Rumsfeld: Insurgency could last 12 years (but defends "last throes")

[Cocoa]

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1727548,00.html

Washington - Defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Sunday it may take as long as 12 years to defeat Iraqi insurgents and that Iraqi security forces will finish the job because US and foreign troops will have left the country.

Rumsfeld, addressing a question about whether US troops levels are adequate to vanquish the increasingly violent resistance, said, "We're not going to win against the insurgency. The Iraqi people are going to win against the insurgency. That insurgency could go on for any number of years. Insurgencies tend to go on five, six, eight, 10, 12 years.


<snip>

At the same time, Rumsfeld defended Vice President Dick Cheney's description of the insurgency as being in its "last throes." Rumsfeld said the US commander in the Middle East did not contradict Cheney when he told the Senate last week that the insurgency was as strong as it was six months ago.

"If you look up 'last throes,' it can mean a violent last throe," Rumsfeld said on ABC's This Week.

more...

[al bupp]

1. Thus taking brazen double-speak to a new level

Un-effing-believable really, nevertheless, I've gotta admire his chutzpa.

[Seabiscuit]

15. Really. "Another 12 years" = "last throes"

And black = white.

[EVDebs]

52. Sen McCain says "10, 20 years, that's not so bad"

Bob Herbert's 'Heads in the sand' article www.spectrumz.com/z/fair_use/2004/09_04.html

"When asked this week (Sept 4, 2004) on CNN how long the U.S. military is likely to remain in Iraq, Senator John McCain replied "probably" 10 or 20 years. "That's not so bad," he said"

Republicans also KNOW that 14 'enduring' AKA permanent bases are being built in Iraq. They've planned on a long long stay.

Watching them lie is par for the course.

[democracy eh]

58. Bushco NEEDS a 10 -12 year insurgency

to justify the permanent bases, which are needed to ensure US control of the oil

no insurgency, no need to US troops on Iraqi soil

[EVDebs]

60. Which begs Congressional questions like Rep Kaptur had

during the DSM hearing with Rep Conyers: when did some of these appropriations occur ? Some of the Gitmo contracts occured in June of 2000; I also hear that some of the special forces / task force stuff occured before 9-11-01 also.

The fact that our army can within three weeks overtake Iraq, yet as in Vietnam cannot control an insurrection, means that we should be stepping back from Iraq for a brief period just to avoid casualties. The ensuing conflict in Iraq will then end up killing off foreign fighters; instead by our staying around, it is attracting them.

Fall back to Kuwait for awhile.

[tavalon]

65. Remind me

How long were we in Vietnam?

[savemefromdumbya]

71. That's OK, McCain off you go to Iraq for another 20 years!

Isn't it strange. At the end of the day who foots the bill for Iraq? Yes, we the taxpayers. If McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 20 years book him a hotel room in Baghdad?
However, I expect everywhere will be under Chinese rule by then?

[colorado_ufo]

72. 20 years is longer

than many of the soldiers who died in Iraq were alive. A__holes.

[The_Casual_Observer]

74. They equate this to other bases around the world

where we have never left. The obvious difference being that no place else are we being bombed constantly.

[ngGale]

77. McCain said, "That's not so bad," - OMG - Plez...

save us from these people. Like I said to begin with, we have no intention of ever leaving Iraq. The only plan they needed was to brainwash the American people into Iraq. They never needed a plan to get out, because they didn't intend to. :nuke:

[EVDebs]

81. His deal with Bush for an '08 run. Faustian bargainer....

[tavalon]

64. Yeah, I bet even Orwell

never thought someone could be this brazen with the double-speak.

[radfringe]

80. ..it can mean a violent last throe

or it can mean whatever the bushies want it to mean

BUZZWORD ALERT
Keep your ears open on Tuesday night -- there's a new buzzword to listen for OPTIMIST and OPTIMISTIC

meanwhile - the bush choir will be going door-to-door and handing out Happy-Face Masks complete with rose-colored tinted eyes to every American

[jmaier]

2. and if you look up mendacity

it could mean Rumsfeld. These guys are positively shameless with spin.

[al bupp]

5. Which I interpret to mean...

that they've taken to heart the old saw my high-school chem teacher taught us 20-some years ago, namely "nobody ever went broke under-estimating the intelligence of the American public". Of couse, they've applied the principle to politics instead of commerce.

