Back to the Future in Iraq

Yesterday I checked out a few randomly chosen newspaper stories from two years ago to see precisely what was being said a couple months after our thumbs-up, mission-accomplished experience in Iraq. What an experience in itself.

It began with this choice USA Today report from July 3, 2003: “U.S. officials say that once security is established and electricity and other services are restored, winning over the population and crushing the resistance will be easier. ‘It is a transition,’ says [Baghdad’s provisional mayor] Ted Morris.”

Yeah, Ted, I think “transition” is what your diplomatic predecessors called Dien Bien Phu, Diem’s getting whacked and the Tet offensive -- all of which worked out swimmingly (even Tet, which we managed to lose while winning). But keep working on establishing security, electricity and “other services,” Ted … from wherever you smartly hightailed it to.

The same piece continued: “In Washington, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld chafes at any comparison between the situation in Iraq and the quagmire of the Vietnam War [in terms of both being ‘guerilla’ wars]. ‘It's a different time,’ Rumsfeld said at a briefing Monday. ‘It's a different era. It's a different place.’”

Right. Now this story, also from USA Today, just 15 days later: “On Wednesday, Army Gen. John Abizaid, the head of Central Command, said the ongoing conflict in Iraq meets the Pentagon's definition of a guerrilla campaign…. Abizaid ‘is reflecting what everybody on the ground already knows,’ says Dan Christman, a retired Army lieutenant general who helped plan for the 1991 Persian Gulf War. ‘I don't know why he (Rumsfeld) gets himself into these boxes. It clearly is a guerrilla war.’”

Well, here’s a thought, General Christman. Maybe Rumsfeld isn’t the ingenious geopolitician his publicity department says he is. Maybe he’s just a pompous ass with an ingenious publicity department.

This story from the Christian Science Monitor, same day as above -- July 18 -- was prescient in its understatement: “Analysts suggest that the Bush administration has avoided making the politically difficult decision to deploy 30-40,000 more troops to truly secure the key roads to Amman, Jordan, or the Baghdad airport. They argue that the Bush administration message is: ‘Trust us, we have things under control,’ leaving some soldiers here wondering if the White House really understands the situation.”

How many times this week have you read a piece on Iraqi events that contained multiple quotes from US soldiers castigating government superiors for “misunderstanding” the situation. I can imagine that a couple days later then -- July 20, 2003 -- when some of these soldiers sat down to read the Washington Post on-line, they were just as incensed to read of the “earlier administration insistence that assaults on coalition troops and cooperating Iraqis were no more than isolated manifestations of lawlessness.”

The administration’s former “insistence” brings to mind the Patton scene in which the freshly minted lieutenant general is reassured of allied air superiority right before the Luftwaffe pounds his headquarters.

Finally, this item that I ran across (the Independent, July 20, 2003) was again related to the harrowing concept of Vietnam redux that I wrote about yesterday: “An influential Sunni imam, speaking outside a mosque in north-west Baghdad, could not resist the Vietnam comparison. ‘Both wars -- Vietnam and Iraq -- were illegal under international law,’ the imam said. ‘And in both, the enemy is the same -- the United States.’ He predicted that Islam would provide the same sort of ideological underpinning for Iraqi resistance that Ho Chi Minh's nationalistic Communism did for the Vietnamese four decades ago.”

What I found curious about that paragraph was the predicted parallel of Islam providing “ideological” support as Ho Chi Minh had done -- when of course Ho’s support of the Viet Cong far exceeded the merely ideological. Ideas do have consequences, as the right is fond of saying; and I might add, especially when they come out of the end of a gun barrel.

Two years down, thousands dead, and the trouble’s just beginning. It’s horrifying to imagine the still-to-come carnage for all sides that the Bush administration never foresaw and, in an act of criminal negligence, never wanted to see.

