Excellent diaries elsewhere. Thanks in particular to everyone commenting on the
smintheus diary. Good patriots all.
Just felt it might be helpful to start a new thread with some close, point-by-point refutation of the major Snow Job we are getting, America!
The sum-up in the Guardian article
is this:
Four-point strategy
· [1] Increase US troop levels by up to 20,000 to secure Baghdad and allow redeployments elsewhere in Iraq
· [2] Focus on regional cooperation with international conference and/or direct diplomatic involvement of countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
· [3] Revive reconciliation process between Sunni, Shia and others
· [4] Increased resources from Congress to fund training and equipment of Iraqi security forces
Below, I offer a take on each:
(1.)
20,000 more troops is NOT "big" no matter if they are rummaging around in a Beirut-i-cized Baghdad or anywhere else in Iraq.
So it is Bu****it to sell this as "America's Last Big Push" - -
please remind your Congressional delegation that
Gen. Erik Shinseki estimated 300,000 or more U.S. troops would be necessary - back in 2003, before the deterioration we have all witnessed.
(2.) James Baker and Dick Cheney's version of "regional cooperation" and "diplomatic involvement" will be a COVER story for the selling-out of our military's already precarious position in the Middle East.
What have Saudi Arabia and Kuwait exactly done to earn our blood? More like they have funded the bloodletting - and will continue to do so, right under our noses because they want the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq to keep Iran's Shiite allies in check.
They want the shooting and bombing to keep going in Iraq so it doesn't take place on their turf - and they will keep sending mega-oilbucks into the insurgency.
(3.) "Reconciliation" is what it's all about, brothers and sisters. Practice non-violence.
But the BUSHCHENEYBAKER squad ain't cut out for it.
Their heart isn't in it. Send Cindy.
Point is, the only tools they have for bringing together the "Sunni, Shiia and others" are some badly broken oil infrastructure, our bruised and abused military, and a whole lot of U.S. tax bucks. Put another way: bribes, brute force, and more bribes. These are not very wieldy instruments for reconciliation.
The Iraqi people will reconcile themselves once we get the hell out of their way.
(4.) "Increased resources" - - because the $350 billion Congress has already misspent hasn't destroyed Iraq enough, hasn't run our own economy far enough up on the rocks, hasn't mortgaged our current standing in the world completely, hasn't made our kids' American inheritance gawdawful enough yet.
But, O.K. - we do need to help build up the Iraqi army and police. (Three years of putative training and equipping hasn't done the job.) So how about we pass the hat around at Bechtel and Halliburton? How about a little chipping in from Exxon and BP? And some of those defense contractors and subcontractors look a little flush. Ask them for some dues, Congressman-woman/Senator.
Oh - - and one other minor little matter: while we are going ahead with the Latest BUSHCHENEYBAKER Plan, 'Last Big Push' or however they choose to sell it, just exactly who is going to be the last to die for this delay in getting our kids home?
Just my take.
I'm in a bad, bad mood. BUSHCHENEYBAKER propaganda STINKS.
Maybe this guy Dennis can cheer me up!