[manly]

82. "nobody ever went broke..."

underestimating the intelligence of the American public." An excellent quote of H.L.Mencken's.

[Minstrel Boy]

3. Feb 7 2003: "Rumsfeld foresees swift Iraq war"

Rumsfeld foresees swift Iraq war

BBC, 7 February, 2003, 20:50 GMT

Any war with Iraq would be swift and not require a full US mobilisation, says US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

He said war was still not inevitable, but noted that 12 years of international diplomacy had failed to disarm Iraq.

...

"It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months," he said, speaking at the American air base at Aviano, in northern Italy.

...

"The game is over," President George W Bush declared on Thursday, as he urged hesitating allies to join in disarming Iraq.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2738089.stm

[KC21304]

11. I didn't see Ted Kennedy's little speech to Rumsfeld

before the question about resigning. I hope he read these quotes back to him.

[katty]

87. Kennedy looked like he would punch Rummy out if he

could leap across the table

[Ezlivin]

4. That Mofo sure can tap dance

Rumsfeld can hold opposing points of view simultaneously.

He should have been a central figure in Orwell's "1984".

[Vladimir]

6. War criminals to the Hague

now!

[dkofos]

7. With an attitude like that,

We should just get the fuck out NOW.

Think of the lives saved, the money saved.

Rummy you IGNORANT COCKSUCKER

:grr: :grr:

[catnhatnh]

8. You mean an insurgency in it's "Last Throes"...

...might outlast Bush's 3000 day Reich???

[leesa]

9. Flip Flop...different day, different prognosis.

[KC21304]

10. We aren't arguing about the meaning of the word throes,

you asshole. What part of the word " last " don't you understand ?

I'm speaking to Rumsfeld, obviously.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. But never four,seven, nine, eleven or thirteen years.

:banghead:

[grytpype]

13. Wow, are we screwed.

You know, we could take Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Wolfie, Lyin Leezie, and the rest and throw them off a cliff, and we would still be screwed. They screwed us permanently.

[driver8]

23. Not only that, but how much longer can the country afford to pay

for this "little blunder"?

What did we do to get stuck with this sorry sack of shit excuse for an administration?

Dumbsfeld actually had the nerve to say it could take "twelve years"? You have got to be kidding me...

[tavalon]

66. It isn't what we did

It's what we didn't do. Apathy brought them to power. BTW, by "we" I don't mean the fine folks here at DU. I mean the huge numbers of people here in the US who couldn't even be bothered to vote and certainly can't be bothered to understand the issues.

[Amonester]

24. a neat solution (to start un-screwing) will be

take Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Wolfie, Rice, and the rest and throw them off an oil rig somewhere near baghdad

:party:

[Rose Siding]

14. "We're not going to win..."

Hmmm...what's another way to say that?

[uppityperson]

16. If they have been "throeing" for 3000, final 12 yrs would qualify "last"

and "red car" can mean a bright red car. Got it? Simple. Use the word you are defining to define the word you are defining and you get a definition. Maybe you need to find an updated dictionary.

War crimes tribunal. That is what I would be satisfied with.

[ConfuZed]

17. Actually it could be endless...

Just look at the street gangs here in america.

[seriousstan]

27. If it is at the level of street gangs then it is simply crime.

[ConfuZed]

35. Exactly

You can't negotiate with random uncoordinated attacks by iraqis no matter how much they try to put the blame on Syrians (and sometimes Somalians).

[koopie57]

18. what I don't understand

is that these SOB's are so old, why do they want to screw the world like this when they will not be able to see the results of their stupidity. In 12 years, old stupid Rummy will be dead or in the last stages of Alzheimers.

[driver8]

25. It is all about their "power"...power and money. That is all these

fuckers care about. They are living for today and do not give a shit about tomorrow.

[jimshoes]

46. It is kind of like a game to them

called he who dies with the most, wins. They're sick, twisted and evil.

[Amonester]

26. they *think* (how?) the rapture will come

and that they are the *chosen ones* (the *first* ones to enter in the *promised land*)

don't laugh: it's written inside a book somewhere and they *think* it's about them...

:silly:

[Pithy Cherub]

19. Rummy actually is racing to replace McNamara as the

Worst.Defense.Secretary.Ever!!! He actually expects sentient beings to believe he is sane and in command of all of his faculties while spewing ironic lies as if they were Iraqi oil! :crazy:

Sheesh, what a broken down old tool of Satan!

