Middle East News
May 9, 2007, 18:59 GMT
Iraq parliament recess 'bad idea': US officials (3rd Roundup)
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Older Talkback
Hmmmm, my son or daughter risks being killed fighting another country's civil war in Iraq while that country's decision makers take a vacation...this shows just how much the Iraqi leadership value the cost of American lives and what we do.
Joe C
'Our original reason for going to Iraq was to find stockpiles of WMDs. It's more than clear that there had never been any.'
Their never were any? Joe you might want to ask the Kurds who were gassed with chem weapons if their never were any...get your facts straight.
'Unless those WMDs are ever found, our Great Decider has the lives of over 3,000 US troops, and over 50,000 of Iraqui civilians on his hands.'
And you dont think that Saddam by constantly breaking his cease fire agreements, firing on US/UK aircraft, continuing to murder Kurds and opponents in ever increasing number has any responsibility in all this? I guess the rest of the senators who also voted are not responsible either as long as you can blame bush and keep up the liberal mantra of 'it wasnt our fault its the evil bush'?
'Don't you, or any other warmongers forget that.'
Then he complains about name calling lol. I actually agree that we have done about all we can in Iraq and we should start to withdraw, however you do not announce this to your enemy just to score political points back home as Pelosi and her crowd have done. Can you not understand this? It is also wrong to load a bill with billions in pork just to bribe others to sign up and then try to claim the moral high ground. Can you not understand that Pelosi going to Syria is the most craven act of political theater at the expense of her own nation just to try and score some points over Bush (whom I agree is an idiot, but an idiot that we voted for)? You whine about being labelled 'Lib' as an insult, you whine about Bush and war, strange that guys like you never whine about the most stupid and cowardly acts of Dems though.
Whenever they get Jabba the Veep involved, the issue is already serious. This announcement of a 2-month recess dates back over a week. This is the heart of it:
The Republicans in Congress, and their Presidential candidates, want to see something happen. The Egypt conference was a photo-op for some decisions made before the conference had even begun, in terms of debt forgiveness, and it kicked the ball back to al-Maliki to get busy and form a working government. The Sunni are fed up, and al Sadr is pressing from the other side. Now Cheney does his 'get-tough' visit, so that in the absence of actual progress, Bush can make the claim that we're 'moving forward'.
This is all a preface to September, and Petraeus. The last thing Bush needed was to see Iraq have a 2-month leadership gap, following upon years of getting nothing substantial done in terms of distribution of oil profits and other key Constitutional issues, including finding some sort of sectarian balance that the Iraqis could co-exist with. How the Iraqi leadership thought a lengthy recess was acceptable defies comprehension, since it's at the direct cost of American lives (as well as Iraqi) to delay further.
I don't think anything will actually move forward politically, but it gives the Admin. a chance to say that they used their influence on al-Maliki. Score one in the photo-op column. If they could resolve either oil proceeds distribution, or the Baathist 'acceptance' issue, it would send a great signal. I would assume that these issues are bound together by al-Maliki and the rest, and he cannot resolve one at a time.
To make it worse, Al Sadr is losing control of his own militia.
'The fact that infiltrators were found this close (Within our own borders, for Pete's sake...) only goes to show that we're about as safe as we were back in 9/11/2001.'
Those 'infiltrators' were brought on during the Clinton administration.
'. And somehow infiltrators happen to make it past all of that anyway?'
Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you Joe?
'A 2 month recession? Of course both Iraqui leaders and Cheney agree.'
Cheney told them it was a bad idea, did you even read the article?
'GOPs have the nerve to call anyone that questions our purpose for even being in Iraq a 'lib.''
I was answering a comment from 'LividLib' you complete idiot.
'Our presence in Iraq is pointless. '
Not that I ever expect you to understand or allow yourself to believe it at this point, but our presence in Iraq is by a great margin, the lesser of 2 evils.
'It's time for GOPs to wake up, get their heads out of the sand and realize it's time for our troops to come home.'
You just do not have any idea of the ramifications of a civil/proxy war in the geographical center of the middle east.
' neither has this 5 year long war made it any safer.'
How many plots have succeeded?
Over 500 of them! Plus the one they set off 3 years ago! Plus, the chlorine bombs.
How many more do you need? You see, WMD's are the people willing to use them, not the weapon itself.
Nonetheless this president, abandoned by his party, is going to make them, and the luddite dems, run on the war in 08.
Why is it people think good things happen when they try to undermine Bush?
This is just more evidence that we need to get out of Iraq. Let the Sunnis and Shiites battle it out and get out of their way. This mess will NEVER be solved in our lifetime and probably not in the next. All the summits in the world will not make a difference, and it's unbelievable that anyone would think differently. Our sole purpose for being in Iraq was WMDs - they weren't there, Saddam is gone - so why aren't we???
Bush can't put two intelligent words together, so why would anyone feel secure in his decisions on the Iraq situation. What were his qualifications for being President - he owned a ball team?? Oh, if he were only running for office again - his war would be over long ago!!
Concerned
'What were his qualifications for being President - he owned a ball team??'
No you idiot he was voted in by the population of the US, that does seem to be a problem for leftists dosnt it? Just look at France right now and you can see how deeply committed the left is to democracy when they lose. Anyone else get the feeling that 'concerned' is actually Joe in disguise cause he just got his liberal, Pelosis panty wearing butt handed to him in a sling? lol.
He might have been voted in??? but what were his qualifications, Idiot??
