WashPost Front Page Sunday : Bush Admin Admits they @$@% Up with Iraq!!!

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/13/AR2005081300853.html

U.S. Lowers Sights On What Can Be Achieved in Iraq
Administration Is Shedding 'Unreality' That Dominated Invasion, Official Says

By Robin Wright and Ellen Knickmeyer
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, August 14, 2005; Page A01

The Bush administration is significantly lowering expectations of what can be achieved in Iraq, recognizing that the United States will have to settle for far less progress than originally envisioned during the transition due to end in four months, according to U.S. officials in Washington and Baghdad.

The United States no longer expects to see a model new democracy, a self-supporting oil industry or a society where the majority of people are free from serious security or economic challenges, U.S. officials say.

"What we expected to achieve was never realistic given the timetable or what unfolded on the ground," said a senior official involved in policy since the 2003 invasion. "We are in a process of absorbing the factors of the situation we're in and shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."

....

"We set out to establish a democracy, but we're slowly realizing we will have some form of Islamic republic," said another U.S. official familiar with policymaking from the beginning, who like some others interviewed would speak candidly only on the condition of anonymity. "That process is being repeated all over."

[gristy]

1. dupe

discuss here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1699844

[sabra]

4. I know I posted there!

I guess I could have cross posted, but thought the GD crew might want their own thread?

[madeline_con]

2. "... shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."

Is that "unreality" Rummy or Dick?

[jpgray]

3. They were told all these things loudly from a billion different quarters

I call bull and shit. Too bad the media will likely follow in this "we're mystified--who could have imagined invading Iraq wouldn't magically make everything better?" act, since they are almost as deserving of blame and seek to avoid it.

[Al-CIAda]

28. Yes sir. nt

[XNASA]

5. "....shedding the unreality....."

That's a new one.

I'm sure that as long as the BFEE controls the oil...they won't get too broken up about lowering expectations.

[demgrrrll]

6. This article is interesting. I read all of these articles as if I were

reading Pravda. I always wonder what is really going on and what they are trying to cover.

[CoffeeCat]

12. What they're doing...

The neocons have a long-term plan for world domination.

They realize that the first phase (Iraq) is an abysmal failure that they can no longer justify or explain--without looking like complete buffoons. Polls are slipping and support for the war is eroding to nil.

They can't have this going into the 06 elections.

With protests and opposition heating up exponentially--the neocons are attempting to take the wind out of the opposition's argument. The neocons are only admitting mistakes now, so the opposition cannot grow. They're attempting to stave protest before their political reputations are smashed to smithereens. Plus--admitting mistakes weakens the opposition and blurs the line between themselves and the opposition. It's much more difficult to protest against a group that admits wrongdoing and condedes a bit.

The neocons may be evil, but they're not stupid. They see Vietnam-like situations growing--and they will not allow a generation of protesters to define them for decades to come.

My guess is that the Sheehan situation has made them realize that anger is growing and that they will lose the entire game for many years--if they don't concede a bit. This is more about the power of the left---and their ability to define the neocons/right wing/Republicans as a bunch of failed, lying, in-denial, bad-for-the-country jerks.

The neocons are attempting to steal the left's message and render them impotent. They sense that America is turning against them--so they're going to play reasonable and rational until everyone is fooled again.

Then they go on to Phase II of their plan.

Bastards.

[natrat]

17. that and possibly

they have stolen there billions and dont give a @uck

[KaryninMiami]

20. You are correct. and now they are on to spinning Iran, who is next in line

And away we go.
If you haven't seen this, watch the film at www.theocracywatch.org. It's free, it's a bit long- but it will really put things into perspective.

[Just Me]

21. I am thinking along those lines as well: alternatives to world domination.

They HAVE to maintain their power over the executive AND congress. It's easy to steal an election if their pundits continue to cleave us in half. However, with the situation getting increasingly out of control, the national division starts to fade. This could merely be a form of faux appeasement to the American people. On the other hand, it could also serve as an additional excuse to bomb the hell outta' Iran (since Iraq is lookin' a LOT more Iran than it did prior to the occupation).

Whatever they are up to,...it's got fraudulent representations on the outside and an aim for global control on the inside.

