This is too funny.
Now Silvestre Reyes is saying send in another 30,000 troops.
Posted by Alex at December 6, 2006 08:28 AMSending in more troops is simply a pointless act based upon the false premise that the US has the capacity to direct events in Iraq.
The basic lesson of Vietnam is yet unlearned--the locals alway win. Oh the futility of it all! Why should be ever believe that the real locals will ever side with us.
In six months, the lesson will still not be learned, but our position will be even weaker than it is now and the violence will be greater too.
Posted by Nobody at December 6, 2006 08:42 AMNow Silvestre Reyes is saying send in another 30,000 troops.
Then it's probably a good thing that he chairs Intelligence and not Armed Services. Ike Skelton wants some troops redeployed and others brought home. That is probably much more important than what Reyes thinks.
Aren't Democrats refreshing compared to the right-arm-extended-at-45-degrees jack boot heel-clicking republi-cons?
Posted by phidipides at December 6, 2006 08:48 AMThere's one thing about that picture that really annoys me. Sitting to the right of Butch is the premier token Democrat, Lee, Former Democratic Congressman Hamilton. I may be showing my age, but I can still remember being pissed off at the talk show favorite, the Oh So Reasonable, thoughtful, never-take-a-principled-stand, Republican talking points ennabler, Hamilton.
Before there was Joe Lieberman, there was Lee Hamilton. Two peas sharing a pustulent pod.
From Wikipedia
As chair of the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran, Hamilton chose not to investigate President Ronald Reagan or President George H. W. Bush, stating that he did not think it would be "good for the country" to put the public through another impeachment trial. He was one of the top choices for the running mate of Bill Clinton in the 1992 Presidential election. (Instead, we got Revoltin'Joe. Talk about the fix being in!) He remained in Congress until 1999.
Since leaving Congress, Mr. Hamilton has served as a member of the Hart-Rudman Commission, and was co-chair of the Baker-Hamilton Commission to Investigate Certain Security Issues at Los Alamos. He sits on many advisory boards, including those to the CIA, the president's Homeland Security Advisory Council, and the United States Army. He is currently the president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and was appointed to serve as the vice chair of the 9/11 Commission.
He and Jim Bob Baker are old friends. I seriously wonder, can ANYONE tell me a single contribution he's made to any of the Advisory Boards, Commissions and Whitewash Committees he served on since his long overdue retirement? Does he sign his fat checks, "Token Democrat Ennabler?" Does he bring a juicy novel to read during the Kabuki testimony organized by his Republican handlers?
I can only hope that, with Republicans out of power, ol' Reasonable Lee will be on enforced vacation for awhile. Unfortunately, with our Leadership in Congress, it will probably be the case that the Blue Dog Butts, the Democrat Lobbyist Coalition and the Republicans themselves will clamor for Lee to be co-chairman of still more whitewash commissions and study groups where he can work his compelling bi-partisan magic that he does so reliably. Bah! Humbug!
Posted by DeminNewJ at December 6, 2006 08:56 AMAren't Democrats refreshing compared to the right-arm-extended-at-45-degrees jack boot heel-clicking republi-cons?
Yes, it makes me happy to know that we don't have one large daisy chain going around the congressional chambers anymore!
Posted by Seven of Six at December 6, 2006 08:59 AMCondi is putting out the position again that she is not a Middle East expert and she's more comfortable residing in Putin's neighborhood. Add to that Bolton leaving as well as Campone and she has alot on her plate now which leads to the idea that the Baker/Hamilton group's none to subtle suggestion that a fresh eyes, older and wiser panel of Middle East foreign policy experts be formed which can engage the whole neighborhood. At the very least it's time to remove negotiators from Bush's circle who simply have no credibility to bring to the table with the Middle East and replace them with the older, wiser and respected. That said you can almost hear a collective sigh of relief emmanating from the Middle East at this glimmer of hope. Sad.
Posted by mainsailset at December 6, 2006 09:04 AMmainsailset, Rachel Maddow was saying that just about everyone has left the State Dept, and Condi's on her own because no one wants to work there even though she's begged several people to be her deputy. Makes sense, since these bozos don't do diplomacy, but it's sure got to worry the rest of the world that our diplomacy department is just plain out of order. It sure worries me1
Posted by iamcoyote at December 6, 2006 09:26 AMPhotos of the damged military vechicles at the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana and the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama.
h/t Lurch, Main and Central.
