The Iraq War is Finally Over. And It Marks a Complete Neocon Defeat

[Better Believe It]

The Iraq War is Finally Over. And It Marks a Complete Neocon Defeat
Thanks to the toppling of Saddam Hussein, Iran's greatest enemy, Tehran's influence in Iraq is stronger than America's
by Jonathan Steele
October 23, 2011

The president put a brave face on it, claiming he was fulfilling an election promise to end the war, though he had actually been supporting the Pentagon's effort to make a deal with Iraq's prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to keep US bases and several thousand troops there indefinitely.

The talks broke down because Moqtada al-Sadr's members of parliament and other Iraqi nationalists insisted that US troops be subject to Iraqi law. In every country where they are based the US insists on legal immunity and refuses to let troops be tried by foreigners. In Iraq the issue is especially sensitive after numerous US murders of civilians and the Abu Ghraib scandal in which Iraqi prisoners were sexually humiliated. In almost every case where US courts tried US troops, soldiers were acquitted or received relatively brief prison sentences.

The final troop withdrawal marks a complete defeat for Bush's Iraq project. The neocons' grand plan to use the 2003 invasion to turn the country into a secure pro-western democracy and a garrison for US bases that could put pressure on Syria and Iran lies in tatters.

Their hopes of making Iraq a democratic model for the Middle East have been tipped on their head. The instability and bloodshed which the US unleashed in Iraq were the example that Arabs sought to avoid, not emulate. This year's autonomous surge for democracy in Egypt and Tunisia has done far more to galvanize the region and undermine its dictatorships than anything the US did in Iraq. And when the Arab spring dawned, the Iraqi government found itself on the defensive as demonstrators took to the streets of Baghdad and Basra to protest against Maliki's authoritarianism and his government's US-supported clampdown on trade union activity. Maliki hosted two Syrian government delegations this summer and has refused to criticize Bashar al-Assad's shooting of protesters.

Read the full article at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/oct/23/us-withdrawal-iraq-defeat-bush-neocons

[sibelian]

1. I think Halliburton did rather well, actually...

although the whole mess seems to have left the Republican part in tatters.

[rhett o rick]

2. The military industrial complex are the big winners. Also, the fascists got a lot of horrible

legislation passed thanks to Little Bush's War.

[sibelian]

5. ... agree, and with other benefits

namely, a carefully boxed off left wing. Alhtough it looks like that is beginning to change.

[sad sally]

3. The "instability and bloodshed which the US unleashed in Iraq"

won't end any time soon; US arms manufacturers will see to that.

Iraq – Howitzer Ammunition

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2011 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Oct 5 of a
possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Iraq for various explosive projectiles and charges, as well
as associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $82 million.

The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 44,608 M107 155mm High Explosive Projectiles and
9,328 M485A2 155mm Illumination projectiles; also included are, M231 Propelling charges, M232A1 155mm
Modular Artillery Charge System Propelling charges, M739 Fuzes, M762A1 Electronic Time Fuzes, M82
Percussion primers, M767A1 Electronic Time Fuzes, 20-foot Intermodal Containers for transporting
ammunition, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, logistics, and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support.
The estimated cost is $82 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to
improve the security of a friendly country. This proposed sale directly supports the Iraq government and serves
the interests of the Iraqi people and the U.S.

The proposed sale will help Iraq’s efforts to develop an integrated ground defense capability, a strong national
defense, and dedicated military force. As the drawdown of coalition forces continues, the Iraqi military
continues to develop a force capable of assuming the lead in providing for the security of the Iraqi people.

http://www.dsca.osd.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2011/Iraq_11-35.pdf?du

[Bigmack]

4. The neocons can't lose....

They just say how wonderful things could have been if we had followed their plan. Only a few of us know their plan, so they are safe in simply saying they were right, and Obama fucked it up.

"Obama LOST Iraq"

pretty soon...

"Obama LOST Afghanistan"

[RC]

8. Bu$h the lesser lost Iraq when he cut off the head of the government and

disbanded the Republican Guard.

Obama's mistake was not working to getting out as a first priority.

[FarCenter]

6. Its a neocon setback, but defeat would be the removal of the Jordanian Monarchy

At World Economic Forum, Arab Spring looms large
October 23, 2011 09:37
DEAD SEA, Jordan — There is a frisson of crisis in the air here as a thousand people from more than 50 countries meet to discuss the economic realities of the Arab Spring, under the auspices of the World Economic Forum.

Sleek sheikhs, bespoke-suited businessmen, a few women, diplomats, government ministers and a couple of kings have come to the lowest place on earth to take part in the Forum’s “Special Meeting on Economic Growth and Job Creation in the Arab World.”

King Abdullah II of Jordan is the official host, and he welcomed his fellow monarch, King Juan Carlos of Spain.

It seemed fitting that the latter would be here, given that the Arabs ruled Spain until they were expelled in 1492, and the influence of these Andalusian refugees can be seen in the culture and architecture of North Africa to this day.

The twin deaths of Col. Muammar Gaddafi and Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, hang over these discussions: the one welcomed, the other regretted, adding to the uncertainties of these tumultuous times.

...

So despite all the joy over the death of Gaddafi, there is fear here, fear that the expectations of youths cannot be adequately fulfilled. Fear that, now that the tyrants have gone, the governments that follow will not be able to survive in a sea of troubles.

Could the Arab Spring turn into a World Spring, one delegate wanted to know? Is a new depression going to cause uprisings everywhere?

“It could all go quite well,” said another delegate of the Arab Spring, “or it could all go horribly wrong.”

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/opinion/columnists/111022/at-world-economic-forum-arab-spring-looms-large

[MrTriumph]

7. Wait a minute. Just how much will we be paying mercenaries to stay?

x

[FarCenter]

9. As of March '10, there were about 95.5 K DoD contractors in Iraq

Of these, only 11.6 K were private security contractors.

25% of the total contractors were US Citizens. Very few of the private security contractors were US citizens.

Contractors in Iraq lost immunity at the end of '08.

I'd bet that the numbers will be a lot smaller in March '12.

[sad sally]

10. From this report, looks like those mercenaries might have their hands full.

Baghdad (NINA) – Muqtada Al Sadr, leader of the Sadr Trend, considered all US embassy employees in Baghdad as “occupiers”, stressing that resisting them after 2011 is an obligation.

In response to a query of one of his followers about the increase of the embassy employees' number from 5000 to 15000 after the expiry of SOFA, Muqtada said “they are all occupiers and resisting them after the end of the agreement is an obligation.” /End/

http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FIJFLG?du

[customerserviceguy]

12. Yep, the jig is up

and the contractors are going to have to start bugging out, too. It was a profitable experience for their bosses, though.

[customerserviceguy]

11. The only problem is

when it all goes to hell in a handbasket next year, it won't be blamed on Bush. If President Obama had ordered a quick withdrawl on January 21, 2009, he probably wouldn't get the blame for the shitstorm that would have (and will have) happened anyway. But, we stayed longer, spent more money on toys that the various Iraqi factions will use against each other, and lost more lives on this Vietnam, part II.

[hulka38]

13. and yet the neocons are beating the drum on Iran ever louder.

It seems to me that they have hardly been discredited and remain as bold as ever after the Iraq debacle. I blame the Democratic Party establishment for co-opting and legitimizing much of the neocon agenda instead of exposing it for its lies and destruction.