The Iraq Study Group Report

Okay, I haven't linked this because - a) everyone has already and b) I think the whole thing has been proved virtually worthless. It empowers more people to talk about the disparate things they want to talk about but has damned little to do with getting to any solution. That is going to take leadership.

Either Bush is going to demonstrate that he still has some, or he isn't. And this report has little to do with that happening. So it simply doesn't excite me very much. Each side will talk up the elements of it they like, while being shocked by elements they don't like. It's standard political circle jerk material. But here's the latest from the WaPo.

The headline - Iraq Panel Calls Conditions Grave and Deteriorating ... whoop whoop! That's actually a glass half empty versus half-full observation, which has been the case in observing Iraq all along. One either sees a country struggling incredibly on its road to democracy ... or a once stable dictatorial realm crumbling under the current violence.

And where Iraq ends up will be the product of which perspective prevails. For all the Democrat bluster, not even they are ready to turn tail and run. So, hopefully Bush will continue to show some vision and leadership and we will hang in with Iraq until the forces of civility prevail.

You can check out numerous blog reax through Memeorandum here.

Comments

[lol]

how long you gonna hold on to your white man's burden?

[Martin Morgan]

"One either sees a country struggling incredibly on its road to democracy..."

Who are the Washingtons, Jeffersons, and Franklins of Iraq right now? Abdul Aziz al-Hakim? This guy (who met with Bush in the White House last week) leads SCIRI - in English that's "Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq"!

Forgive me, but I thought "Islamic revolution" was the fucking enemy. Maliki? The tool of al-Sadr. al-Sadr? himself a thuggish theocrat. So where are the faces who are going to be the money of the Iraqi Republic 100 years from now? Got some names? Praytell.

None of the people struggling for power in Iraq right now want an inclusive democracy. That's why we need to gtfo.

[lol]

Maliki is not a tool of al-Sadr. He snubbed al-Sadr by meeting with Bush. He used al-Sadr. He played him.

Read this: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HL07Ak02.html

[Carol_Herman]

Death by 1000 cuts.

If you think the GOP just goes into a THIN MARGIN minority on January 1, 2007. I think you're missing the bigger pictures.

James Baker is not up there, now, arguing with the Supremes. (As the Cox & Forkum cartoon, today, suggests, with a banner from Baker: "Maybe we can get the Supremes to declare Iraq a victory?"

Nor do I think it's going to be a "peaceful" withdrawal from Iraq. In four incidents, today, 10 American troops were killed.

Is this way too much "compasionate conservatism?" Or what?

And, then? How will the Up and Down vote in the senate go? Just cause you still have the "old sendate," there are seven (out of 9) GOP kiesters that got tossed out of their senate seats, this past November. (The new senate configuration doesn't take its seats till 2007.) So these are the gifts to be expected from the current majority?

And, nobody sees the "game board?" Let's say the democraps "halp" the current GOP idiots to make believe nobody got upset with the President. Or this "congressionally ordered study group," done on the GOP majority's dime?

Israel's heard anti-Semitic blather from the EU, before. So, what's new?

During Gulf War One, Bush #41, "promised" Israel loan guarantees, if she'd just cooperate (and take the incoming Scuds) without sending her own defense structures up in the air, to CREAM SADDAM! Guess what? Bush #41 withdrew the pledge, after the Gulf War got Saddam's ass out of Kuwait. He do so on the excuse some of the money was going to "halp" the settlements.

Screw loose hitler lovers never win. No matter how long it will take, ahead, to rip the head of this snake.

And, it's not as if there aren't senators who can't see what's coming.

But in two years time? Almost 24 GOP senators have their seats up for grabs. while only half that number going up to the public for re-election,will be democrats. In other words, IF the democrats keep their seats, and the republicans lose some of there own, do you know what you'd get? TILT!

I'm not even so sure we're gonna see a "universal" love of Robert Gates, coming in, here.

Let alone the PRESS that will follow!

You didn't know Rumsfeld leads the LA TIMES today, with his own views on Iraq? And, they are not the loser's views that are currently circulating in the white house, ya know?

The saudis are still on the ropes.