[sidpleasant]

88. McNamara finally figured out what he was responsible for

... and seems to have suffered some remorse for his part in the Viet Nam war. Rumsfeld on the other hand is utterly incapable of anything comparable (you gotta have a soul to do soul - searching).

[Flagg]

20. why 12 years ?

Why not 5, 8 , 15 or 20 ?

What kinda bullshit is that ?

[VegasWolf]

21. It was a slip, 12 years is how long it will take to get 90% of the oil. nt

[seriousstan]

28. At least read the original post before you knee jerk...;..

"Insurgencies tend to go on five, six, eight, 10, 12 years."

I realize nobody reads the article, but this info was in the posted excerpt.

[salin]

22. hmmmm earlier this week Condi claimed that *they* had

already told us it was going to be a "generational" effort (as in years)... now... twelve years... with a placating "mostly done by iraqis"

Now that they are claiming to have claimed all along that this was going to be very long... but at the same time "not a day longer than it needs to be" (again stated by Cheney this weekend)... isn't it time to ask:

"So are we building permanent bases in Iraq?"

Their actions - always are more indicative of their real intentions (as in whats coming next) - than their staged rhetoric.

[grytpype]

53. "generational effort"

To me, "generational" means 25-30 years.

I think that term was originally used by the Neocons to describe how long it was going to take to democratize the entire Middle East.

Now it is used to describe how long our troops are going to be getting blown up in Iraq.

[Roland99]

29. A "violent last throe" that just happens to last for 12 years??

[cliss]

30. Don't be surprised --

Don RumsFathead prides himself on being able to handle inconsistencies, even flagrant contradictions. After all, he writes poetry.

Don feels proud that he can write poetry while killing people. "It's all in a day's work", he says. I've read some of his poetry. For a while, he was sending his latest batch around the Pentagon, to his email list.

So now we're pissed because he's talking out of both sides of his mouth: first he says the insurgency can last up to 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 years. Amazingly, he refers to the "last throes" in the same sentence.

Why would he do that? He's clearly pointing out his own point of view, which is the insurgency is going to last indefinitely. Notice he's using a number sequence which can continue out quite a ways.

Simultaneously, he's telling us his boss's point of view, which is "last throes". The guy's easy to read. Once you figure him out.

[struggle4progress]

31. Clearly, the "last throes" will be followed by the "very last throes" and

then by

the "very very last throes,"

the "last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "really the very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "you better listen to me because this is really the very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "you really better listen to me because this is really the very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "you really better listen to me because this is really the very very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "I'm not going to tell you again so you really better listen to me because this is really the very very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes",

the "I'm really not going to tell you again so you really better listen to me because this is really the very very last time I'm going to tell you very very last throes" ...

[Cocoa]

33. then finally...

"no one ever said the insurgency was in their last throes."

[ngGale]

78. 50% of the insurgent's are Saudi's, Bush's friends ...

also know for highjacking airplanes. Saudi's want the oil to, don't they? :grr:

[nonconformist]

32. I can think of a few words Rummy needs to look up in the dictionary

"LAST", for starters.

[bvar22]

34. Is thius the SAME Rumsfeld that said:

"A senior administration official who briefed reporters Monday on condition of anonymity said Rumsfeld "has right along said that he thought that fighting was likely to last weeks, not months." Rumsfeld told troops last month that "it could last, you know, six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."


Why does Anyone LISTEN TO WHAT THESE GUYS HAVE TO SAY?
Their credibility was shredded LONG ago!
Journalists and observers should ERUPT in derisive laughter and ridicule EVERY time any one of these assholes makes a prediction!!!

[NNN0LHI]

36. Rumsfeld: Iraq Could Face Insurgents for 12 Years

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB7TOINFAE.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday it may take as long as 12 years to defeat Iraqi insurgents and that Iraqi security forces will finish the job because U.S. and foreign troops will have left the country.

Rumsfeld, addressing a question about whether U.S. troops levels are adequate to vanquish the increasingly violent resistance, said, "We're not going to win against the insurgency. The Iraqi people are going to win against the insurgency. That insurgency could go on for any number of years. Insurgencies tend to go on five, six, eight, 10, 12 years.

"Coalition forces, foreign forces are not going to repress that insurgency," the Pentagon chief told "Fox News Sunday."

"We're going to create an environment that the Iraqi people and the Iraqi security forces can win against that insurgency," he said.