Comments

[Tacuma Gamba]

Right On! -These tricks (politicians) seem to be running us into the ground and i fear taking away our rights to even protest let alone -demand a change (revolution) so what is the plan. sit back do nothing... we cant stoop to their level -that of the meglomaniac war-monger, and frankly we not voting these fockers in -it is outrageous illegal and as the last few years have proven to all -DEADLY so where do we go from here? -thanks for making us think, and letting us know

[AAABANANA]

Satan is an intelligent being his greatest enemy is Islam
“Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.” - Henry Kissinger, quoted in “Kiss the Boys Goodbye: How the United States Betrayed Its Own POW’s in Vietnam”

those stupid animal slaves will be awarded with a medal for crippling their lives and the lives of other the Iraqis have done nothing to any american.

The crippled american soldier will be awarded a medal of metal for sacrificing their body parts for a cause so far is gigantically cloudy.
Michael Moore found out that only one congressman have his son in Afghanistan maybe not for so long.
The arab and moslem world knows exactly who is behind 9-11 and the war against Iraq.
as much as the american and the whole world possibly
Defeating Iraq the richest culture on earth and Afghanistan the poorest on the planet does not mean defeating the arabs or the moslem world the moslem feels deeply humiliated.
USA is the greatest enemy to the entire world their intention are not peaceful to the contrary, $3 trillion for space arm technology is for hegemony
Sharon boasted about jewish control of the white house and that control means Israel will direct the US arms technology against the arabs then the moslem then the european thats their plan to get their revenge against goyims

[alienLKASI2222]

i do laugh at all this fuss. over iraq ? why iraq ?

Why not add burundi ? why not add somalia ?

hell - i could be here all day...

Get with the program people. ish happens... period.

When the iraq ish-storm blows over the media will be turned to covering up the next genocide in short thrift.

Now - are we gonna get passionate about that ?

Mmm... one is left wanting.

[Billy]

I hope you swell heads don't get a chance to laugh at any other countries pain and suffering caused by inbred redneck horse loving people in your government. The world will celebrate when you finally get whats coming to you and not an inside job like 911 either. You just sit around and watch fear factor so you might as well be the guy blowing up 3 yearolds in Iraq, no you are one with the bullet. You gave your crooks in the Whiteouthouse the devil hand sign in pure agreement with what ever it wants to do so doing nothing is equal to doing everything to destroy the weak and poor. You paid for those depleted uranium shells with the money you used to purchase Star Wars tickets. America needs a real star wars in it's own backyard for once. And I would pay a trillion dollars just to see your faces after china or korea wipes you off like a crusted old sandwich stuck to the bottom of the toilet. Countless war scenario's have proven this over everytime that either country would blow you off in a matter of day's if not hours. Powell was given the boot because he was right about Iraq and Iraq is small peas compared to the bigger fish. Heck, even a bunch of farmers in Vietnam managed to kick you around like lil rabbits till you ran home with what was left of your tails between your legs. ALL YOU GOT ARE NUUKLAR WAR HEADS and if the small fry get'em as well your cover will be blown. Your wimps with big toys thats all there is to it. Fat lazy stupid people that gobble up the worlds resources and you have nothing else to offer but really crappy porn and over rated movies and one hit wonder bands that lipsynch on stage. You don't deserve anymore power in this world, why do you think US companies are leaving in droves. Their astology fortells a well deserved hard time for the fat pig Homer Simpsons living in American. You got it coming ya stupid selfish self centerd murdering child molesting good for nothing waste products.I mean a real whore down in your face mass wipe out all over your country from one end of the coast to the other. You just sit around an pretend to be real bad taking it to the other guys by killing one another over songs then clicking on web sites and typing words most of you wouldn't have the guts to say to a politician or another persons face for that matter in fear of loosing your grip saved for Melinda's pornsite. Your a fraud america from your tissued window dressing tough guy appearances to your spoiled rotten where the best wahhhhhhh I'm gonna kill you if you disagree with me hollow tough drugged out doped up steriod ridden media. Just relax, sit back in your momma's basement and wait for Bush to leave and then the next one will make it all bedsy wedsy OK. nighty night.

[Homer Simpson]

The Americans attacked Iraq and Afghanistan because these are the only two countries in the world that they were certain would not be able to fight back.

The Americans will not attack Iran. Iran has never lost a war in 3000 years. Iran will destroy the Americans with their own technology.

All you poor stoopid fat Americans are going to die for what you have done either directly or by proxy thru your greedy fat-bastard government.

