cognitorex

.
Iraq was governed by brutality before we arrived. It unfortunately is going to be governed by brutality when we leave,...... regardless of timing.
Staying, leaving, deadlines....chimeric illusory words, for at least a decade or three.
Ten plethora's of semantic universes will not change this sad fact.

Labels: deadlines, Iraq, Iraq/ foreign policy, withdrawal

There is ample evidence that the INC of Chalabi and Habib (they who brought us "Curveball", nuclear evidence , etc,) duped the US into attacking their enemy, Saddam's Iraq.
Feith, et al, were of course so smart, as they circumvented our intelligence community, that they accepted misinformation from Iran, transmitted top secret plus information to Iran and paid out tens of millions of dollars as they were being played by Iran.
Under what I call "Rules of the Playground" it would serve Iran right if the egoistic fools they lured into Iraq now set their cannons on Iran.
The fact that this administration first decides what it wants to do and then sets out to collect only the data that supports that mission should scare the living crap out of Iran.

(background data below)

"Iran used Chalabi to dupe U.S., report says"
By Knut Royce, 5.22..04, Newsday

WASHINGTON — The Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that for years Iran has used a U.S.-funded arm of Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress (INC) to funnel disinformation to the United States and to collect highly sensitive American secrets, according to intelligence sources. "Iranian intelligence has been manipulating the United States through Chalabi ...(and Habib who furnished false info to the US including "Curveball" and top secret plus info to Iran ) ....by furnishing through his Information Collection Program (ICP) information to provoke the United Sates into getting rid of Saddam Hussein," said an intelligence source who was briefed on the conclusions of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).

Labels: criminal incompetence, Feith, Iran, Iraq/ foreign policy, Neocons

.
"My guess is that ..the forces that we liberated by invading Iraq were so powerful and so uncontrollable that virtually nothing the United States might have done,...would have effectively prevented this (present) disintegration." (JOHN BURNS)

History of Planning: The Generals were forbade from writing a comprehensive post war plan under threat of being fired. The State Department's 15 Volume post-war plan and analysis was effectively trashed.

Since day one of the Iraq fiasco my mind frequently offers up what I call the "Einstein Exception." All time is relative.
Whether the mission in Iraq was to install a friendly government by force thusly cementing a US presence in hydrocarbon central or to vanquish a threatening regime it makes no difference. What makes a difference is that the amount of time available to plan a successful liberation was in no way constrained.
The speed at which the invasion was executed, which precluded comprehensive post-war planning, was itself the greatest element of incompetence.
I strongly argue that John Burns' argument is revisionist hogwash. It ignores major significant facts in evidence and is therefore, as a cogent argument, null and void.

(reference below to post war planning debate)

RUMSFELD FORBADE PLANS FOR POST WAR IRAQ.
Original news report, Daily Press, Virginia.
Paraphrased, General Scheid said that preparing a Phase 4 Plan as to handling the aftermath of defeating Saddam was not allowed, not even to be discussed on punishment of being "fired."A Phase 4 Plan would have tipped Congress and the public that Iraq would be or could be a very murderous multi-year extended engagement. Rhummy et al apparently considered that they could only tell the voters more palatable news that we would be warmly welcomed and that it would be a short engagement if no one planned for or was even allowed to outline the obvious and known probable downside contingencies.
The message, again paraphrased, was "Shinseki's honest estimate of troop needs and all normal post occupation planning are (to use a good fascist word) verboten. The lie that the Iraq mission will be easy, complete with flowers from the liberated, will be sold to the public and we do not want any negative scenario planning documents to see the light of day."
"The book "Assassin's Gate" tells the same story, i.e. that the State Department could not get a direct charge for preparing a post invasion plan and what was prepared by way of Phase 4 by the Army, de facto, never saw the light of day.
To summarize: the leadership of the United States prevented our entire Military and each and every one of our now dead or disabled troops the benefit of a normal, complete and required invasion plan in order that their hyped story for the public would not be subject to "smoking gun" evidence that they fully knew of the issues embodied in the maelstrom of post invasion Iraq.
Thousands of our troops and tens of thousand Iraqis are now dead in the service of deliberate and malicious lies. I can not remotely imagine the searing anger and bitterness a parent might feel if their child was now dead due to this act of calculated incompetence.