There's a far cry from "having an anti-Semitic conference in Madrid," and getting Bush 2's coals out of the fire. Let alone, what's gonna happen to the saudi asses, ahead, as well.

Let me guess. There are now "roaming" batches of saudis. On the run! (Those are the terror provocatures; with the Wahhabi mosques on a global scale.) Big shots, huh?

If you were a Kuwaiti, you'd be thrilled to know you were on a suicidal path?

How so?

Iran isn't gonna sit still. Iraq will be GUTTED of the sunni monsters. And, the "strong fist" in the Mideast just got a hell of a lot more competitive.

As to the palestinians. There are a brewing mass of terrorists; who have factions between themselves. (And, you have no idea the size of the current funds banked under Arafat's label, in Switzerland. Either.)

All you know is that Bush 2 has a large contingent of anti-Semites; who are trying to do Neville Chamberlain's "Czecheslovakian give-away" trick.

Whose Blood? Whose Sweat? Whose tears?

The saudis think they're gonna get our military to protect their behinds.

When, if you know anything about outcomes, just look at Bush #41's ass. He's got a boot print on it. Where he got kicked out of office!

This dude?

What if all GOP kiesters have some spark of genius? They aren't concerned? Their asses don't go on the line, soon enough? Israel has no friends in the senate? Or the House? REALLY?

When Nixon lost his mojo, Tip O'Neill opened the democrat's store. So a lame duck started to get hung out, to flap in the breeze. While a lot of super-duper Executive Powers, where switched to the controls of CONGRESS.

Check it out.

Only morons go into the minority without a spark of fight. Clueless. Like cattle being herded up for the slaughter. (And, you think Israel is gonna give up an inch more of space, here?) What are you gonna swing at her? MOre UN paper? ANother piece of #1701? (Where assad STILL OWNS Lebanon!)

Hello.

Israel didn't do pre-emptive strikes. SHe'd LOVE to give back any stretch of land that contains arab asses. But has not been able to get a fair deal.

Now the UN gets to "empower" the europeans? And, we get dropped off into their fish bucket?

Something tells me you're gonna see HEARING ahead, that Cheney will wish a heart attack onto himself, first. (And, no. Condi, nor James Baker, have enough GOP "fwends" to get enscounced into the veep's office? Perhaps Bush-2 can call on his friend, Harriet Miers?

Well? It's not the first time the GOP bought hucksters, instead of talent. Warren Harding comes to mind. And, so does John Dewey! When people who know history, know, General Douglas MacArthur would have been the better pick for you guys. All water under the bridge, now.

Don't think James Baker found the closet with Reagan's TEFLON in it, either.

I can't wait to see the "spread" on the vote for Robert Gates.

Or all the books ahead. Plus, I still think Rumsfeld's been our hero. He's gifted with SPEECH. ANd, he can write! (Two more things the idiot in the white house cannot do.)

I expect for six months next year, we will see this shaping up. And, playing out. "Because all the world's a stage."

[larry]

DOSAGES, carol! dosages! there is a difference between "milligrams" and "micrograms".

i'm juts SAYIN'.

[larry]

me again, carol. just finished reading that....uh....most unconventional post, there. (like seeing a train wreck about to happen; you WANT to look away - o the humanity! - but ya can't)

on the off chance that that rant *wasn't* the byproduct of some terrible pharmacy mistake, ("my god, johnson! then who got the thorazine??"), i wonder if you might be able to clarify a couple things for me?

"screw loose hitler lovers never win. no matter how long it take, ahead, to rip the head of this snake." question: what's that mean in english?

also, that's twice now in 2 days you've lamented the gop running dewey in 1948, as opposed to macarthur. 1948 is not often mentioned as a pivotal election in american history. assuming you're not just another of those ubiquitous internet 'dewey' groupies, why the fascination?

am breathlessly awaiting enlightenment, here.

[Carol Herman]

1948 was pivotal. THE UN WAS GIVEN THE KEYS TO THE GLOBE.

And, it all began in Korea. A useless peninsula dangling off China. A closed(hermit) country, that you can't divide by cutting it in half. (Because the mountainous spine runs verticle.)

