Steve Soto at January 29, 2006 09:22 AMInteresting post. The invasion of Iraq unquestionably divided the country, but not its political leaders. Rove is clever, but I don't know if he could have forseen the political future that would arise from this absurd invasion. I don't think this is how Bushco (including Rove) thought their splendid little war would go.
But it's very insightful to observe that the CONTINUED occupation of Iraq is turning into an effective cudgel for KKKarl & Co. to use in maintaining absolute power and destroying the opposition.
All one needs to do is fan the flames of fear, demonize (ala Goebbels and Goering) the honest dissenters, and, viola, the astounding ignorance of the citizenry will accomplish the rest---a one party authoritarian corporatist state with sham "elections".
The rest of the world had better wake up (and fast) to the extremely dangerous situation brewing over here: a fear crazed, authoritarian hyperpower is going to be harmful to their health. We are long past reforming ourselves.
Posted by euzoius at January 29, 2006 09:45 AMDemocrats in congress have been tools of the administration. Democrats think they are playing the grand ol' game of politics: debate and compromise. They want to appear reasonable. They don't want to be seen as obstructionist.
The Republicans are playing a different game. They used to just laugh when Democrats wanted to debate. Now they don't even let them into the rooms where the real decisions are made.
The Republicans claim they are compromising, when they are really moving farther to the right. The Democrats just set themselves up for a lose-lose situation.
If they dig in their heals, they are obstructionist. So instead they go meekly along, making themselves witting accomplicies in the dismantling of American democracy.
This really is how it happened in Germany is the 30s.
Posted by shargash at January 29, 2006 10:01 AMYet tomorrow Alito—surely as rabid a freak that stole the job for George in the first place—will ascend and on Tuesday the corporate media will crow over Bush’s powers and the corpse of our party.
I gotta say this makes me feel bad. I mean, I've been spending the weekend calling senators, and feeling better than I have about Dems in a long time, and here you are, telling me what the trolls have been whispering in our ears all week: "You're going to lose, why try?" You may think I'm stupid for picking up this little bone thrown from Kerry's table and running with it, but how does it help our cause to undermine the efforts of all of us trying to do something positive? I'm sick of giving up before the fight starts; I'm sick of feeling defeated and depressed; I'm sick of how the troll mentality has taken over TLC, as the trolls take over the comment threads. I'm sick to death of us eating our own.
As for the war being started just so it could be a club to beat the dems with, I disagree, mainly because I believe the war was always about money. This has been a neocon wet dream for years. Win, lose, or tie, they stand to pocket billions as we watch. The club is just a handy side effect of their plans, part of their PR planning; just as a criminal would plan for a convenient scapegoat and plant incriminating evidence, the 'pukes knew that the Dems could be counted on to alternate between "it's the end of the world," and "don't make waves," making them the perfect patsey for accusations of being soft on terror. How this is a revelation now after the massive loss in 2002, I'm not really sure. Haven't the 'pukes been working this angle since 9/12? And how wrong are they, as I watch TLC put up post after post bashing Democrats the weekend before the SOTU? Shouldn't we be trashing Republicans instead?
Posted by iamcoyote at January 29, 2006 10:13 AMBelieve me, I understand the frustration and I understand the feelings of powerlessness.
I still say that we must turn the despair into action. There is much action to be done.
(I am really not an optimist; I just play one on the blogosphere.)
We must educate the people. Corporate media is absolutely complicit in enabling this administration - their incompetence, their illegal acts, their corruption, their cronyism, their arrogance. Corporate media has become nothing but a propaganda machine and the people do not know this, they are oblivious. They are hypnotized by the flashing lights and the infotainment and are not savvy enough to question what they are reading, nor are they willing to move beyond lack of time or energy to research themselves. We must educate.
Remember, this government, our government, our Democracy is supposed to be run by the people. I do not think that people know this. I think that people believe that we have leaders rather than representatives.
When the politicians know that we are watching and demanding and paying attention they do fight harder. I have also noticed that they fight hard anyway.
My Senators and Rep does.
