Disasterous Headlines From Iraq

Ace sounds a more patient tone. It makes sense, but at the same time, Maliki gets his political support from Sadr's wing. It's difficult to see how he can take out the militia's without taking out himself. This WaPo piece is real bad for Bush, not that anything different is to be expected at this point.

Not only are headlines like this out of Iraq going to crush Republican support in the upcoming election, they may point to an administration starting to look as much like an appeaser as what one would expect from a Democrat.

There can be no justification for keeping our troops at risk if we are going to bow to feckless Prime Ministers and the criminal regimes they rely upon for support. Forget the public relations disaster, it's beginning to look like Bush doesn't have a handle on Iraq at all. And if that's the case, then it is time to get out.

Iraqi PM hands Sadr victory over US blockade

BAGHDAD --  Iraqi Shiite militants won a major political victory Tuesday when Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki ordered US and Iraqi units to lift a blockade around the flashpoint suburb of Sadr City.

American commanders believe that Shiite gunmen may be holding a kidnapped US soldier in the east Baghdad slum and since last week they have been maintaining a cordon of checkpoints and roadblocks around the area.

U.S. Obeys Order To Abandon Checkpoints

Jubilant Iraqis carry a flag of Iraqi militia Mahdi Army and a national flag after US troops dismantled checkpoints around Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Sadr City Tuesday Oct. 31 2006. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered the lifting of joint U.S.-Iraqi military checkpoints around the Shiite militant stronghold of Sadr City and other parts of Baghdad.

Comments

[Carol Herman]

I haveanother suggestion. This isn't Vietnam.

What we need to do is cordon off all the area needed to run and produce the oil. Send the sunni's packing; because they're as much of a problem as anything. And, it's the main reason Bush is so lame at tackling the LAWLESSNESS in Iraq.

There should be definite GREEN ZONES. Run by the American military. And, anything that gets in its way should be DESTROYED.

We've been heading downhill in Iraq since Fallujah. We didn't fight there. And, the CRIMINAL SADR, who is really easy to beat, gets, instead "bonus points." Not that the killings will stop. Iraqis die. That's the price you pay for LAWLESSNESS. And, we should make that statement as clear as possible.

As to Malarky (maliki), even if he is prone to "work with the midget in Tehran," you're overlooking how HOSTILE, now, Persians (who are NOT arabs), are, against their current regime. They had "buyer's remorse," shortly after Kakamami, the ayatolla dreck kept alive by france, replaced the Shah.

These are not stupid people. You just don't hear from them. Nor do you hear from the Vietnamese, who'd give arms and legs, now, to do business with the Americans.

Sometimes, the best policy is to follow FDR's footsteps in WW2. BY GIVING STALIN so much european candy, the world has come to detest russia.

While, when we try to apply the carrot, the stick gets shoved up Uncle Sam's ass.

We haven't been fighting in Iraq, now, for YEARS! The "war" stopped when Tommy Franks came home.

What we're doing now is a disaster, because it follows the UN formula. Looking for "stalemate."

The other thing to notice? When you hear Iraqis saying "they want Saddam back," because "things were better," what they are really telling you is that the do not want the TOWEL HEADS in charge! Saddam was a thug. You need to decapitate the heads of snakes.

Why is that so hard to deliver?

When Patton was alive, and strategizing; Eisenhower, PURPOSEDLY wouldn't give him fuel for his tanks! Do you know why? Ike was a 2nd rater. But he always had his eyes on the top chairs. In the pentagon. And, later, in the White House. Truman, also, was a 2nd rater.

And, Bush? He was handed the opportunities that were handed to Lincoln! Sure, for 4 years Lincoln made mistakes. He backed Halleck. Who did all the Eisenhower tricks to come that were applied to Patton. And, he applied this to GRANT.

The only reason we won the Civil War is that OHIO, (Grant's State), kept forcing Lincoln NOT TO FIRE GRANT. And, finally, to use him.

Before we run anywhere; telling the stories of how second-raters screw up policy, politics, and especially war strategies needs to be told!

While you'd think the UN would be on its last legs, now. EVERYTHING THEY PUT TO PAPER CONTAINS LIES. They're an anti-Semitic crew. Who thought they pulled a "fast one" this summer, with #1701.

Meanwhile? I am not so sure.

I know Olmert is a smart politician. I know Olmert didn't want the saudi's to get syria. Where the paper-fighting over the Golan would be dealt out by the UN. So, Olmert farted in Bush's general direction.

By the time Israel has to move, again, the Geneva Conventions will be crushed.

Bush has fallen asleep at the wheel. The UN should have been a top priority to put out of business.

Running from Iraq? A shame. The police don't run out of South Central in Los Angeles. And, Los Angeles is safer than paris. Where the gendarms, do, in fact, run away.

Perhaps, we need Plan B? As long as Sadr gets protected by the TOWEL HEADS, then the Iraqi people will get screwed. Next time they stick their fingers in ink? Let them choose the color brown.

While in Pakistan, we just got Musharraf to blow up a "busy" Madras.

Not everybody in the CIA, or the Pentagon, just sits in their chairs and swivels.

My money's on Donald Rumsfeld to come up with something that will work. Runny away would be STUPID. Rummy's not stupid.

Let's see what happens after we have our elections, huh?

Sometimes, Bush, just postures. He hasn't as yet wagged his finger, publickly into Olmert's face. And, Olmert just grew his government to 78-seats. maliki can't do that. He can't increase whatever it is he is holding onto in his parliament. And, the saudi princes are clearly players.

The Kurds, too, can burst out and take what they want.

Which would leave the midget in Tehran high and dry.

And, Israel? Within 6 months you'll see how she decides to deal with iran's nuclear ambitions. Let the UN produce all the toilet paper it wants.

[jaime]

Great idea. Fight the Sunnis and the most popular Shiite leader in Iraq Sadr. It's the UN's fault that all this happened. Rumsfeld after 3 years of shitty decisions will finally make a good one. Carol. You are needed at the Pentagon now more than ever.

"Sadr gets protected by the TOWEL HEADS,"

- Is this the pejorative use of towel head that Jim Webb was talking about?

[Aaron]

We have to obey this guy, because he's the elected leader of Iraq. No choice.

Secondly, he might be right. I doubt it, but I'm not an Iraqi on the ground, either.

Thirdly, we need to be toning down our expectations for a Japan/Germany/Italy result in Iraq and look more at:

Sri Lanka/India/Thailand/Philippines/Colombia/Peru - all democracies with insurgencies.

That sucks because our main goal was a shining city on a hill in Iraq so we could "encourager les autres" in the region, but we'll have to take what we get at this point. While our rebuilding efforts sucked, we did okay with the elections, and I would lay most of the blame at the Iraqi people's feet because lack of a power plant or not enough troops on the ground doesn't have to lead to death squad militias.