[MAX BUCK]

i would like to subscribe

[meme]

Note how in the start, every kind of news got through the cencorship, but now, news from Iraq are less.
E.g. Baghdad airport neutron bomb in April 2003.

[DaveGood]

I take no pleasure in saying this, I grew up believing that the USA, for all it's faults, was still the best and brightest hope for the future of humanity.

It will now invade and occupy any other weaker country ( Iraq was one tenth it's size and in no way capable of defending itself)... while citeing high minded and noble reasons for doing so.

Just as Hitler did when invadeing Eastern Europe ( To stop ethnic cleansing) or Mussolini did in invadeing Ethiopia ( To stop the slave trade).

It is now clearly apparent that the USA is a direct threat to the rest of the world.....includeing it's long term allies.

Bush has been catastrophic for the future of America.... and by extension.... the future of principled Democracy.

Consider this..... a country holds two kinds of power when it comes to dealing with the rest of the world .... "Soft" Power......diplomatic, Moral and economic.

And "Hard" Power.... the use of overwhelming lethal military force.

Soft power first..... " Diplomacy".... the ability to win and sustain friendship and support from other nations.

The Bush Regime had massive amounts of that just after 9/11.... a million Iranians marched through the streets of Tehran condemning 9/11 and supporting the USA.

You won't see that again.... it's all been pissed away.... Long term allies from solid democracies such as the French and Germans, publicly treated with contempt.

Placeing Wolfowitz at the head of the World Bank was a deliberate insult to the worlds poor..... John Bolton at the UN, a deliberate piece of contempt aimed at the rest of us.

So the USA's diplomatic power has gone from enormous to zero under this administration.... No-one trusts a regime that has lied so clearly about something that matters so much.

"Moral".... the power that comes from being able to say " I'm better then those I oppose".... Well Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, Bagram, and Uzbekistan have destroyed that.... The USA is a country that now routinely uses torture, but likes to "Outsource" it where it can....

Which brings us to.... " Economic" power.... The USA now borrows 2 billion dollars a day from the rest of the world.

It's manufacturing and productive base have been outsourced to foriegn lands.... Major US companies, such as Nike" are now little more then a brand name and sales force marketing products that were invented, designed, enginneered and manufactured in third world sweatshops.

It no longer makes anything.... besides Porn and Weaponry.... that the rest of the world wants to buy.

As for it's "Hard" power.... the use of overwhelming military might to achieve it's goals.... Oh boy do we all now clearly see the limits of that!

Who would have believed... that despite spending more on weapons and armies then the rest of the world combined..... it has proved incapable of holding down and imposeing it's will on two of the poorest, smallest, weakest countries around...... never mind tackling any other country that might have the will and power to fight back... North Korea, Iran and China for example.

America is now viewed as irrelevant..... worse... it is viewed as a danger.... by the rest of the planet.

Alliances are forming to oppose it ( And protect themselves) such as the new Russia, China, Brazil and India axis.... along with regional subgroupings that include Venezuala and Iran... that contain 80 per cent of the worlds population, 75 per cent of trained technicians and scientists.... and large stocks of vital raw materials and industries.

Add in the other horrors known to be on the way and impacting on our global society in the next decade ( Peak Oil and Global climate destruction)... that the American administration has chosen to ignore or actively lie about.....

When it comes to the USA, the rest of the world, particularly the Democratic part of it such as Europe...... now ignores it when we can, pander to it where we must.

But Pandering is not something we feel we'll need to do for much longer.

DaveGood

[Walter Renninghoff]

I used to be proud to have become an AMERICAN, used to be!
Never before have I felt ashamed of my own government.
Now the USA is the most hated and feared country in the world.
We break all international laws; might makes right
we do away with treaties that previous administrations worked so hard for to achieve;
We use torture;
we lie to the rest of the world;
we talk about 'sanctity of life', what a joke that is! 8 cells are so important but tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, real people, do hardly count,
we proclaim to have morals! What a way to succer the dumm and win elections!
Anyone remember the Nuremberg trials?
Anyone remember Geneva Conventions?
What a sick world we have become.