Posted by Seven of Six at December 6, 2006 09:37 AMwe should have the right to know what any member of government has investments in.
if we had that list, the corruption and bribery charges could hit everyone in the government. talk about insider trading!
now that the elections are over, it is obvious our gubment has slipped right back into absurdity from which it could not quite emerge
Posted by oldtree at December 6, 2006 09:43 AMIts all cover for the real goal, American takeover of Iraq Oil Fields. The Bush's, the Baker's, Big Oil, they wanted Iraq, they got Iraq and they are not going to give it back. Lives mean nothing..
Posted by T2 at December 6, 2006 09:51 AMA friend of mine said it would be nice if politicians had patches all over their suits of their sponsors like NASCAR drivers do. I think it's a great idea!
Posted by iamcoyote at December 6, 2006 09:55 AMThat picture just says it all, doesn't it.
Like a kid pushing off the controlling parents.
Posted by donna at December 6, 2006 09:55 AMThat picture just says it all, doesn't it.
Yup, white male christian dominated society!
Posted by Seven of Six at December 6, 2006 10:06 AMAs I have been saying all along we won't leave until that "helicopters on the roof" moment - until we are driven out. That should be within one or two "Friedman Units".
Posted by Ron In Portland at December 6, 2006 10:16 AMSpot on Ron in Portland......the ISG,Bush, all of them, the Media, all seem to ignore the very very real possiblity that any day now, we'll be leaving Iraq just like we left 'Nam - under fire and in a hurry.
Posted by T2 at December 6, 2006 10:25 AMCoyote, yeah I think we're also seeing the next wave of 'rats fleeing the ship' as well, after all, who wants to be the last one standing beside Bush at the end of the day? They're going to have to purchase a whole printing press just to get all the subpoenas out. As for Condi, she's also speaking more and more often about her retirement from govt and return to Stanford.
Posted by mainsailset at December 6, 2006 10:27 AMWe probably need to keep reminding ourselves that the DEMS have yet to take the reins of Congress. The Iraq group was supposed to be a mechanism for Bush to 'save face'. So far he seems to be rejecting any change, verbally and with body language as noted above. 'Stay the course' means Vietnam or Darfur-type outcomes. The DEMS are going to have to take the gloves off at some point and confront the "Executive"
Posted by tfitznc at December 6, 2006 10:29 AMAs for Condi, she's also speaking more and more often about her retirement from govt and return to Stanford.
mainsailset, The sooner the better! She has been non-existent for some time now!
SOS, with her it's always a toss up whether she does a worse job participating or taking a break to shop
Posted by mainsailset at December 6, 2006 10:40 AMSteve,
The remarkable thing is, FOXNews (GOP-TV)'s anchor, Greg Jared (sp?) said the Baker Report isn't much different from what Bush says about the future of Iraq.
The WH spin machine is alive and doing double duty.
Posted by Christopher at December 6, 2006 12:09 PMFormer Vice President Al Gore (who won in 2000' won the presidency) noted Wednesday that the group's report is one of several other reviews being undertaken within the administration.
"They're all basically saying the same thing: This is an utter disaster. This is the worst strategy mistake in the history of the United States," Gore said on NBC's "Today" show.
"What we're seeing with this report and all the others is a situation where there are no good outcomes," said Gore, the Democrat who narrowly lost to Bush in the election that went into overtime in 2000.
And this man isn't running in 2008??? Please! Come on Al, rescue from this madness.
Posted by Christopher at December 6, 2006 12:15 PMToday we are told by Jimmy Baker that a really, really accelerated "We're-Serious-This-Time" program of training Iraq Army units will allow us to get our troops out of the Iraq cauldron sometime in 2008 (perhaps).
This "stand-up the Iraqi Army" gambit is exactly what Bushco said it has been doing for the past two years---with no success whatever. So now it's "hurry up, faster, faster"? Can't miss.
