Paul Bremer: "I've grown weary of being a punching bag"

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/11/AR2007051102054.html

What We Got Right in Iraq

By L. Paul Bremer


<snip>

I'll admit that I've grown weary of being a punching bag over these decisions -- particularly from critics who've never spent time in Iraq, don't understand its complexities and can't explain what we should have done differently. These two sensible and moral calls did not create today's insurgency. Intelligence material we discovered after the war began showed that Hussein's security forces had long planned to wage such a revolt.

No doubt some members of the Baath Party and the old army have joined the insurgency. But they are not fighting because they weren't given a chance to earn a living. They're fighting because they want to topple a democratically elected government and reestablish a Baathist dictatorship. The true responsibility for today's bloodshed rests with these people and their al-Qaeda collaborators.

[Nikki Stone1]

1. Shut up, Bremer. The only qualification you had for your job is that you were Kissinger's boy

You were completely unqualified for anything above busboy, you little creep.

[TwilightGardener]

2. But we haven't grown weary of punching you, Paul...

[wtmusic]

3. "can't explain what we should have done differently"

Should have consulted DU for that one, Paul, in March 2003.

[xultar]

4. I'd like to sentence him to having a brazillian with tweezers for the rest of his life.

[myrna minx]

5. The unsung plight of the Viceroy. Won't someone *PLEASE* think of the Viceroys?!?

*wrings hands*

[Ganja Ninja]

6. and nobody suffers like George and Laura.

:eyes:

[Philosoraptor]

7. Boo frikkety hoo paul, where's that missing 9 billion?

[SOS]

8. "can't explain what we should have done differently"

1. Retain all civil service employees, including army, at 200% salary increase.
2. Hold elections in early summer 2003.
3. Hire professional staff, not the children of Heritage Foundation members.
4. Employ some sort of accounting, rather than a file cabinet full of cash.
5. Hire local contractors to create employment.
6. Amnesty and retraining for Baath officials.
7. A WPA program
8. Announce military exit plans for Fall 2003.
9. Hold regional summit meeting for neighbor states.
10. Announce no permanent bases.
11. Full control of oil to the new government.
12. Provincial elections for control of local issues.

There's a start, Mr. Failure.

[Lobster Martini]

9. Had started a reply, then realized I was repeating...

...the same thing I said about Tenet, Perle, Gonzales, and everyone else. Every problem is someone else's fault. For heaven's sake, Bremer, read the news every morning and tell me what you got right in Iraq. Better, tell the three who were captured by al-Qaeda how much you got right. I'm sure that at this minute they are thinking "heck of a job, Bremer."

[ixion]

10. watch! as the 'weary' Mr. Bremmer tosses his own strawmen up and bat them down

rather pathetic, really, even for someone who claims to be so 'weary' :eyes:

[librechik]

11. Can't explain--without incriminating myself

sorry--you're going to have to make me talk. And I will fight all efforts to get me to tell the truth, right down to the last breath of my expensive law team.

[Warpy]

12. I think we can safely assume he hasn't applied for that War Czar

position.

Uh, Paul, there's a reason you were being used as a punching bag.

[Rex]

13. Aww, did you think people were using you as a punching bag?

I thought it was more like a shit-house or a prostitute's bed. Like a used condom or a disposable diaper.

And Iraq, you can go there infinitely and still don't know jack shit about the country. I do and never will I step foot there