[Jim Bradley]

All I can say is that Im totally confused..... I distinctly recall when the korean leader threatened to hit our country with nuclear missles, he even said there is nothing to stop him, and he will do it. The decision makers in our country backed out, they didn't go ahead with trying to disarm the korean nuclear reactors. But in Iraq, with no weapons of mass destruction. And indeed none have been found. And with Iraq insisting it had nothing to do with 911, why did Bush still see this as a threat, while he had a real threat from Korea to contend with, just a few weeks prior to initiating another war on Iraq? The reason that Im so confused is that I cannot understand any logical or even illogical reason to wage war against an innocent nation, while avoiding real threats. War is not good. That is an understatement, Im not saying Bush should have gone to war with Korea instead. But what I am saying is, why did he pick a lesser threat. I cannot bear to think that he did this on purpose. What religion, creed or doctrine justifies killing innocent civilians?? If there is such a creed, then why does our administration understand that it's an evil creed. There is no peace in war. No prophicies met, no good done, nothing forced and nothing gained but immeasurable loss. Is Bush that evil. And the idea that he was not alone in the decision is irrelevant because he actively wanted to wage war. Or is Bush just plain dumb?? How was he manipulated?? How does this put America at a better stand with the rest of the world?? Other countries are already teaming up and forming coalitions as they percieve us to be a threat. And as referenced in another article prior to this one, the rest of the world has more resources, more military personnel than America does even if multiplied by 1,000!! And now is it true, that each day America has to borrow 2 billion dollars from the rest of the world?? What a shame. What kind of a false democracy are we. Why is there an electoral panel?? Is it there to fix elections?? Certainly our votes do not count. Many were rejected from voting to begin with. Others votes simply didn't "qualify." What is the agenda. Is the agenda to destroy the United States of America by depleting it's resources, it's military, and it's opinion from the rest of the world. And for Europe, well it's not America. I'm sorry, but historically many European countries have had, and continue to have ill feelings towards America. Those reading this article know well what Im referring to. We have all heard first hand from many (many) Europeans there dislike, disbelief and sometimes even disgust with America. Reflect on this. Im most certain some of the readers know the very exact truth in this. Ultimately will America become a destitute nation all for the sake of Israel?? Each deception, each war, each lie has a Jew behind it. Yes behind, not in the front. How long will we let the Jews control us. Does America have to fight for the Jews while the Jews take up positions that are safe and out of harms way. How many American lives and Iraqi lives have been destroyed?? Thousands?? No, at least a half a million on both sides combined so far....When will America wake up. Will it ever wake up, or will it slowly go into a coma and eventually come to an end?? All for a Jewish cause?? For a cause that does nothing but destroy lives, destroys economies, destroys world relationships, destroys countries. Jews have been "kicked" out of every nation in Europe. Now they are draining the blood of this country. Why are you Jewish people so involved in creating war, manupilation, destruction and mischief in the land. Why?? I know a few Jews are very good people, so for those few, ofcourse this message does not apply. But to the rest of the Jews, why do you like evil so much?? Eventually you will have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Why do you like evil so much, what gratification, satisfaction, or anything does evil have to offer you? Why do you manupilate America?? Why do you have the blood of the innocent people's on your hands. And lastly why do you wait for the Antichrist. Why will you follow him. Does the fire of hell tempt you?? America, and Americans you must wake up from the Jewish deception. Now or never, it has already become too late. If America does not wake up she will become a source of pain to the innocent, a follower of the few evil people dictating her rules until she finally falls in a coma and goes to sleep forever, with unjustified blood on her hands and answerable to god only. Anything is possible, I urge the Jews to become lovers of peace. Change your evil ways. Change your evil into good. It's in your hands, you are named Jews, but don't have to remain Jews. Otherwise you will ultimately answer to god, and everything will be settled. Yes 911 was the work of some evil group, some say the Jews of Israel. I know it wasn't al-queda or those other made up or small groups numbering maybe 10 people. Are the terrorists Jews?? Oh what a pity, I guess many Americans already knew that....America wake up. Jewish people, the few that are pious and good