Most of America is just busy working hard, trying to pay bills, trying to raise families. Washington DC is something that happens "over there" and they do not even realize how decisions are made every day that affect them.
I'll say it again: this war happens in a closet. We do not see the bodies coming home draped in flags. We do not see the ground fights. We do not pay for it in increased taxes (yet) or rations. We do not have to (yet) face the prospect of our children being drafted and set off to fight.
Only then, when it gets moved out of the closet, will the average Joe start to question it.
It is good that it will become a wedge issue. We are not safer now than before and this preznit has not protected us.
The Dems have had legislation forever to protect our borders, our cargo, create interoperability. They have all kinds of real live implementable plans to truly protect the American people. They have legislation to help our returning soldiers, increase VA spending and efficiency. They have legislation and plans to actually win this war and get us out.
It is the media replay, over and over again, that "the Dems have no plans" that I find even you here buying into. It simply is not true. We do have plans, ideas and legislation it is just not allowed on the table.
When we are able to show our plans and the people see that they are better than the 'stay the course' bullshit, this will be good for us.
I am not willing to give up on my party and I am not willing to give up on America. I will continue to fight.
Most Americans think this is just "politics as usual". This could not be farther from the truth. This is the fight of the millenia. This preznit is not just incompetent or power hungry, he is a sociopath. Those who do not see this when he speaks have already been implanted with chip. He is fucking dangerous.
We must fight to restore the media and our voting systems and we must demand the truth. I think that everytime that we see a story with the spin, propaganda, let's write the networks.
Our politicians cannot save us. Change will only come when the people stand up and demand it.
Posted by Anjha at January 29, 2006 10:24 AMThanks Coyote, we are on the same page this morning. I will not trash Kerry.
I am proud of Kerry for standing up and fighting.
If anything at all, a filibuster will allow the Dems the floor for as long as they can take it to speak. Just think of all of the truths that can be said.
Let them speak, let them debate, let them fight hard.
I am truly amazed that the Repukes, who so do not want government interference, are just rubber-stamping Mr. Unitary Executive. Something is really not right here.
Posted by Anjha at January 29, 2006 10:28 AMAs John Edwards says: The leaders we have been waiting for are ourselves.
Posted by God Of War at January 29, 2006 10:32 AMWe really need to get more about Terror Management Theory into the MSM. Maybe the sheep will begin to see how fear is being used as a cudgel against this country.
Posted by Via at January 29, 2006 10:42 AMiamcoyote, my thinking was that Senators might read it and see what their actions truly do to us.
I did not appreciate the defeatism enough and for that I'm sorry.
I've seen this movie many times before. Do all you can, certainly. I certainly am not a prophet of the future.
Posted by paradox at January 29, 2006 11:05 AMSorry for the rant, truly. It just felt so good to be doing something, anything, this weekend, I needed to share. It's been so depressing around here, watching the trolls take over and drag everyone down further. We all get depressed, but I'm tired of feeling that way, a lot of people are. Why exacerbate it? Why not, instead, try to counteract it? All the writing and calling and faxing lifted my spirits, and if I have to shame people into giving it a try, so be it. We've got a campaign to run; right now, the Dems are the only hope we have of turning this country around. Baby steps, my friend, seem less daunting, don't they? Let's start with jettisoning the negativity first, and that begins with the trolls. Then maybe we can get some power back and start turning our efforts towards the particulars. Fight to the last until the battle's done; then pick up your sword and fight the next one.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 29, 2006 11:19 AMI was watching the McLaughlin Group and they say the filibuster is doomed.....but they also said the economy is good. So what the hell do they know?
It ain't over til it's over. Fight on!
Posted by Sharon at January 29, 2006 11:30 AMSharon, both the trolls and the talking heads have the same agenda, they want us to shut up and stick to the narrative. I say: Fuck that shit.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 29, 2006 11:40 AMMy sister, the wingnut one at DoD in CENTCOM, and I had this big argument earlier in the week. She parrots what all the trolls say, except she truly disagrees with some of what bu$h's is doing, like his spending issues. She then ends our discussion with saying, "Good thing I'm not that passionate about politics".
