Has al Qaeda over-played its hand?

Parent Cafe
41

<p>Driver, good link. Here’s my favorite quote from it:

And this:

</p>

<p>This is a big break through - I wonder if the networks will ever cover it. I doubt it - at least not until they can get a picture of al-Jadaan frog-marching al-Zarqawi into town to turn him into the authorities.</p>

42

<p>The Brookings Institute published a new version of its Iraq Index, which attempts to trace statistics relating to security and reconstruction in post-invasion Iraq, on March 7. </p>

<p>I haven’t read through all 57 pages yet, but it’s well foot-noted, and includes appropriate caveats on the reliability of some of the information it cites. All of us who are genuinely concerned about the situation we find ourselves in in Iraq, a category that I believe includes everyone who has posted on this topic, should consider reading it to get an overview of the real situation there:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf[/url]”>http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

43

<p>The notion that it is presumed that Al Quaeda has a legitimate “hand” to play or overplay is repugnant to me. Al Quaeda is a terrorist group who purposefully targets innocent civilians. WTC, Bali, London, etc. I would not dignify the savages by dealing them a “hand”.</p>

44

<p>I hope al-Zarqawi’s capture goes better the second time around…</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/12/15/zarqawi.captured/index.html[/url]”>http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/12/15/zarqawi.captured/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>:( That’s just unbelievably incompetent</p>

45

<p>By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer 28 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces, joined by Iraqi troops, on Thursday launched the largest air assault since the U.S.-led invasion, targeting insurgent strongholds north of the capital, the military said.</p>

<p><a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060316/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_assault;_ylt=AoGvWEYEjDNaPHOXy35LfU6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--[/url]”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060316/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_assault;_ylt=AoGvWEYEjDNaPHOXy35LfU6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

46

<p>Whoop-tee-do! Clean it all up for the Ayatollah to take over.</p>

47

<p>Links to the NYPost, bastion of the Moonies, is about as reliable as the FAUX News source.</p>

<p>Actually, even on the Faux, they are showing more and more unrest, violence, etc. which might put to rest the idea that this insurgency is petty and the war is winnable.</p>

<p>Full fledged civil war…caused by the American invasion. Wow.</p>

48

<p>or the Washington Times…</p>

<p>now, who were all thos epeople that said this war was gonna be quick and easy and that the insurgency was over, gee if its over, why are we bombing the )(<em>$)</em>@ out of them, and is it insurgents or terrorists or whomever</p>

49

<p>Funny, though…even our “illustrious” leader is still blathering about winning this war, and just received $90M in new funding to support these efforts. </p>

<p>La La Land. The neocons all live in La La Land.</p>

<p>Three years ago, some of us knew that this war would go just like it has, that it would be a immense waste of blood and treasure. We knew it wasn’t worth the loss of American or innocent Iraqi lives to bomb the bejeebus out of a country, and foot the bill ourselves.</p>

<p>Imagine the money that we’ve spent to obliterate a country, used for health care, education, veterans’ mental health, etc. in the US. Imagine where we could be had we not entered into wars for global hegemony.</p>

50

<p>The cost thus far (let alone future) could make Social Security solvent for the next 75 years. Add future costs, and they could expand Social Security.</p>

<p>Total cost of the war could triple total U.S. K-12 educational spending, and leave money left over for corporate tax cuts.</p>

<p>But, since Sistani and the Iranians are our allies, it’s good to see us doing the dirty work for 'em.</p>

51

<p>For conservatives, they aren’t very: the debt cap has been increased once again to pay for the never ending war</p>

52

<p>Mini, the Bush administration is systematically dismantling public education in the US, so the fact that defense spending outweighs education spending at least 3-1 is quite calculated. </p>

<p>After all, the beneficiaries are the Halliburton, Exxon, Mobil, Carlyle group etc. cronies, who are making out quite handsomely by our little war misadventures.</p>

53

<p>They could privatize the military too - hey, we already have families buying body armor for soldiers 'cause Bush AND the Democrats won’t pay for it.</p>

<p>It is now six months since Murtha said we should get out. The Dems still sit there all fat and cushy - shame on them! Things are, of course, much better than they were 6 months ago.</p>