among you..please remind the others and even (especially) your elders that a sinful life will be judged after death. If they don't believe in being raised back to life to answer for their sins, remind them that just as they came out of nothing, it will be even easier to bring them back. I guess in the final analysis I'm not confused. Im just damned embarrased, I pretend to be confused. It's so embarrasing. America, please don't let the evil ones use you like a puppet. Other articles relating to this is regarding the "fathers of zion." You may have to search a bit on the internet, but eventually you will find their evil doctrine to destroy America as they have sucked the lifeblood of every nation in the past. They control the churches as "priests" while they are secretly jewish. They keep you away from the Bible....Read it cover to cover for once...over some time. Analyze the changes that have been made. But mostly note that in the Bible, Jesus never said "crucify me so I can wash away your sins." Rather it was quite the opposite, he was trying to escape and get away from these evil people (jews) that were out to maim him, to torture him. Now they control your religion, make you think there is a "judao" however it's spelled "judao"christian relationship. What?? When they despise Jesus, and call virgin Mary a "whore." What kind of nonsense is this. It would be much better termed Islamic/christian. Muslims believe in Jesus as the messenger of god, they respect and revere virgin Mary, they too wait for the evil antichrist, and they too believe Jesus will return, to once again for the last time, before the day of judgement to teach us that he is a human and not god or the son of god. God does not have to send a son down to get crucified to forgive mankind of their sins. God can forgive without doing all that. And apparently no one has been forgiven for anything because we are still living this earthly life at times miserable and enduring hardships. Is this forgiveness?? There was no forgiveness....Jesus was just there to preach about the one true god....the Jews hated him as they hated every other messenger, and also hate the last and final messenger Muhammad as he was related to Jesus, and foretold as to his arrival by Jesus. The jews await some "messenger" to be chosen by god from their own "ancestory" whatever that may be as even white jews are not of us, and they themselves are from every corner of the earth. Jews are from Asia, Europe, Africa, India, (yes India has Indian jews, and quite a few hidden in disguise, and so does China!!) This deception has gone on for ages. The jews changed the Bible to suit their needs. Instead of appearing as evil haters of Jesus wanting to kill him, they wanted to look good. So they pretended that he died for their sins. False, he suffered for thier atrocities, but where is the forgiveness part. See that deception is needed to keep the jews looking innocent. Thus they lead mankind down the drainage hole....., after all most jews don't even want to recognize the Torah, and this is their book. Because if they accept the Torah, it will clarify the Bible, and then confirm the Quran (sometimes spelled Koran), but usually starting with a Q as in Quran. Why would they want anyone to know the real truth?? America wake up. Don't let the jews make you just another victim. You have already suffered, and caused much suffering to the innocent. Don't let the mainly owned jewish news, and internet sites, and political parasites misguide you. America wake up. Your real threat is the jews. Your only threat is the jews. The worlds threat is the jews. They are involved in creating wars, they are involved in heavy pornography, they beat their women and torture them in the jewish state of Israel into prostitution. They are involved in every ill of the society. Check this for yourself. But please, don't be mean towards the innocent among them. And please don't be mean to even the majority decievers and evil ones among them. God will take care of his ultimate plan and erase the evil, and judge the evil doers, and serve punishments accordingly. But do, do one thing. Be leary, and do not trust the jews. Be leary and do not trust the jews. Be leary and do not trust the jews.

[Gary Goodman]

I admit, the media IS all Jewish, but all Jews are not the media.

Similar for US Intelligence. Paul Wolfowitz has been appointed head of the World Bank --- by Bush. His boss, Rummy, Dov Zachaim, Perle, Ledeen, etc. Carl Levin, and the pact (which is anti-Jewish) btw the FBI and the ADL ... all these are major concerns, and all concern powerful Jews, but how many Jews are a part of this?

The biggest myth is that the Zionists saved Jews from the Holocaust. I have it on good Jewish as well as non-Jewish authority, that the Zionists condemned non-Zio Jews to the Holocaust, redirected money from helping Jews in danger to helping Zionists in faraway Israel, incited furors by outrageous statements, and colluded with Nazi Intelligence.

Not all Jews are the Jews to which you refer, but many of the Jews (as well as Americans and others) don't know the facts about that.