[Pachamama]

37. Translation - US to be in Iraq for atleast 20-30 years!

What happened to 12 days? 12 weeks max? :eyes:

Wake up America!

[Liberal Veteran]

38. Who would have thought they would continue flowers/kisses...

...for so long?

[doublethink]

39. but but I thought Cheney said they were on their last th .... ?

oh nevermind.

[Todd B]

40. Considering that most of the "insurgency"..

Considering that most of the "insurgency" are Iraqis fighting against an occupying force, I'd say it's a good bet that they'll stop once we leave.

Of course Bush and crew have no intention of leaving because then they won't have control of the oil and resources.

[DuaneBidoux]

61. Unfortunately not, for the poor Iraqis. We leave and there would be

an almost instantaneous and full-blown civil war. Hell, it already is a civil war, and we have chosen a side.

[tavalon]

67. And that is what will happen

no matter whether we are there for 12 more weeks or twelve years. All we have to look at for a reference is Vietnam. I know they hate when we compare Iraq to Vietnam but they keep making it so much the same it's awfully hard not to.

[cliss]

41. Where does this old goat get his numbers from?

RumsFailed should go back to writing poetry. It was better. Looking at that statement, "Insurgencies tend to go on for 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 years. Where does he get this information? Did he look it up online? Is there some historical research that backs up his claim?

**there is no backup for his claim. He's just pulling numbers out of his hat. He's making it up as he goes.


Now, if you really want the truth, take a good look at the old crony's face during the testimony. His eyes were sunken in. There was defeat written all over his face.

[phantom power]

43. Yeah. As if they're going to just pack in on year-13.

"Hey, we lasted 12 years, but damn, the Americans outwaited us. Time to quit!"

Like you say, they're just pulling this stuff right out of their ass. It's worked this long, because most people want to believe so bad that they understand what the hell they're doing. Now, they're just beginning to realize that they really are just completely making this stuff up.

[madrchsod]

42. "the republic of the green zone"

or the "green republic" from the latest riverbend....
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
Baghdad Burning

[elextech]

44. some history on the subject (well, according to my memory)

The muslim areas of the world have a history of keeping a low-level insurgency simmering over decades until the outsider goes away. The British eventually got tired of it and left the Israel/Palestine area. France gave up on Morocco, etc. after fifty years or so. The Kurds are still fighting the Iranian "invaders" in Kurdish areas just as the Kurds are fighting the Turks, and just as they were fighting the Iraqis. The best we can hope for is to put a somewhat-pro-U.S. government in power, train its police and Army until they seem to have a handle on things, then leave. As I understand it, that's the plan now in effect. The problem is that the Iraqi police and Army had to be started from nothing, because the old, Saddam-era police and army were filled with ncos and officers who were almost exclusively Sunni and very pro-Saddam. Those folks were in charge of the country before the U.S. invasion and are very resentful of the U.S. for supporting those "upstart" Shia and Kurds who imagine they should have as much political power as the Sunni always have had (for centuries). It appears that the police and army troops are very, very, very SLOWLY becoming competent in the anti-insurgency game. (See http://www.strategypage.com//fyeo/qndguide/default.asp?target=IRAQ.HTM ) During the Vietnam war, the Nixon administration pursued a course of Vietnamization, in which the South Viet troops were trained and supplied to carry the defensive war all by themselves when U.S. troops eventually left. They actually were doing quite well after U.S. troops departed, but the Congress cut off all money, supplies, fuel, ammunition, etc. which were needed by the South Vietnamese forces. Not too surprisingly, after the South's bullets and tank fuel ran out, the North was able to conquer them easily. All the blood and treasure that we had poured into Vietnam were given in vain, because our Congress cut off aid to the South Vietnamese forces. I suspect that's what will eventually happen in Iraq.

In my humble opinion, now that we're in there, we should finish training the Iraqi troops and police, pull out our troops, then continue supporting them with money, ammunition, fuel, etc. We've done that for Israel for decades, and, because we've helped them, they've managed to hang on against repeated attempts by the muslims to destroy Israel. It was working in South Vietnam until Congress decided to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and it could work in Iraq.

After this stuff in Iraq is all over, we might want to define by law what the criteria are for going to war. That will help keep us out of these situations in which we find we need to build up the police and military forces of pro-U.S. foreign governments before we can safely exit a low-level war situation. In other words, if we don't get into these situations, we won't need an exit strategy.