[marions ghost]

23. I agree that seems to be the strategy....

--we can't let them get by with this con job. We have to keep hammering how much damage has been done, and will be done, by their policies. They have failed us far beyond this historic betrayal in Iraq even. We must work even harder against the neo-cons when they pretend to retreat. They NEVER give an inch unless they have to, and then they are already plotting their next strike.

[marions ghost]

16. dupe

[Midnight Rambler]

7. I'm shocked

Not at the situation the article describes (all the prewar predictions from the antiwar side are coming true... we really need to emphasize this), but that some of these dumb fucks are actually admitting how much they fucked up.

I'm looking out my window, but I do not as of yet see any winged hogs. Perhaps that'll be when the dumbest fuck of them all comes around.

[yorkiemommie1]

15. keep looking

he might be coming by in a helicopter! lol

[charlie]

8. Congratulations neocons!

Proud parents of the world's newest Islamic republic. Cigars all around! Send some stiff drinks to the Likudnic table, they're gonna need 'em.

[seabeyond]

9. isnt there penalty for stupidity. people all over the world saw this

would happen. isnt not having the ability to see an obvious ...... bad.

or is it an oh well

[Just Me]

26. For those who've benefitted IMMENSELY from the reckless endeavor,...

,...it's merely an "oh, well". But, you see, that's one of the reasons 9/11 occured,...the aftermath of horrific exploitation with an "oh, well" attached.

[jimshoes]

10. Well we kind of fucked up Iraq

but we'll do Iran much better, trust us. You'll see. Really, we mean it.

[yorkiemommie1]

14. yah, nuke 'em from the start

i can just imagine that ole cheney w/ his sneer leaning over w/ his bony finger on the red button and * chimpyjumping behind him making chimpy noises.

geez i wish i could draw. i have all these wonderful images in my head.

[Bumblebee]

11. and now we are done with Iraq and on to Iran?!

[GetTheRightVote]

13. I am afraid of this open dialog from the * admin, we are being lead down

the garden path once again, right to the door of the Iran countryside and citizens. The admin will need the soldiers in Iraq for the war in Iran. Just think about it.

:kick:

[marions ghost]

18. ditto

We are supposed to believe that ALL OF A SUDDEN the B**h Goverment is being HONEST and RATIONAL...?!? IMO that would be a huge mistake.

Oh yeah--300 billion dollars, thousands of lives lost, we didn't even get the oil wells... and all I got was this lousy T-shirt ?!?!?
I dunno if thats gonna play in Peoria.

[SledDriver]

27. That would make a good T-shirt !

[marions ghost]

32. well I guess it would

--anyone who reads this is welcome to it. Use cafepress or something like that.
thanx :)

[Stirk]

25. I agree- I really think they assumed they could invade Iraq, set up

a local government with a homegrown "peacekeeping" force, and then march the US military next door into Iran. They're backing off the whole "democracy" thing because they really don't care about that nearly as much as freeing up the troops for Iran.

[Lexingtonian]

19. Tomorrow's not going to be a good day at FR!

The Fuhrer and High Kommand are merely ordering another strategic shortening of the lines, so that Final Victory will achieved more rapidly.

Have some more Koolaid, freepazoids...that 'almond' taste is just, oh...flavoring, yeah, flavoring.

Suckers! :rofl:

[Swede]

22. It's gonna be an Islamic Republic that hates America,loves Iran.

With a three way civil war to boot. Terrorists will thrive in the chaos.

[Flying Dream Blues]

24. They are officially in the no-win zone.

They can't continue to pretend that we are "winning" in Iraq (and who really knows what "winning" even is anymore), so owning up to their "realizations" is their only hope. But this is way too complicated for their base, who live in a Readers' Digest, B-movie world where American heroes always win the day. They are toast.

[Straight Shooter]

29. They create their own reality and then they shed the unreality they made.

Yet none of them are paying the price. Ms. Sheehan is paying the price, her son paid the price. How many have died? Now those who are responsible for this nightmare have decided to call it some benign little worthless phrase, "shedding the unreality."

Unbef*ckinlievable.

[Neshanic]

30. Oh great, so no freaking WalMarts in Iraq?

At least some fast food joints and a Coke bottling plant.

They must of been doing helicopter load calcs that pick up panicked desperate people off embassy roofs.

[wli]

31. pathetic attempt to salvage credibility