<p>Is this another volley from retired American generals? Part of a Democratic campaign ad for the 2006 election cycle? An editorial in the NY Times?</p>
<p>No, this is the assessment of Al Qaida in Iraq in a captured document:
<p>As if AQ was the main Iraqi problem at any time.</p>
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<p>The U.S. has been ham-handed, stumble-footed, ignorant, misinformed, and acted on non-existent predicates. As for the Iraqis, at the time of the Abu Gharib photos, even the Army admitted that 90 percent of those detained were innocent.</p>
<p>But all this begs a question: Lt. Gen Chiarelli isn’t even retired yet. Why does he hate America?</p>
<p>Its hard to imagine a reporter stupid enough who is willing to try to find “good” news. Perhaps some nice Iraqi will tip a reporter on a great success story.</p>
<p>Virtually every “success story” turns to manure when examined six months later: Tell Afar, Falloujah, Ramadi, Najaf, the elections, the consititution, etc. etc. etc. Not surprising, since the underlying plate tectonics haven’t changed for the better at all and in many ways have edged worse.</p>
<p><em>If</em> army units and Interior Ministry units and police forces became such that most were not proxies for one political entity or another, you might be able to observe and cite some real success. Despite some calls for same, I don’t see it happening. And if militia units are incorporated wholesale instead of being enlisted as individuals, you can book it.</p>
<p>It’s a slo-mo train wreck and what isn’t visibly apparent in the American media yet is that when the dust settles, Iraq–to whatever degree it is stable–will be an Islamic republic to one fundamentalist degree or another…and I’m not looking forward to our domestic fireworks when they make their first vitriolic anti-Israeli statement/action. When the framework of Iraq finally emerges, the current level of support among Americans for Bush’s Iraq policy will seem like a golden yesterday.</p>
<p>I was watching Newt G making an address to a recent (April 29) midwestern Republican State Convention, on CSPAN tonight in the Emergency Room at Hospital (bad splinter). </p>
<p>He said that this War may last 50, 60, 70 years. This is now a religious war.</p>
<p>I always wonder about the whiners who proclaim the media doesn’t cover the “good news” of Iraq. I’d propose that the media doesn’t expecialy cover the bad news either. </p>
<p>Except for the unfortunate families who have lost a loved one over there most Americans don’t seem to know or care much that there’s a war going on. </p>
<p>If you lived in a country as torn up as Iraq would you be pleased if the media spent their efforts digging up “good news” stories? How about if you lived in a city like Baghdad, where, oh, 20 or so people are blown up everyday? Would you expect to see articles on the front page about a freshly painted school?</p>
<p>“Why does the Bush administration insist on public slap-downs of other countries?”</p>
<p>Because he doesn’t like democratically elected leaders. He doesn’t like them in Iran, and he doesn’t like them in Haiti, and he doesn’t like them in Palestine, and he doesn’t like them in Venezuela, and he doesn’t like them in Bolivia, and he doesn’t like them in Brazil, and he doesn’t like them in Chile. He especially dislikes them within democratic systems where the differences among candidates are very wide.</p>
<p>“Because he doesn’t like democratically elected leaders. He doesn’t like them in Iran, and he doesn’t like them in Haiti, and he doesn’t like them in Palestine, and he doesn’t like them in Venezuela, and he doesn’t like them in Bolivia, and he doesn’t like them in Brazil, and he doesn’t like them in Chile. He especially dislikes them within democratic systems where the differences among candidates are very wide.”</p>
<p>Maybe he just doesn’t particularly like those “elected” leaders based on the threats they pose to the US. Just a thought.</p>
<p>No, I think it is democracy itself, and his inability in each case to undermine it. Democracy adds uncertainty to the equation, which is antithetical to a world capital marketplace. You can either have one person one vote, or one dollar one vote - but you can’t effectively have both. Bolivia is hardly invading the U.S. anytime soon. Iran is surrounded by 200,000 hostile troops, who have proven they are prepared to attack. </p>
<p>Haiti really is a very grave threat. You won’t see him calling for democratic elections in Saudi Arabia or Dubai anytime soon.</p>
<p>(He much prefers when he can handpick the leaders himself.)</p>
<p>No, I think it is democracy itself, and his inability in each case to undermine it. Democracy adds uncertainty to the equation, which is antithetical to a world capital marketplace. You can either have one person one vote, or one dollar one vote - but you can’t effectively have both. Bolivia is hardly invading the U.S. anytime soon. Iran is surrounded by 200,000 hostile troops, who have proven they are prepared to attack. </p>
<p>Ok. You are entitled to ascribe whatever motives you want to anyone you want. I also didn’t say “invade” in any of my posts and didn’t infer that, either. Great that Iran is surrounded. There are some on my side of the political spectrum who believe that was by design.</p>
<p>“To say that Iran is a democracy is quite a stretch of the imagination.”</p>
<p>Before you jest, I suggest you look at the records of elections, the profound differences among the candidates (which puts the U.S. democratic charade to shame), and imagine the U.S. doing the same with huge numbers of foreign troops massed directly on its borders.</p>
<p>I’m not a great lover of the choices the Iranians have made (other than overthrowing the Shah and the torturers trained in Fort Benning, Georgia, without firing a shot); I’m amazed, even astonished, however, that they’ve been allowed to make them. If you approve of Iran being surrounded by hostile forces, you shouldn’t be surprised when they act like they are.</p>
<p>I am not saying war, i am saying we are in a war Iraq with the claim it is to bring democracy to down trodden people…why this country, can’t imagine, no hidden agendas I am sure</p>