[pfitz59]

45. The BFEE will never leave.....

it's all about oil and greed...all else is window dressing.

[daleo]

55. The U.S. could still be pouring money into South Viet Nam

That government had no legitimacy, and neither does the U.S. installed Iraqi government. It will also fall when the U.S. tires of pouring money into Iraq and/or U.S. military deaths exceed some threshold yet to be determined (I am guessing 10,000 deaths and/or a trillion dollars).

[lfairban]

59. I don't think Saigon fell because of lack of supplies, . . .

. . . but I do agree that the situation is a lot like Vietnamization.

Unlike you, I look forward to the day we can declare Victory and bring everybody home.

[elextech]

83. what I hope for

I do look forward to the day that we bring home our troops, but I'd like to wait until we've established a government which has some chance of standing up to the local Sunni diehards and the non-local jihadi who long for martyrdom. If we leave before the new government can stand on its own, then every life we've sacrificed, every limb that's been blown off, and every dollar spent thus far will have been wasted.

I expect that the chances of this infant government are not good. Every dictatorship which surrounds Iraq, including theocracies, monarchies, and socialist dictatorships, does not like the idea of the Iraqi people having a government which allows the little guys to vote and imagine that their vote actually means something. It's not so much that the little guys will actually get what they want as it is that the little guys will become restless slaves if they perceive that they might be able to get some sort of brass ring from having an elected government. Dictatorships don't like restless peons, so ALL of Iraq's neighbors' are motivated to do what can be done to aid the insurgents and squash the new Iraqi government in its infancy. Its chances don't look good, but I'd like to see us stay long enough to allow them to establish effective and experienced police and military forces.

[HannibalBarca]

70. Excellent post

...and probably what will end up happening with alot more deaths in the meantime of course.

[bpilgrim]

76. how many millions do we have to kill this time before we 'win' I wonder...

so you think if we would have continued to feed the WAR machine we would have eventually have 'WON' Vietnam, too?

i see it a whole lot different from you...

i think we will keep on kill'n till it bankrupts us, weTHEpeople say STOP (again), or till * starts throw'n nukes (as some wanted to do to Vietnam)

we have a "criteria" for going to war they just ignored them and LIED to US (again)

but as my uncle says who's Nam medic, "when did they ever stop?"

also in our 'criteria' to wage war our reps hold the purse strings to FUND war, which, as you noted, is the most fundamental element to them.

we are fortunate that our wise leaders learned the lessons of kings.

peace

[elextech]

84. Vietnam

I think we did win in Vietnam. They never fell while we were there. For us, that was winning. The North won after our troops left. They were not capable of defeating our forces. They killed many of our guys, but winning for them was taking control of the south. They didn't do that until we left.

If our reps had continued to fund South Vietnam, the combat deaths would have continued until the communists abandoned their effort to capture the south. The Vietnamese would have continued to die in battle, and there would have been ongoing civilian casualties. That's what would have happened. What really happened is that the communists took the south, marched many off to reeducation camps, and murdered many in those camps. The Cambodian communists were able to do exactly the same thing as a direct result of South Vietnam's fall(Kinda like a miniature, two-domino thing). The Cambodian and Vietnamese communists both murdered MILLIONS of their own people. I feel that providing the South Vietnamese with ongoing support would have been better than allowing the killing fields in Cambodia and Vietnam.

I hope that we'll avoid making that mistake again. The Sunni have demonstrated over the course of centuries that they are willing to terrorize Shiites and Kurds to maintain control. People are digging up newly-discovered mass graves every day in Iraq, graves filled with Saddam's victims. Saddam was carrying on a centuries-old tradition in the Arab mid-east, and the Sunni will begin doing it again if they manage to topple the infant Iraqi government. In fact, they probably will do it (That seems to be the mid-east way of doing things), but I'd like to believe it's not because we will have abandoned them.

[mzmolly]

47. Boy, kinda conflicts with his previous statement here:

* Feb. 7 2003, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, to U.S. troops in Aviano, Italy: "It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."

I know this was covered previously after actually reading the thread. But, the USA today story is worthwhile.