How exactly are we going to protect all these increased "trainers" embedded with that crackerjack Iraqi Army? Or instill a desire to fight for an institution the soldiers have no allegiance to? If we had the power to create an Iraqi Army, it would be in existence by now. But we couldn't do it two years ago, and are even less likely to be able to today.
And how will that situation ever change?
Posted by euzoius at December 6, 2006 01:11 PM
I, for one, really feel sorry for those thousands of troops who thought they were defending America, now to be stationed as advisors at decrepit Iraqi military bases, with Iraqi food and poor facilities, trying to train and motivate a foreign army speaking a foreign language (not even close to what these troops have been trained to do) which is equipped with cast-off Soviet bloc equipment purchased through corrupt Middle Eastern arms dealers, and then going on poorly planned-and-supported combat operations with this undependable, sectarian ragtag force . . . did I leave anything out? Oh, yeah, their lives are on the line every day and every night in this living hell created by these "wise men." It's time for a rebellion in the ranks. We are sentencing these troops to cruel and unusual duty, with death or crippling injury a distinct possibility. I expect US troops to serve in US units under competent US command--how about you?
Posted by Don Bacon at December 6, 2006 03:36 PMCut the crap, Bush.
Posted by james k. sayre at December 6, 2006 04:00 PMI demand we withdraw our troops from this civil war, stop the $6 billion/week special interest welfare, and stop breaking our military!!!!!
(thanks euzoius)
So nine months of intense study and discussions, and no new break through? Seems to me that the report offered nothing new or anthing that hasn't been mentioned before.
Posted by Judith at December 6, 2006 05:19 PM"The report said Washington must step up action -- including the threatened reduction of political, military and economic support -- to make the Iraqi government improve security."
Let's see if I've got this: We will stay in Iraq to prevent more civil violence, but if the Iraq government can't reduce civil violence then we will leave.
"And the wise men appeared, and they spoke nonsense unto the multitudes . . ."
Posted by Don Bacon at December 6, 2006 06:13 PMWell, if I were going to implement the training thing I think I would put an ad in the Baghdad Howler:
Needed immediately, soldiers and officers. Former Iraqi military members, you're country needs you. Report to any Iraqi military base to inquire about the new Iraq Army of One (or other catchy phrase). Good pay and benefits for those who can prove their former service to the country. Full benefits guaranteed for both you and your family.
I think it would fill that trained troop void nicely.
Fucking beer...and fucking possessive pronouns and stuff:
you're country
Should be "your" country
Posted by at December 6, 2006 06:29 PMI wonder how Sandra O'Connor feels working on this commission knowing full well that the whole mess could have been avoided if she had not ordered Americans to stop counting votes in 2000.
She should have to live out her remaining days in the "comfort" of the green zone.
Posted by TIKI AL at December 6, 2006 07:13 PMNine months it took to produce a document?! It only took sixteen months to build the entire Pentagon. This is a blue ribbon panel only in the Pabst sense. The Badr Brigades apparently need no training in administering death by torture, maiming, or general chaos. Bushes job is done, the death squads are trained and operational. Our military's exploits will echo through the ages. Let Freedom Swing.
Posted by obelus at December 6, 2006 07:13 PMThe Blue Ribbon Panel went to Iraq, but never left the green zone. Maybe they should have gone out into the real world of Iraq, and then made their recommendations.
Posted by Judith at December 6, 2006 08:37 PMJudith, The "real world of Iraq" is only for those young people willing to risk their lives in a combat zone. It's not for aged politicians. But you knew that.
Posted by Don Bacon at December 6, 2006 08:53 PMNot to put too fine of a point on it, and for the sake of mutual respect,love, understanding and brotherhood...in, of course, the new spirit of bi-partisan cooperation......Hmmmmm?
It's curious to me that the SAME proposals that are contained in the Baker/Hamilton Bipartisan(?) Commission Report on Iraq (phheeeeewwwww) look a lot like the proposals presented by Sen. John Kerry during the "what would you do, as president, about Iraq?" Q&A portion of the 04' Presidential debates.
Interesting that none of the corporate media/ liberal blogs et al., have picked up on this and given Sen. Kerry props.
OH WELL, SO MUCH FOR LOYALISTS VS. PATRIOTS..!!
One World,
Domino49
Posted by Domino49 at December 6, 2006 08:59 PM