As a counterpart to the Downing Street Memo, further briefing papers from Britain demonstrate, as this article trumpets, that the U.S. lacked a postwar Iraq plan, and that Blair’s advisors predicted instability in the region. They also cast light on some of the strength (or lack thereof) of the pre-war intelligence regarding Iraq. Some key quotes culled by Think Progress … Read More
Boot-On-The-Ground Check-In Time
So what are our soldiers in Iraq saying? Is the bad guys, as Cheney said, “in its last throes?”? Do our fighting men and women (in their ever-decreasing numbers*) see the light at the end of the tunnel? Nope: "I know the party line. You know, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, five-star generals, four-star generals, President Bush, Donald … Read More
Another Gets Unplugged From The Matrix
Read the whole thing: Two years ago I was a neocon. I supported Bush’s war on Iraq and I called everyone who didn’t a liberal Kool-aid drinker. I voted for Bush in 2000 and I listened to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and just about any right-winger on the radio that I could get a four-word talking point from to use … Read More
Finally!
"When I go back (to Washington) on Monday, I am going to raise the issue,” he said of the memo, which has not been disputed by either the British or American governments. “I think it’s a stunning, unbelievably simple and understandable statement of the truth and a profoundly important document that raises stunning issues here at home. And it’s amazing … Read More
Worse Than Appeasement
Not long ago, the right-wing blogosphere was chastizing the left because (supposedly) we all wanted to “appease” Saddam. Of course, “appeasement” in our view meant inspections, fly-overs, sanctions and a whole host of other active efforts which—let’s be honest—are just the opposite of appeasement. Today’s LA Times has a piece by former NSC director Steve Andreasen which takes Bush to … Read More
War Snapshot
The insurgents are on the run, says the blind man. BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 28 – The surge of violence that has swept Iraq since its first elected government took office nearly a month ago continued Saturday, with at least 30 new deaths reported across the country, some of them in what appeared to be sectarian killings. The latest attacks raised … Read More
North Carolina Update
What a backwater state this can be sometimes. First, we had the Baptist preacher who kicked members of his parish out because they voted for Kerry (but, fortunately, there was a happy ending). And then we had another Baptist preacher who posted a sign in front of the church saying “The Koran should be flushed.” (Afghani deaths: Unknown). And then, … Read More
Juan Cole Lays It Out
Do yourself a favor and read it. These are the closing paragraphs, but the support for his argument preceeds it: Therefore, I conclude that the United States is stuck in Iraq for the medium term, and perhaps for the long term. The guerrilla war is likely to go on a decade to 15 years. Given the basic facts, of capable, … Read More
The McClellan Challenge
L’il Scotty McClellan throws down the gauntlet: “In terms of the intelligence, the – if anyone wants to know how the intelligence was used by the administration, all they have to do is go back and look at all the public comments over the course of the lead-up to the war in Iraq, and that’s all very public information. Everybody … Read More
Rupert Murdoch Endangers Soldiers
From the New York Times The United States military expressed anger and dismay today over the unauthorized release of photographs of a jailed Saddam Hussein in his underwear and performing menial activity. … “These photos were taken in clear violation of Department of Defense directives and possibly Geneva Convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals,” the military statement, … Read More
Iraq – A Sobering Assessment
Despite the pie-in-the-sky propagandistic high-fives of those in the non-reality-based community, it seems that things in Iraq aren’t going that well: In interviews and briefings this week, some of the generals pulled back from recent suggestions, some by the same officers, that positive trends in Iraq could allow a major drawdown in the 138,000 American troops late this year or … Read More
Hiding From The Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Trall
Uses for a towel: “wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Trall (a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you–daft as a brush, but very very ravenous).”—from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Apparently, HGTG is a book read by … Read More
Conyer’s Letter
Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) has just issued a sharply worded letter to White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan over the Administration’s response to a Newsweek article. Full text below the fold.
Oil-For-Food Kickback Scheme and U.S. Fingerprints
I think I know why the White House is screaming about Newsweek. It’s diversionary. They knew another story was about to break, and break it has: The United States administration turned a blind eye to extensive sanctions-busting in the prewar sale of Iraqi oil, according to a new Senate investigation. A report released last night by Democratic staff on a … Read More
The Downing Street Memo
Since the press isn’t going to report it, it is a good thing that bloggers are doing the analysis. Here’s a nice summary table from downingstreetmemo.com: Facts of the Memo:July 23, 2002 Words of theBush Administrationleading up to War in Iraq “There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, … Read More