(Hat Tip Shaun Kikoshouse for Burns reference)

Labels: criminal incompetence, Iraq/ foreign policy, John Burns

.
In the Wolf/Cheney interview. Cheney says no one forecast how beaten down the Shia were from thirty years under Saddam. This translates in Cheney-speak to: "The Shia are pussies," hence we can arm them and train them but the Sunni's are still going to kick their ass.
Yesterday Sunni insurgents tossed rockets into the Green Zone, again.
Somebody please ask Petraeus, on record, what are the odds if we leave Iraq today that the Sunnis will kick the Shia's butt?
The preening Senator's could have asked Petraeus some educational questions when they had him on the stand but for some reason that's not how Senate committees work.
I wonder if you put mirrors next to each Senator if they'd damage themselves from excessive self peckerheading?
I think we're backing the losing team. Iraq will be controlled by violent armed men for at least the next decade. Right now, due to the administration's incompetence, it's controlled by violent armed Americans. If we wish to have safety in the Green Zone, we're going to have to surge, augment and escalate for a looong time.
Maybe that's why the Senators preen and coo.
Reality says there's little else to do.

Labels: Bush Admin, foreign policy, Iraq/ foreign policy, Senate, White House

What are the statistics for dead troops and dead Iraqis?
If February is expected to bring, say, 200 dead troops and 3,000 dead civilians, then how many will be killed by what Iraqi participants?
Better yet, break it down by province. How many deaths from Sunni insurgents? How many from criminal elements? How many from foreign fighters/terrorists? How many from Shiite insurgents or death squads.
The Senate had Petraeus on the stand and talked about themselves.
How about some concretish numbers and forecasts and then explain how or why or what a surge is going to change. These numbers must exist on at least an extrapolated or best guess basis.
It would be illuminating to see what groups kill who. It would also decrease a lot of partisan spin, such as it's foreign terrorists, or the latest spin that it's Iranian agents.
As much as the press, I suppose, is paid to write about who said what about whom, i.e. gossip, a few facts from time to time would be educational.

Labels: Iraq/ foreign policy

.
The Bush family and the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia are hand holding, corporate cousin kissing tight.

During the oncoming decade in which Shiites may continue to ascend en masse over the Mid East, Saudi Arabia and the incompetent architects of this political maelstrom may well see beaucoups of bad blood and bitter words of recrimination.

It would be best if Saudi's man in the US of A were not of the Royal Family.

Labels: Bush Admin, Iraq/ foreign policy

Proxymoron
Defined as: Tom Delay invoking Christ, God or ethics in his speech. Tom DeLay speaking for God.
Variant: Brother Frist diagnosing Terry Schiavo's brain function from a video (and invoking God, Christ or Christian ethics).
Proxymoronic: Bush, using only "Bubba-speak", requests a half Billion big ones for a Bush Library: (and invokes any symbol of sense or ethical decorum.)

Labels: Creative Writing, Iraq/ foreign policy, Social Issues

.
Inter alia, having US forces in the Middle East (but not near Mecca) was intended to provide security/stability for the region and protect Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is now in a political war, facing the cascading domino thunder of Shiite ascendancy.
The US is mulling backing Iraqi Shiites as a solution for the civic strife in Iraq. To do so would be to declare a shooting war against Sunnis and bring Saudi into a shooting war.
So, America is on the brink of being on the opposite side as Saudi Arabia in a shooting war.
Might not Saudi (ahem) withdraw their Ambassador?

Labels: Bush Admin, Iraq/ foreign policy

.
Iraq was governed by brutality before we arrived. It is going to be governed by brutality when we leave regardless of timing.
Ten plethora's of semantic universes will not change this sad fact.
If however the "mission" is occupation.............?

