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Archive for the Iraq Category

Corrections, Additions, Observations and Errors In Progress (January 8, 2007)

Posted in Bush, Iraq, Society on January 8, 2007 by e-commentary.org

World War III d.b.a. (doing business as) Iraq can and is getting worse. Too many humans are being stuffed in graves (now 3000 U.S. dead) while the situation on the ground is deteriorating. The proposal for a “surge” in troops is counterproductive, preposterous and absurd. The surge will only inspire the insurgents. The United States cannot define victory in Iraq and cannot achieve victory even with a surge of one half million troops over ten years. Some of the money earmarked for that doomed and futile effort should be used to address the consequences of the storm surge in Louisiana in 2005. Bush will make a statement about Iraq this week. The populace made a statement in November, yet it may be disregarded until the public speaks more clearly and loudly.

2006 was the year of World Nuclear Proliferation. The “Bush Doctrine” directly and indirectly promotes the development of nuclear technology and greatly increases the likelihood of nuclear war. [See the e-ssay dated March 27]. There are some efforts to secure nuclear technology produced by the former Soviet Union, yet far from enough in light of the danger. Use of a tactical nuclear today is more likely than ever in the past.

The Duke lacrosse situation is another reminder that we should all embrace the presumption of innocence rather than pre-judge a situation and spew prejudices. Commentators of all political stripes made some not so innocent presumptions.

Cheney’s hunting incident provided copious copy and commentary. Spend enough time in the field and someone will be out of position. The shooting was accidental. The cover up was intentional.

George “Cowboy” Allen, a former Republican Senator from Virginia, made a buffoon (baboon) of himself on international tv. YouTube caught him being himself. YouTube allows you to tube your career and reputation all by yourself. “Down the tube” takes on a new meaning.

Some of the e-ssays require correction or addition. The world is not likely to see the emergence of true “Caliphates” because the pulls of sect, region, country, province, village, tribe, clan, family and side of the street are too strong. [See the e-ssay dated September 25]. No one will agree on one or two Caliphs. There are more likely to be spheres of influence in Shiite Iraq/Iran/Hezbollah Lebanon and in Sunni Iraq/Saudi Arabia/Jordan. The competition between and among them for hegemony will create even more instability.

Increasing the federal minimum wage may not impact employment as negatively as the theorists suggest because 1) many states have enacted higher minimum wages already, and 2) many employers must pay higher wages to attract qualified workers in the current marketplace. [See the e-ssay dated July 31]. [See the article “The Right Minimum Wage” by George F. Will dated January 4 on page A17 in “The Washington Post”].

Other birthdays in 2006 – the Suez Crises, the Hungarian revolt, the development of containerized shipping. [See the e-ssays dated July 10 and June 19].

Bumper sticker of the year for 2006:

Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam

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Gettysburg and Iraq (October 30, 2006)

Posted in Iraq on October 30, 2006 by e-commentary.org

Imagine if the French had marched onto the battlefield at Gettysburg to impose order. “Mon dieu, mon ami, how dare you fight.” The Blue and the Gray would have united and turned on the invaders in a New York minute. The leaders of both sides went to the same school (West Point) and were versed in the tactics and strategy of Jomini (and perhaps Clausewitz). The boys would have coordinated a campaign to drive the French all the way back to a strip mall south of Marseille. Then the brothers would have gotten back to the business of engaging in an unnecessary but somehow inevitable civil war. [See the e-ssay dated April 17, 2006 entitled “The Virtues of an Iraqi Civil War.”].

The United States cannot stop the sectarian violence/civil war in Iraq even with a million troops. The United States is training troops and police who will disperse and join their respective sects in the great Iraqi civil war. All of them are attending “East Point” in Baghdad and later will be fighting against each other. They will be reading from the same page, our page.

Bush told us that we needed to take the war to them; they took it to us and are taking it to us. Sports metaphors are a Republican favorite. Fighting in a distant country sounds plausible, but why fight an away game? The game in Iraq has slowly sapped America’s resources and will to fight. The military card has been played and played out. Now a million man march is underway bringing a million broken men and women back to the home front. The retreat will have tremendous negative consequences for the military and thus the country for another generation.

