Robert Parry: Pity the Poor Neocons

[laststeamtrain]

Pity the Poor Neocons

By Robert Parry
January 2, 2009

As bloody and grotesque as Israel’s pounding of Gaza has been, it marks a bitterly disappointing end for seven-plus years of neoconservative dominion over U.S. foreign policy, a period that was supposed to conclude with the dismantling of Israel’s Muslim enemies in the region.

<snip>

All the neocons have left now is to cheer the Israeli air force as it, in effect, shoots fish in a barrel, i.e. blasting away at selected Palestinian targets inside the crowded confines of Gaza, killing more than 400 people, including many children and other civilians, over the past week.

In 2001, especially after 9/11, the neocon dreams were so much more ambitious. The neocons planned to achieve “regime change” in all Middle Eastern countries that were perceived as threats to Israel and replace them with compliant, pro-Western leaders.

First on the list was Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, which was a center for Arab nationalism and an advocate for resisting Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Since Iraq was too strong – and too far from the effective reach of the Israeli military – U.S. forces would be needed to conquer Iraq.

After that, Iraq was supposed to become the staging area for projecting American power across the region, with the governments of Iran and Syria the next targets.

A favorite neocon joke in 2003 was whether after capturing Baghdad, U.S. forces should go east or west, to either Damascus or Tehran, with the punch line: “Real men go to Tehran.” Of course, unlike American soldiers, the neocons weren’t really going anywhere, except to the next AEI conference or a Georgetown cocktail party.

<more>

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2009/010209.html#When:02:45PM

[seemslikeadream]

1. snap

[lib2DaBone]

2. K&R Excellant Article. There has to be a special place in Hell for the Bushies.

[calimary]

6. I love this one! There really should be a special place in Hell for them, from prescott on down.

MANY reasons why he deserves it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8048041

And make sure you see this one, too (Add Up the Damage - by Bob Herbert of the NYTimes):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/opinion/30herbert.html?_r=2

It's EXTREMELY important that we promote and spread all these truths about george w. bush. We're up against a stubborn, willfully stupid, narrow-minded, short-sighted, selfish, arrogant, and deeply deceitful army of apologists and spinners and excuse-makers for him, trying to rehabilitate his "legacy" with a truckload of turds (with or without the blossom). BTW - another reason they're so feverishly trying to rewrite history is because so many of their own names are attached to every debacle. If he goes down, they go down with him, and they know it. And heaven forbid they ever admit they were wrong, or that they allowed themselves to be sold a bill of goods, or were warned and ignored it - therefore were made into chumps for the whole world to see (and the proof is CERTAINLY in the pudding after eight years of this shit). Nobody wants to be caught - or to have to admit that they've been - worshipping a false god.

[ixion]

3. a fantastic summary of the events leading to the decline and fall of our Republic

in neocon hands. Very much worth the read.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Turbineguy]

5. Pity? Did I miss something?

Have they been sent to Turkish prisons on trumped up narcotics trafficking charges?