Labels: Iraq/ foreign policy

.
Were it not for the fact that two thirds of the earth's known hydrocarbon reserves are in or proximate to Iraq we would not be in our present mess. Each and every one of Vice President Cheney's lies concerning Iraq are consistent with his serving the interests of Halliburton and the major oils. To say that he and, to a similar or lesser extent, the President do not have the appearance of a conflict of interest is disingenuous.
Given that the executive branch has a conflict of interest, what follows is that US Iraq foreign policy will be skewed to meet the oil interests until 2009. At the point of the US leaving Iraq the French, Russian and Chinese oil interests will gain equal or superior footing relative to Cheney's oil allies. This is anathema to this administration who"must" do all in their power to somehow keep the US the dominant power in Iraq.
The non executive branch Republicans had best now combine with the Democrats to force implementation of what are perceived to be the best available foreign policy initiatives. The 2006 Mid Term election was a resounding "Vote of no-confidence" for Republican leadership and 2008 will be more of the same unless a policy of what is best for the oils is jettisoned in favor of what is best for the US.

Labels: Bush Admin, Iraq/ foreign policy, Oil Iraq Policy

.
1. Accelerate global warming until entire Mid-East is barren shifting desert.

2. Free of charge, flood Mess-O-Potamia with misogynistic rap CD's, low hip jeans, nipple and labia piercing Pierce-O-Matic guns, tattoo paraphernalia, (edible veils?) and other essences of the West until the youth rise up in a tsunamic fever of co-opted capitalistic consumerism.

3. Admit that Jesus was a goof.

Labels: Creative Writing, Iraq/ foreign policy, Social Issues

.
Dems take governorships, state legislatures, the House and the Senate.
Redeployment takes on a new and iridescent meaning.
Thank you John Murtha.

Labels: Iraq/ foreign policy

.
“Lookee here Mister Chief Native, I’ll trade you guns and firewater for the land you call “Gusher Canyon”. You know which area I mean, where we put up those oil derricks years ago.”
“Sorry, today is a Sacred Day, ’all praise to Mother Bear‘.”
“Look, screw a bunch of Sacred Days, we’ll throw in fifty aisles worth of jeans. Your daughters will love em, especially the low hippers so’s their little belly buttons can get some air.”
“Not possible, today is sacred day, ‘bless brother antelope.’”
“All right, for Christ sake, you’re killing us. We’ll give you guns, firewater, three Wal Mart’s of enticing jeans, a gross of Estee Bauder nipple and labia piercing Pierce-o-matic Pro Guns, ten tattoo parlors fully equipped and an era’s long subscription to Rap music from both the “Dysfunction Is Me’ and “Misogyny Rocks” labels. And you get bison and camel thongs. Camel thongs from “Allah’s Little Secret” label in every color under the sun. Now do we have a deal?”
“Today is Sacred. All praise our ancestors.”
“Praise your arse. I’ll be back tomorrow. We’re not going away, you know that.”
“Tomorrow is a sacred day.”
“Up your sacred days.”
“Everyday is a sacred day, kneel and bow to the East.”
“Bullshit on your every day is a sacred day horse pucky. You can stick Mother Bear you know where. There’s something you guys want and I’m gonna find out what.”
“Everyday is a sacred day. However.....”
“Yes, yes sacred, totally sacred, but ‘however’ what? You son of a sacred snake, ‘however’ what? What is it you’re considering?”
“Well, remember that line of fissionable material you showed me.... maybe just one more little peek.”
“Tex’, help, we done got us a problem. We’re gonna be here til the cows come home and listen to me for once, jeans and camel thongs are not cuttin’ the mustard.”
"Bubba, shut your trap with the mustard bullshit. These fucks don't have hot dogs. Even I know that."

Labels: Creative Writing, Iraq/ foreign policy

There have recently been many excellent letters about America’s need for oil and the Iraq war.

I agree with Peter W. that this war is self serving, illegal and unethical, i.e. for oil. Our history is that, if our “savages”, (Native Americans), had built a dam to deny water to ranching interests a popular pretext would be cooked up and an “oh so just war” would ensue, as in Iraq.

