Bullshit. Don't Forget WHY We Invaded Iraq.

[Avalux]

So the Iraq Study Group swoops in to save the day with their findings and recommendations. We've finally heard prominent officials say Iraq is a mess and Bush's policies are failing. So what?? They speak the truth after 3 years - what we've all known for a long time - and I'm supposed to get excited?

NEVER lose focus of these three points as you listen to the rhetoric in coming months:

1. PNAC's plan for the Middle East. Purely imperialistic - we invaded Iraq to get a PERMANENT foothold and control the oil.

2. Bush Administration decisions are purely political, designed to preserve Bush's legacy and feed the rich.

3. The goal of the Republican Party is to remain in power, no matter what (long term).

There is nothing new in the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. There is no plan for withdrawal. Let me repeat that - there is no plan for withdrawal. Bush may have to eat a bit of crow over his refusal to veer from his policies, but he now has the opportunity to appear bipartisan. Between now and when the new Democratic Congress takes office, the PR push to make the Bush Administration seem agreeable to change will be sickening. If they succeed in their propoganda, any investigations by Democrats will be painted as political and they'll whine and cry they are being attacked. They are setting us up to fail, and as always, looking towards the next election.

I don't believe for a minute they care about Iraqis. I don't believe for a minute they care about our troops or their families.

What I do believe is that this cancerous administration (and those who support it) have not abandoned their original goals and every move they make regarding Iraq is political; to save Bush's legacy, denigrate Democrats and work towards Republicans regaining control in 2008. If their long-term plan works, a Republican will become President and Republicans will take back Congress.

We cannot allow them to lull us into believing they genuinely want to change course in Iraq. Never forget how diabolical these people are - they will not give up easily.

[itsmesgd]

1. Yep and yep

This is just to pacify the unrest about the war. It is like a dog with rubber teeth, looks bad but no bite. This will run the media for the next few weeks and then fade into oblivion. In the meantime, Gates gets nothing but love for replacing rummy, more troops are killed or injured, Iraq falls further into chaos and anarchy....

Just in: 10 dead troops just now from ied's

Same shit, new day.

[ninkasi]

2. You're right

For the PNACers, it was about establishing the U.S. as an imperial power to control the oil. Junior was chosen for his lack of intelligence, and his overwhelming ego. He wanted to be a "war president" in order to beat Daddy, and Daddy's legacy. They have been using each other, and the American people, as well as the people of Iraq and other areas of the Mideast are the ones suffering, an paying the price. It might have been hard to find another candidate as easily pushed into starting an illegal war, if Bush hadn't gotten the Republic nomination.

Since those in power don't care about us, we need to care about ourselves, and make sure that we keep nonstop pressure on our Democratic politicians to deliver their campaign promises. We can't stop now. We have to be sure that 2008 is even more overwhelmingly a Democratic victory. We need to return power to the people, and only enact legislation that helps our citizens, not global corporations.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Remember John Kerry's position on Iraqi oil in 2004?

...

As president, Kerry also said he would "internationalize" reconstruction by encouraging other countries to help develop Iraq's oil industry, rather than locking them out -- a reference to the Bush administration's denial of contracts to countries that opposed the war. And to ensure Iraq's first democratic elections are held on schedule, Kerry said he would recruit allies for a security force to protect the U.N. election staff and hold a conference of Iraq's neighbors to win an agreement to respect Iraq's borders and pledge non-interference in Iraqi affairs.

....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36909-2004Sep20.html

[Avalux]

4. Thanks for the reminder.

Internationalization of the effort in Iraq is a must - and I haven't heard a word about it from the ISG. Wonder why? :eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

7. Three years ago, I said goodbye to my son's Cub Scout leader...

as he left for Iraq. Even by then, it was clear that Iraq was becoming a bigger and bigger mess. When asked what I think would be the sign that someone was serious about resolving the mess, I said "When the oil and reconstruction contracts are put up for international bid."

[Avalux]

10. You are correct; and it will never happen.

We cannot give up that kind of control, even if the country is in chaos. I think they WANT chaos - a sort of controlled chaos that lasts indefinitely. It would not be to Bushco's benefit for Iraqis get their shit together and not need us anymore. BTW - did your son's Cub Scout Leader return? (I hope so).

[Junkdrawer]

14. I never saw anything bad in the paper...My boy went on to Bass/Guitar...

lessons as his hobby...

(There was a dust up about his new Boy Scout troop insisting that all the kids take rifle lessons and that pretty much cut it for him...)

[mopinko]

5. anything in there about permanent bases?

the permanent bases that the congress has voted to stop (more than once, iirc), only to have that stripped out in conference committee?
i doubt it.
i'll give the thugs this- they put on a nice dog and pony show.

[Avalux]

6. Nope. And don't forget about the mega-embassy (size of Vatican City)

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The fortress-like compound rising beside the Tigris River here will be the largest of its kind in the world, the size of Vatican City, with the population of a small town, its own defense force, self-contained power and water, and a precarious perch at the heart of Iraq’s turbulent future.

The new U.S. Embassy also seems as cloaked in secrecy as the ministate in Rome.

“We can’t talk about it. Security reasons,” Roberta Rossi, a spokeswoman at the current embassy, said when asked for information about the project.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12319798/

[underpants]

8. iirc- the Dems kept trying to add language to bills and the Repubs voted them down

There was never any declaration by either house of Congress to stop or insure that there were no permanent bases.