Edited to add link:
http://www.usatoday.com/educate/war28-article.htm

[Disturbed]

48. Believing a War Criminal?

Rumsfailed Admitted to Violating Geneva Convention

Rumsfailed admitted in public on TV that when CIA Director Tenet requested that an Iraqi prisoner be sent to a secret Afghan/US Prison that Rumsfailed did so. After four months a DOD Attorney stated that this was an illegal act. Rumsfailed then ordered that this prisoner be sent back to Abu Graihib but the prisoner was purposefully not listed at that location, also an illegal act. Rumsfeld also admitted to signing orders for tougher interogation methods which violated the Geneva Conventions.

Rumfailed has commited at least three violations of the Geneva Convention thereby also violations of The Constitution of the USA. Recently it has been found out that even more detainees were "ghost detainees". The fact that Rumsfailed and Tenet have not been charged speaks volumes. If Congress wishes to garner any respect they should move forward with Rep. Rangle's Impeachment Declaration of Rumsfailed and also proscecute Ex. CIA Tenet.

[mzmolly]

49. And "Rumsfailed" attempted to resign 2 times.

But, he said Bush want's to keep him around. :eyes:

[0007]

50. I had to watch this a second time to believe my eyes.

I'm surprised the nation isn't crying for Rumsfeld's head along with those stupid fucking assswipe generals.

[pfitz59]

51. Rumsfield made a fortune as a drug dealer.....

I say confiscate everything he, or his heirs have ..and give it to the Iraqi people! This man should be stripped of everything he has, and thrown onto the mean streets of Baghdad to reap what he sowed!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

54. I've always wondered: do you see "light at the end of the tunnel" when

the enemy is in its "last throes"? :shrug:

Is this the new Westmorelandism for this war?

[Disturbed]

56. Motivation?

This man is 78 and filthy rich, around $120 Million. What could be his motivation for staying in this job?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

57. It's simple, they're power mad. Obviously Cheney and Rummy are

incredibly wealthy from their corporate baron life. No point for them to have done this except for power.

[shadowknows69]

62. I get it now

they're speaking in the context of geological time. What's 12 years compared to the 5 billion the earth has existed (or even 5000 if you're a fundie)see clearly the last throes.

[WLKjr]

63. They just keep giving us more and more ammo to use

Do you think Rummy has had enough finally? This comment is GOLD and a huge open door. Rove has opened a door, now Rummy has opend another.....what is going on???


I'll tell you what, they are getting ready to cushion the ASS kicking they are about to recieve from the American people that are waking up.

[alarcojon]

68. Don't forget to support our troops!

While you're pretending not to notice Rummy's lies, doublespeak, hypocrisy, insincerity, and of course sheer incompetence, remember these recent words from Gen. Abizaid:

"We don't need to fight this war looking over our shoulder worrying about the support back home."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4625215.stm

Subtle they ain't!

On edit: Freepers, I support the right of our troops to be led by competent leaders. No, Rummy doesn't count.

[Amonester]

69. So THAT must be the reason why

RumsfailedCo literally "gave" them that many tons of explosives by not securing amunition depots (even unlocking their doors!!)...

Yeah, this war criminal won't say that it's what he wanted... Pissed-off Iraquis who will continue to maim and kill boys 'n girls for the next decade (and more).

Throw him off an oil rig somewhere around Baghdad when you get the chance, I say.

[dArKeR]

73. funeral of their father Fadel Awda, yesterday at Baghdad's

Ibrahim, center, 12, and his brother Najah, right, mourn during the funeral of their father Fadel Awda, yesterday at Baghdad's Muslim Shiite Sadr City neighborhood. The body of Awda, a member of the municipal council in Sadr City, was found after he had been kidnapped by gunmen from his home in the area, sources at the interior ministry said. The kidnapping and killing of Shiites and Iraqi security force members is an almost daily occurrence in the area.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/photo/2005/06/27/2005037967

[number6]

75. Insurgency could last 12 years

only 12 more years !! MISSION ACCOMPLISHHHHHHHDDDD:sarcasm:

:dunce::hurts::banghead::hide:

[deliusmax]

79. This war has cost $180 billion and 1700 soldiers's lives in two years..

So if it were to last another twelve years that would be over $2 trillion and 20.000 dead soldiers.
Thanks, Rummy!

[rodeodance]

85. how he thinks is mind-boggling!!!

[katty]

86. "last throes"/ "12 years"...ahaaaa...nobody really knows...

ask Halliburton

[StrafingMoose]

89. Doesn't surprise me...

The fact that he goes on with a specific # (years) tells me that they at some point knows more than they say about both insurgencies, their agenda and who they work for...