The argument against immediate withdrawal is that the Terrorists are a united group of individuals conducting weekly board meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order. If “we” tell “them” when “we” are going to leave, “they” will pass a resolution to wait until “we” leave to start causing trouble. The Terrorists are not at all concerned about American timetables. They continue to attack the Crusader without delay or discouragement. Someone in the region observed that the West has all the clocks and they (Terrorists/Insurgents/Separatists/Jihadists/Provincial War Lords/Freedom Fighters) have all the time. That reality is unacceptable to Americans, so they don’t accept it.

Bush cannot figure out if “they” hate freedom or if “they” love freedom. They seek order. They endured a form of totalitarian order for decades. The consequences of the American Crusade were predicted and remain predictable. America created disorder and can do nothing to create order. A continued American presence will only perpetuate and inflame the disorder.

Some say that Europe never recovered completely after World War I. America will never recover completely after Bush’s World War III, regardless of its outcome. The only road to partial recovery is to redeploy American troops from Iraq.

Bumper sticker of the week:

If you’re not appalled, you’re not paying attention

[See the Essay entitled “The Way Out Of War” by George S. McGovern and William R. Polk in the October, 2006 issue of Harper’s Magazine.]

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Spiraling Into The Dirt (October 2, 2006)

Posted in Bush, Foreign Policy, Iraq, Torture on October 2, 2006 by e-commentary.org

Congress approved Bush’s efforts to encourage terrorists to torture Americans. [See the e-ssay dated January 31, 2005 “Bush: Torture our kids, s’il vous plait”]. America has now effectively repudiated key provisions of the Geneva Conventions and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaties, treaties that served America well in the past.

Bob Woodward chronicles the tortuous haranguing in the House of Hubris in his book, State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III. Parts I and II missed the material finally coalesced and analyzed in Part III. Bush always intended to invade Iraq. His invasion on March 19, 2003 triggered World War III. That war continues to expand in ways that are not fully comprehended. There are two overriding concerns in the White House: 1) do not draw any comparisons between Iraq and Vietnam, and 2) do not use the phrase “civil war” under any circumstances. [See the e-ssay dated March 6, 2006 entitled “Support Our Troops . . . Return” and the e-ssay dated March 20, 2006 entitled “The (Unreal) March Madness.”]

Forbes Magazine’s 400 richest Americans is constituted only of those worth a billion ($1,000,000,000.00). No one is worth a billion dollars. A single family home can now be had for $100,000,000.00 ($100 million). Even if one can obtain a no-interest loan to purchase one of these abodes, the monthly payment exceeds the recommended 30 percent limit of monthly income that a prudent person should commit to housing. Almost everyone is already spending too much for housing every month. And yet median household earnings are flat.

The stock market is going through the roof. There are not as many new roofs going up nationwide. The declining housing market will reduce the “wealth effect” that individuals feel when the value of their home rises which will reduce consumer spending which will depress the stock market in the near future.

Nobel Prize recipients are announced this week. They are worth a million. There are still individuals out there contributing to the public good.

Is the GOP now the Gay Old Party or the Grand Old Pedophiles? Too many contemporary Republicans seek to get into one’s bedroom. Too many Republicans cannot be left alone with children of either gender. We do not need to take a page from the Republicans; we need to take all the pages from the Republicans. Congressman Foley (R) is not an exception. Slow the terrorism against kids.

Bumper sticker of the week:

January 21, 2009

End of an Error

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Staying the Collision Course In Iraq and The Mid-East (September 25, 2006)

Posted in Bush, Foreign Policy, Iraq, Middle East on September 25, 2006 by e-commentary.org

The U.S. invasion of Iraq has increased, not decreased, the terror threat, according to the “National Intelligence Estimate” on “Trends in global Terrorism” released in the New York Times yesterday. The U.S. has taken the fight to them; they have taken the fight to us.