My response was, "Well, when you control all three branches of government you don't have to be passionate about politics do you".
coyote, Your so right, let's stay passionate and continue the fight, as long as it takes!! I personally plan to volunteer this summer for the Democrats. I want to get as many Dems elected as possible!!
Supporting the Dems will be the baby steps needed. Until we can get progressives going strong.
There were a few geo-political reasons (which were only touched on):
1. We needed to replace the lost Saudi military bases. We have now built 17-19 new permanent bases in Iraq. Our unwillingness to leave is because we want the situation resolved enough so that we can withdraw to the bases. Murtha hinted at this when he said we should withdraw to neighboring areas. People misunderstood what he meant, he is a hawk, after all.
2. We need to demonstrate our strength in the region to intimidate other players like Syria and Libya. This has partially worked.
3. We needed a compliant Iraq regime to make sure oil would be supplied on favorable terms. This didn't mean to the US, any market would affect the world supplies and prices.
4. We needed to lock up the oil in the region to prevent the Chinese from getting to it. Recent deals between Saudi Arabia and China shows that this isn't a distant possibility.
So far we are doing pretty well on 1 and 2, fair on 3 and 4.
When we get what we want, we'll leave.
Robert, Another technicality: We had to make sure that the oil was exchanged for Dollars and not Euros. We could not let Saddam continue this practice! Throw in the U.N's oil for food program and it justified the war to bu$hco!
We could have continued our air supremacy from our bases in Turkey but that wasn't enough Jr.
This is a nice little tidbit to chew on.
Cheney sold it to Bush: "Sadaam tried to kill yer daddy, you gonna be outdone by Clinton lobbing a few missles at him for the attempt?" Imperative Bush gets a repub elected pres in 08, so he can get a "Ford free pass" enacted when the investigations take their toll, ala Nixon.
Posted by TIKI AL at January 29, 2006 02:36 PMbbtb: The role of gold as an important part of international finance was replaced a long time ago. The paper you cite still believes that it is necessary to couple metal with money, that horse has left the barn.
The idea of paying for oil in Euros, however, may have some real affects on currency marktets. The US domestic deficit and balance of payments deficit are much more likely to cause internal economic dislocation. We don't have to go too far back (just to Carter) to see what happens when the government tries to pay for a war without raising taxes - runaway inflation.
Posted by robertdfeinman at January 29, 2006 02:41 PMThat's why were giving our gold away, right? Yeah, we can drive the old truck right up to Ft. Knox and load it up!
I understand the part of gold and the international finance community but it was just to tie in the article with the real point on why we invaded Iraq. The article states, "Even though dollars were no longer exchangeable for gold, they were now exchangeable for oil".
I don't agree with him on much but like muckdog says, "Gold makes nice jewelry but not much else!".
I keep hearing this filibuster thing.
The push is stop cloture.
I don't see how we can filibuster Alito on qualifications when the ABA rates him highly qualified, which means his legal views and opinions up to this point are good from a strictly legalist POV.
Instead of filibuster, I have been faxing the idea that we not end the debate. Not so Senators can engage in some gassy reading of endless Victoria Holt novels, but instead so the Senate continue a real debate on this man's constitutional views.
I think Senator Byrd, and even Senator Nelson could get next to this idea, with out feeling "bloggified."
Posted by boilerman10 at January 29, 2006 03:34 PMSteve, the war was a bright shining lie 2 weeks after the invasion and no WMD were found. Evertything since then has been backpedel, cover-up of a D&C and CYA variety, and the spell is running out.
I think the D's stand a good chance in November.
Before we can change course, we need to change the regime, and congress is the first place to start. We change Congress, we can change America.
No change in congress, no change in the ruin and sullen despair that grips the US.
Posted by boilerman10 at January 29, 2006 03:39 PMRobert, I want to commend you on your website and articles. I agree with you on almost everything.
I especially like your parts on the haves and have nots, rich & poor.
Civil unrest...is exactly what bu$h is asking for!