[mopinko]

15. it was my recollection

that they managed to get it included on the defense spending bill, but it got stripped. i could be wrong.

[Gregorian]

9. Absolutely. Now how to get Joe Sixpack to know this.

Without a "media", we're the only ones who know this.

How can we wake the people of the United States, who are working and or shopping right now? Even if we could squeeze journalism out of those who are in the business, aside from those few Palasts and Zinns and other brilliant few, would they? Perhaps our only hope is to use the rule of law to force them to play equal time to the truth, as well as the spin. But even then, would the Sixpacks of the country be willing to wake up. It takes time to change the momentum of zero.

What other course is there, other than The People? Even the not-so-vicious of the republican senator are discouraged with the way the base has been whipped up and trained. Surely without the people making noise, nothing short of force by rule of law will accomplish enough. And even that won't change the next voting cycle.

Without widespread truth over a sustained period, I fear we will continue the downward spiral.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Bush's legacy is a shambles...and irretrievably so

There will be the usual pomp and circumstance when he leaves office, with the glowing tributes, etc., but everyone knows that most people will be happy to see him go, and he will be remembered as the incompetent that he is. That's virtually assured. He's getting into Joe Mccarthy territory; only the hard core deranged lunatics will be defending his actions thirty years down the road, and evrybody knows it.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

12. Exactly, never believe they did not learn from

VietNam.

They learned very well, how to control the media, how to frame the debate, how to cower the opposition.

They learned.

I am not so sure WE did, though. The next few days will tell. This embarrassing POS known as ISG should be shunned by the entire newly-elected majority or it will lead to a big GOP win in 2 years.

More of the same shit.

[Amonester]

33. At this rate, the US will be bankrupt long before the big GOP win

in 2 years...

[Mr Rabble]

13. K&R. This is just the begining of "the long war".

This is quite literally window dressing for the real issues here.

[Avalux]

17. Yep. They're reframing -

desperate to salvage their long-term plans.

[5X]

16. Agreed. K & R. n/t

[janx]

18. Poppy's trying to bail out Junior yet once again.

Junior has come very close to launching a regional war for the PNAC cause.

That's why Poppy weeps.

[Generator]

19. I loved the part this morning

where one of the old white guys speaking oh yeah it was Baker-said that we ONLY took nine months to come up with this. He was proud of himself. "We had to wait until AFTER the election because of course we don't want to be partisan."

Translation by me: All the rotten stinking politicans of this country care about most is themselves. Rotten to the core. They would wait months, years, while YOU died if it meant they might get re-elected, meanwhile your death, a country's ruin is just a game to insure their JOB.

Can't say I think much more of the Democrats than the Republicans on this. Now it will drag on for another two more years at least. Maybe Hillary will save us all when she gets elected. I cannot possibly be anymore cynical. How can you not? They lie and lie and then tell a half truth and it's by then it's TOO LATE.

And YES, anybody with a brain could have given all these recomendations YEARS ago.

Kerry said the same thing during the campagain in 2004. I'm frankly disgusted by the charade that is politicans and the sham that is America.

Are we really so stupid?

[Avalux]

21. I am feeling just as cynical today.

The elation over winning the election has given way to the reality of politics.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

20. Please don't forget that it was also to help feed The Military Industrial

Complex and of course black gold, Texas T.....

[BlueEyedSon]

22. I would love to REMEMBER... only I never knew in the first place

They kept changing their minds

WMD
Saddam
Freedum
etc

[Avalux]

23. They kept trying to find a better lie -

the real reason was never disclosed openly. Control of oil.

[The Count]

24. "he tried to kill my daddy", 911 - OBL=Saddam, mushroom cloud, "we don't

put a product on the market before Labor Day" (Card), "We picked the most marketable of the reasons (Perle), to show them French what a manly nation can do, to spite "focus groups", and - did I mention: 911?

[madokie]

25. true, true, true and you are right

[proud patriot]

26. I won't forget

:patriot:

[Broken_Hero]

27. absolutelyfreakin right....

very good post, K and R...:hi:

[Avalux]

29. Thank you.

:hug:

[H2O Man]

28. I think it is

a form of social novocaine to make the public less aware of what is being ripped out of America.

[Chimichurri]

30. Absolutely.

[GenDem]

31. It's always been about the oil

and the Iraqi government making the switch from dollars to euros. Heard this morning Iran is switching over to euros.

[go west young man]

32. Deductive reasoning...I'm no Sherlock Holmes but....

ISG doesn't mention internationalizing conflict=we're staying for the oil=media not bringing up this point=media complicit=media in on PNAC for a long time=we need investigations and impeachment or PNAC wins.

[threadkillaz]

34. So we could kill 5% of the their population?

They don't care about those people or whether they are free.

Liberate this!

[WinkyDink]

35. James Baker is about oil, always was. Whatever this report says

needs to be read with that as Baker's only real focus.

[Senator]

36. Sorry, but "We" invaded because They Terrorized the Nation into compliance

With the "bomb threat" of "Mushroom Clouds!!"

It was a Worse Crime Than 9/11.

The method to not "allow them to lull us" is to dismiss "them" and their rationalizations/excuses for Terrorizing the American People. We need to stop "teaching" and "psychoanalyzing," and start attacking.

We need to "change the frame" and start forcing them to defend their indefensible Act of Terrorism.

It really is just that simple. When dealing with violent people, "Violence" is The Answer.

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