American forces are becoming fragmented in various deployments within Iraq. At some later date, they may be able to hide in the fortresses being built throughout Iraq. Halliburton/KBR are building Fort Dick, Fort Condi, Fort Rummy, and Fort Wolfie. Until they can hide, the Americans may be overrun in some outposts and left without supplies or reinforcements. America can mount a Berlin Airlift to provide some support for some time, but not forever.

Black Hawk Down writ large may develop. America may be forced to flee Iraq whether the civilian military leadership decides to cut and run or is forced to cut and run. Squads and platoons may not make the departing flights. Recall Saigon in April, 1975. The prospect of a humiliating defeat and hasty departure grows every day. America must declare victory and redeploy with purposeful dignity to friendlier soil or the United States. The collective military must go on r & r to have any chance of projecting a military and a diplomatic presence in the region and in the world in the near future.

There is no end to the unexpected twists and unintended consequences in the Mideast. Baghdad could become Hussein City in the next ten years. Tourists may have their picture taken in front of the plinth that supported the Saddam statue. The son or daughter of an Iraqi refuge may be the valedictorian at West Point. Or more likely Iraq will be divided with regions incorporated into the Shiite Caliphate and into the Sunni Caliphate and into an expanded Kurdistan region. The United States should not try to dictate the future in Iraq because it can not dictate the future in Iraq. The world will watch Americas defeat on CNN and tape it on TiVo. It is time to think clearly. It is time to get out.

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World War III Is Expanding (July 17, 2006)

Posted in Bush, Iraq on July 17, 2006 by e-commentary.org

More that four years after Bush triggered World War III, others are joining the fray. [See the March 20, 2006 e-ssay entitled “The (Unreal) March Madness” and the January 3, 2005 e-ssay entitled “Boycott Red America.” ] The thug in Baghdad–Hussein–maintained order but not law among the three religious/cultural factions. He served as the Tito of the country and by extension in the region. Sunnis and Shiites inside and outside Iraq knew their place. Iraq balanced Iran; Iran balanced Iraq. Bush’s Crusade destabilized the country and the region. In the last few years, Iraqis of all religious persuasions united in ousting the American aggressor. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Others came across a border even more porous than Americas southern border and joined the fight. Now the fight has been exported. A war on two great fronts appears possible. The Sunnis and Shiites can both fight the U.S. and fight each other. The enemy of my enemy is now also my enemy. The Turks and the Kurds are now free to battle for power and real estate. American military might is now dissipated and weak. America may have no option other than to pursue a diplomatic approach, but a diplomatic approach is effete without a viable military threat. America is now incapable of fighting or resolving World War III.

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Bush’s Blood for Oil Program (BOP) Is Counterproductive (June 5, 2006)

Posted in Bush, Iraq on June 5, 2006 by e-commentary.org

There were and are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Compressed deceased dinosaurs: Oil. Without that weapon in its arsenal, there will be mass destruction in the western world. Bush established his Blood for Oil Program (BOP) to secure that weapon. Many of those who quarrel with Bush object to his dishonesty and deception. The debate should focus on the costs and consequences of Bush’s decision to declare and continue World War III to protect sources of oil. Iraq is not even advancing the oil agenda. Iraq never was and is not about nation building. Condi Rice coddles dictator Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Equatorial Guinea and Bush kowtows to Nursultan A. Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan. Those are nations that need to be built. Both regimes are at least as unrepresentative as the practices during the rule of Saddam Hussein. At this time, Operation Iraqi Liberation has alienated more of our allies and emboldened more of our enemies, particularly those with oil reserves, than any other recent American action. Why invade? Why stay? What is the oil policy?