However, my dilemma before the war began is the same as my dilemma today.

The 15 million barrels a day exiting the Persian Gulf arguably keeps commerce, as we know it, alive and the wheels turning for the majority of the opposable thumbs on this planet. China, Japan, S. Korea and India as major oil importers come to mind as well as the USA which imports 12% of its total oil needs from the Persian Gulf. And, given that sixty five to sixty nine percent*, two thirds if you will, of the World’s Proven Conventional Oil Reserves are in five countries, (Saudi, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait & the UAE), the planet’s reliance on Gulf countries will not abate soon. If one backs out North American, European and Russian oil production and consumption from world’ totals that would leave the Gulf countries’ exports as representing 30% of the mostly lesser developed world’s oil requirements.(*all oil data from US Dept. of Energy, Energy Information Agency. eia.doe.gov)

The Saudis, who are the heart of the Persian Gulf reserves and production, certainly wanted “boots on the ground” in the Middle East (see, so to speak: ‘holding hands at Crawford Ranch’.) For terrorist threat consider that 15 Saudis participated in 911, Osama is Saudi and that U.S. forces present in the land of Mecca is the greatest grievance of Al Quaida.

A brief side question here: having personally, as a banker, made several hundred million dollars in loans to Texas oil companies and knowing a D.C. figure or two, I ask with an element of both seriousness and humor, which was the greater of Sadaam’s sins, attempting to assassinate Bush ‘41 or destroying by fire a billion barrels of oil on his retreat from Kuwait?

Peter V. writes that Iraq oil is not vital to our national interest. He is correct. Our usual imports are around 500,000 BLS a day, ( 2.5% of US total oil needs), although we have imported less. But, as described above, of the world’s 82 million BLSD appetite Gulf countries supply one fifth and control two thirds of known oil. Iraq, also, is capable of two and a half million barrels a day with time, safe conditions and technical support.

The dilemma, then and now, is my vote. Which way to vote? “Invade or Not?” WMD’s be damned, and believing that a “gaming” scenario would indicate a clear twenty per cent chance existed for Sadaam or his psychopathic sons to materially disrupt the Gulf supply I am inclined to think that I would vote yes. Yes accepts that war in Iraq is illegal and unethical but given that Sadaam attacked Iran with two million deaths therefrom, slaughtered Kurds, invaded Kuwait and potentially threatened the livelihood of billions of planet earth’s denizens, yes is not clearly an immoral decision.

No less than Ted Kennedy has said that the Straight of Hormuz (where the Persian Gulf oil passes to the Arabian Sea) is an area of the USA’s national security interest. Even he would use troops to protect the road to the ranch, so to speak. Securing Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for the Iraqi people was not likely to have been the aim of our Police Action but it is now the only way we have to achieve Mid East stability.

There is however another way to achieve world energy stability.

John McHale’s ‘Letter’ hit the nail on the head. “...conditions for this war partly were set by the failure of Congress to address the problem of America’s dependence on foreign oil. Therefore any meaningful discussion of Iraq needs to include consideration of strategies to create alternative sources of renewable energy.”

Amen. If we want a just War, it should be a national and international “War for Independence.” The major oil companies have access to a Trillion dollars in capital to transform themselves into multi-energy firms. If governments have to tax non renewable energy sources to guarantee these firms an equitable rate of return, so be it. Ten, twenty, eighty billion a year to achieve energy independence beats $80 Billion a year to see our teens die. Congress needs to put its collective hands back in their pockets and tell the car manufacturing and energy interest lobbyists that the game is over. If we have to put a ten cent tax on oil payable to our Senators and Representatives to wean them off the lobby lard let’s get it on.

Our troops will not be coming home from Iraq for years. The Middle East is enormously less stable than when we commenced our police action. Consider that we now have US Military on three of Iran’s four borders. What consequences do we not even imagine?