You seem to protest too much and are good at blasting everyone with your cute words when they don't think as you do - thank god. The majority of the public is calling a halt to this insane 'Bush' war, so perhaps being in the minority is a major sore spot, or are you one of these people who believe in winning no matter the cost?? And I'm not 'Joe'!
So Cheney sees a greater sense of urgency than he has before?? Is he beginning to open his eyes?
Great! Why stop the Iraqis from taking a recess?
After all they are in the Zone
The war is an American event. Let them take the bashing and suffer the killings.
You have to pay price for oil, don't you? Nothing comes free.
If americans have brains, they will get rid of the war mongrels in the White House and put them on trial for all american casualties in Iraq.
Or else, just shut up and tolerate it all & expect more bashing and bloody gory!
Stupid Americans. The biggest fools on earth.
Maybe the 'greater sense of urgency' is caused by the difficulties over getting funds ?
they should issue Cheney a shotgun...and then televise him standing next to a moron fantic muslim saying: 'Speaking of time....your time is up' then show him shooting this idiot in the head...then other pro life and peace muslim wrapping him up with goat skin and burying him head first away from Mecca.
'The majority of the public is calling a halt to this insane 'Bush' war, so perhaps being in the minority is a major sore spot, or are you one of these people who believe in winning no matter the cost?? '
This is not 'Bush's war', this war was declared by the United States. I can't believe that there are people out there who are so blasted stupid to think a loss of us is acceptable because it will further tarnish Bush. You have no idea what the ramifications of us losing in Iraq are, nor do you care. Idiots put their antipathy for one man ahead of their care for the country, you are another idiot.
Winning no matter what the cost is not the issue, think about the cost of Losing for once.
Re: This is not 'Bush's war', this war was declared by the United States. I can't believe that there are people out there who are so blasted stupid to think a loss of us is acceptable because it will further tarnish Bush. You have no idea what the ramifications of us losing in Iraq are, nor do you care.
==========================================
Sorry, but that's just dumb. Any coherent person understands that whatever the outcome in Iraq, short of a 'real' government getting into power, with 'real' control over the militias, there WILL be an aftermath, and it will be serious.
Bush has delayed the inevitable, having both stalled by waiting for the Iraq Study Group report, and by tolerating an utter lack of performance by al-Maliki while proposing a military solution (SURGE) while the real problem is POLITICAL. The political vacuum has allowed al Qaeda and other outside agitators, as well as local militias, to gain position, and al Q gets funding from opium farmers in Afghanistan, which was supposed to be JOB ONE post 9/11. Failure begets failure.
This was 'Bush's War', and will be remembered as such, because wars are based on imminent threat, not some 'proactive' vision of a biased President. I tend to think of it as 'Cheney's War', as he was a leading participant in 1991, and could have escorted Saddam out the door back then, saving many Shiite lives.
This endless diatribe of naming those opposed to Bush's policies as somehow 'hating him' I consider the ranting of the brainwashed. 'Success' in the end will be quantifiable, although Bush seems to have changed that definition recently in terms of Iraq - THAT's the problem! Success is not subjective, and goals should not be viewed in terms of what Iraq is 'capable of', but rather what they !!!SHOULD!!! be achieving. Otherwise, they're wish lists, not GOALS.
Note Bush's 58th (or so) shift today, in an endless series of lurches towards reality:
WASHINGTON, May 10 — President Bush said today that he was willing to work with lawmakers to include benchmarks for the performance of the Iraqi government in a war spending bill, something members of both parties have been vigorously seeking. Bush suggested that “the idea of benchmarks makes sense.” The president said his chief of staff, Joshua B. Bolten, would try to “find common ground on benchmarks” for the Iraqi government in his negotiations with lawmakers.
Among the benchmarks that have been discussed — and which Mr. Bush explicitly mentioned — are the passage of Iraqi legislation to share oil revenues, the future division of power in Iraq and the opening of some government jobs to former members of the Baath Party of Saddam Hussein.
With the coming election, we will see a lot of changes being made regarding Bush's war - a lot of backing down and agreeing with the general public - just wait and see!!
'Sorry, but that's just dumb. '
The public opinion polls at the time backed it, Congress voted and authorized it. Nice and legal.
'Any coherent person understands that....'
Well how would you know then?
'...short of a 'real' government getting into power, with 'real' control over the militias, there WILL be an aftermath, and it will be serious.'
That is why we have to stay and keep pushing for a government that can do those things.
'Bush has delayed the inevitable...'
You are such a child... Bush bad, Bush bad, waaah waaah.... Your argument here is defeat is 'inevitable'. You are wrong.
'This was 'Bush's War', and will be remembered as such'
Keep saying it over and over, why stop now Rain-man?
'because wars are based on imminent threat,'
Is that pb's rule? Regardless, US armed forces are in Iraq, not Bush, the American military. You know, the folks that the democrats are hanging out to dry.
' I tend to think of it as 'Cheney's War', as he was a leading participant in 1991, and could have escorted Saddam out the door back then, saving many Shiite lives.'
How could he have done that then without doing what we are doing now? That is just crazy.
'This endless diatribe of naming those opposed to Bush's policies as somehow 'hating him' I consider the ranting of the brainwashed.'
Oh noooo, no one could ever accuse you of 1) posting endless diatribes or 2) hating Bush. The first is obvious and the second you have confessed to.
...how about we tell the Iraqi towelhead congress that the American army will take 2 months off too, and will come back when they do...?
Bush: Folks, our boys need a rest. We're goona all go to Baharain, git drunk an grab some boody, and we'll be back when you reconvein!
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