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The Virtues of an Iraqi Civil War (April 17, 2006)

Posted in Bush, Iraq, Military on April 17, 2006 by e-commentary.org

The United States was not required to engage in a domestic dispute war in 1860. The Union forces could have prevented the expansion of slavery in the West by establishing garrisons along the border between the slave-holding states and the frontier. The Navy could have embargoed trade with the South on the seas to the east and in the area now known as the Gulf of Mexico while also protecting other legitimate commerce and asserting the young nation’s sovereignty. The South would have withered in a dozen years rather than being obliterated in four. However, a President really only has the four-year term to resolve the matter. The Union elected to “destroy the village in order to save it.” A civil war defines a people. The War Between the States or the War of Northern Aggression or however it is described is one of the major events that defined America and its people. There are some who are still fighting the conflict.

“Over values men will fight.” This rallying cry was shouted not by Ernesto “Che” Guevara but by Milton “Free Market” Friedman, the great contemporary conservative economist and philosopher. The peoples in the present country of Iraq may elect to fight to determine their borders, their identities and their values. There may be many deaths. Men fighting over values often kill. The killing is often unfair, random, ruthless, and indiscriminate. The men kill far too many women and children. The tumult is spreading over the region. The Shiites in Iraq may ally with the Shiites in Iran. Others may join the fray. The United States can only make the situation worse.

The Iraqi peoples need to determine their destiny without American involvement and meddling. The United States should not play policeman or baby sitter. The Iraqi people must determine their fate. Support our troops . . . return . . . now.

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The (Unreal) March Madness (March 20, 2006)

Posted in Iraq, Military on March 20, 2006 by e-commentary.org

On March 19, 2003, Bush unilaterally declared World War III. Three years have passed, almost 2300 U.S. troops are dead, and nearly $300,000,000,000.00 ($300 Billion) is being looted from unborn Americans to fund the daily costs. The long-term economic costs (more grenades; long-term health care) of Operation Iraqi Liberation may reach 3 Trillion, not counting the psychological toll on all Americans. Bush’s recent “National Security Report” declares “America is at war.” A war Bush triggered.

After September 11, 2001, the American people wanted revenge. Bush gladly obliged. The country deserved focused leadership to confront unknown, dangerous and organized threats. The response should have been carefully considered and comprehensive diplomatic and military efforts. Bush nurtured some ill-defined animosity toward Iraq and launched the Crusades for no good reason and many bad ones. By April 1, 2003, Bush should have realized that the U.S. military defeat of the Iraqi Cub Scouts did not prove a point or advance an interest. We were fooled again. By then, the military was mired down and served only to provide a common enemy to unite the three warring factions (Kurds, Sunnis, Shiites) in a campaign to repel the American invaders. The three factions now seem capable of conducting a civil war while driving out the invaders. Bush’s Crusades have drawn attention and resources away from the real threats and undermined America’s military options in other countries and regions. The exeunt from Iraq may require intervention by others, perhaps by an emboldened international coalition challenging the rogue American nation. In the next phase of WW III, the theater may move to Iran. March Madness continues.

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Support Our Troops . . . Return (March 6, 2006)

Posted in Iraq, Military on March 6, 2006 by e-commentary.org

[A Zogby poll last week found that even the troops support our troops return.]

“At least in Vietnam, Bush had an exit strategy.” In Iraq, Bush never even had a viable entrance strategy. In Vietnam, two countries divided by colonists sought to unite into one people, despite Johnson’s and Nixon’s wishes. In Iraq, three people inhabiting one nation concocted by colonists seek to divide into three countries, despite Bush’s wishes. America should refrain from imposing its ill-fated whims upon the world when neither the security nor well-being of the United States or its allies is at stake. Self-determination is a Wilsonian principle. Let the Iraqis decide. Support our troops . . . return. The emerging fear this week is that the troops will be deployed to Iran rather than repatriated to America.

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The Arithmetic of Futility (February 27, 2006)

Posted in Iraq, Military on February 27, 2006 by e-commentary.org

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the three dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the eleven dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the twenty nine dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the fifty four dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the eighty dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the one hundred and one dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the one hundred and twenty four dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the one hundred and eighty two dead service men.”

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the two hundred and seventeen dead service men.”

. . . . . . . . . .

“We need to continue fighting to vindicate the deaths of the nine thousand six hundred and forty five dead service men.”

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