Today the media abuses the troops and their parents by fomenting a great hue and cry about deadlines for leaving Iraq. The Democrats naturally join in to pummel the Republicans. Some Republicans join in to pander to disheartened Americans. But, we are there or elsewhere overseas for years to come to protect world oil security. Capitalism by its very nature will not fix our dependence problem until alternate energy resources contribute more to the bottom line than does oil today. Meanwhile American youth, to some degree, fulfill the role of paid mercenaries to vested interests while the American taxpayer picks up the tab. All national discussion of an Iraq pull out as long as world oil demand substantially meets or exceeds supply is poppycock. It is a media and political charade and a waste of the nation’s time and energy.

If there is a political will to get our troops home it must be focused on the “War for Independence.” The song once was; “Over There, Over There, ..Send the Word,.. that The Yanks are coming ..And we won’t come back ‘til it’s over, Over There.”

“Moms of America!” pick up the song , ... ask the Moral Values folks to put their mouth where their money is, ....ask the Liberals who supposedly champion the little guy to step up, DEMAND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, ....and sing, with love or anger as required;

Over Here, Over Here, Our boys aren’t coming,
Cause They Won’t be Back ’til its Over, Over Here.
.

Labels: Bush Admin, Iraq/ foreign policy

Published Cape Cod Times September 30, 04'

"Peace in Iraq
isn’t in U.S. interest"

It is now wholly obvious we will never pacify, integrate and/or achieve anything remotely near peaceful democracy in Iraq.

If history is kind, future writings will say the democracy goal was sincere, not just a cover to set up a puppet government to control Iraq's plus or minus 3 million barrels a day.

If the Iraq Mission drags out forever, we will control Iraq's enormous oil reserves, forever. An unqualified success in Iraq would cost the United States it's control over the only available oil resources with which to guarantee U.S. self sufficiency. Winning integrated peace in Iraq is not in our best interest.

The Sunni's and Shiite's are not going to set aside 700 years of differences and dance with flowers in their hair. The Kurds don't make the final cut. Men and boys, native and foreign, will blow us up as occupiers a la Northern Ireland, Palestine and Revolutionary America ad infinitum and not remotely because they hate freedom, which is patently absurd.

Our men from Texas have brought home the big one, the multi-billion barrel reserve.

We're going to have inflamed terrorists talking about our “mission" till the stars dim in some distant millennia, but rightly or wrongly, for good or for evil, right now, "We got oil."

Labels: Iraq/ foreign policy, Published Letters

PUBLISHED CAPE COD TIMES AUGUST 10, 2004

Regarding the now well known ad attacking John Kerry’s time of service, John McCain calls the ad “dishonorable” and Mike Barnacle calls it “political pornography.” I think it’s ‘slime.’

However, let’s for discussion sake, say that the blurred charges against John Kerry in the ad are valid. That would reduce John Kerry to a Silver Star and two purple hearts. Or, as John McCain says, their argument comes down to he should only get two and a half purple hearts.

Bottom line, John Kerry took fire, gave fire and without equivocation, served with distinction.

This leads me to two questions. On what page of the lexicon of “Family Values“, does sliming an opponent reside. Is there a chapter in “Family Values” that has the heading. “Children, If You Are Holy In Your Conviction, Any Means To Win Is Acceptable?” Are using unsubstantiated slurs and innuendo to dishonestly gain an edge on an opponent consistent with “Family Values?” How? Why?

How does one juxtapose a venal ad on a veteran with the Administration’s and it’s followers’ use of the concept, “Patriotism?” Criticizing the War is “unpatriotic” and undermines the morale of our troops is an often quoted refrain from the RNC, et al. If you don’t back the troops, you’re unpatriotic. And. Condi Rice, on Tim Russert’s show, “Every sacrifice of our men and women in uniform is felt very deeply by this President and all of us.”

Again, is that except when your cause is holy, in which case devotion to ‘Patriotism’ is negotiable? Negated? An obstacle to winning?

As to the smoke reference, the image I see is a very old and dry cow paddy in a meadow. You step on it and a puff of smoke escapes. No fire.

Labels: Bush Admin, Iraq/ foreign policy, Published Letters