And, all of MacArthur's plans had to be sent to truman. For approval. And, the bag got opened, and the contents spilled to the russians, before MacArthur "got word back."

As to your "johnson," I think you might be holding him in his hands. And, he doesn't spritz thorazine, as far as I know.

But, yes. For the globe to be divided into stalemate; which was the UN mission. So America wouldn't exercise her super power status, yes, 1948 was pivotal.

As to the drug store you are in, perhaps you'll see to it that they prepare a label. And, stick it on the GOP. Because on "contact" it shrinks. (You should just look around ya.) This mid-term election? A THIN MARGIN.

But up in 2008, only 12 donk seats go out for re-election. While the GOP will face about 224 in contention. (This time? For the donks to gain their thin majority in the senate? 7 out of the 9 GOP kiesters LOST. Gosh, if you could only do the math.

While ya know what I think? I think the democrats, by "halping" approve Gates for confirmation, have invited the GOP onto a battlefield they won't control. And, where they won't win.

What's Bush going to do when he faces the NEW Congress? Give a State of the Union speech that recaps James Baker's wish list? REALLY? Just look at the Death by 1000 cuts. WHich is what I'm calling the Drudge headlines that look like leaks to me. From a formerly "leakproof" White House. Is this their opportunity to call the PLUMBERS? All the men on board James Baker's team have lots of experience being there "last time."

But then? If you don't even think 1948 was pivotal, what would pivotal be? The donks have lots of experience with hurting Nixon. And, they did it better than Ken Starr did to Bill Clinton. (Not that I see this road ahead.)

But in battles? Once war breaks out you've got chaos. And, only a leader who is willing to go ALL THE WAY TO VICTORY, wins. Bush didn't even touch the sunnis in Fallujah. Go back, again. Check the facts. We've been losing for years. Because we were only the Saudis "fighting machine."

Cheney's mistake? To drop by Riyadh for further instructions.

[Carol Herman]

224? More like TWO DOZEN GOP Senators go up for re-election in 2008.

I have a bandage on my thumb. Not that I need any excuses to make typos.

[Phoenix]

For chrissakes, Carol. Shut up. I actually want to comment on this post, but no one will scroll three miles down through your drivel.

By the way, can you explain this: "As to your "johnson," I think you might be holding him in his hands. And, he doesn't spritz thorazine, as far as I know."

Isn't a 'johnson' a nice throbbing woody? Am I missing something or what? I've never seen one of those bad boys with his own hands. I like the 'spritz thorazine' part. Whyncha go find a nice johnson to spit on you? Give it a little kiss. Be SURE not to open your mouth, though.

[Carol Herman]

Nope. Not hard to post on a long thread. You should see them at Little Green Footballs.

Just the scam artists screaming, Pheonix. That's all. Not impressed.

I thought the "woody" thing had to do with WHY the Ahma-ding-dong didn't stand up when he saw the female dancers.

You seem to have problems with whole sentences. So you grab a stick here. Whatever you can reach with your two hands, huh?

[larry]

well, ms. herman, i note from your typically bizarre, stream of consciousness (allowing for a less stringent definiton of "consciousness") comments on another topic that you're "over 65 years old".

so i'm gonna have to stop picking on your....uh....your unusual writing style. can't pick on elderly women: john wayne; code of the west; audie murphy; and all that. just can't do it.

(stands up; tips hat brim) ma'am. (exit larry, spurs jingling.)

[Phoenix]

Okay, Grandma,

You got me bad. Gimme that stick so I can throttle down and post on that wood. I guarantee the engine I'm revving won't be doing whole sentences either. As for my hands, I keep 'em firmly but gently on the balls so the bearings don't go flying off into the displaced sexual energy black hole of space.

That's how good I am.

[Phoenix]

Larry....

I just peed my pants...............................

[Phoenix]

Larry,

I'm giving Jaime up for you. I can't resist a cowboy. oooooh man.... I see you comin' out of a cloud of dust now with your poncho coverin' your six-shooter and them Mexicans lookin' all mean an cocky. Fools.

I think I'm love.

[Phoenix]

no...wait.... that should be 'I think I'm IN love.' gud lawd.....

[larry]

(blush)