Iraq Situation - PBS News Hour !!! - Did You Guys See This ???

[WillyT]

<snip>

MARGARET WARNER: What do these new figures say, Gen. Trainor, about the state of play, the balance between U.S. forces and the insurgency? I mean, we heard Secretary Rumsfeld say, 'well, it's a sign of the progress the U.S. is making and they're desperate.' Is it that, or is it a sign of rising instability?

LT. GEN. BERNARD TRAINOR: Well, I think, Margaret, that anybody that tries to put a good face on this situation-- that they're desperate-- I think that they're just whistling in the dark.

And...

COL. SAM GARDINER: There probably are a number of things, Margaret. One of them is we did some bad things. We made some enemies. The way we treated people in prison, knocking down doors. We insulted them as part of the hard line earlier. That's first. The second thing is there are people now in Iraq from outside. The Iranians are involved, people are coming in from Syria, so that the insurgency is being fueled from the outside.

I must say, I saw a picture from Baghdad yesterday in Sadr City of the young man with a rocket- propelled grenade. It was brand new. I've never seen that... them carrying brand-new, rocket- propelled grenades. There's something going on here other than that guy had that in his closet.

<snip>

Link to transcript plus audio: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec04/iraq_9-8.html

Great piece, and just more confirmation on why the Chimp Administration wants the news from Iraq off the front page.

:mad:

[henslee]

1. A US officer in the field on CNN echoed similar sentiments.... that

there is more insurgency than the first day we arrived.
kick.

[Career Prole]

2. "I think that they're just whistling in the dark."

'Tis what whistle-asses are known for.

[DrBB]

3. OT, but that "young republican" kicker

...in your sig line is reportedly the son of "Dr Laura," prize rightwing advice twit. With a doctorate in physiology, she knows what's best for your life!

[WillyT]

5. That's Ok, I've Retired It !!!

Kept it up per fellow DUers requests, but took it down per DU Moderator directive, LOL!!!

I was gettin tired of him anywho...

:shrug:

[grytpype]

4. Read the whole thing!

These two experts think we are fucked but good. "We're down to tactical defense."

And who do we have to thank for this situation?

Hit him hard on this, Kerry. Really hit him hard.

[WillyT]

10. Yeah Huh ???

That was one eye-opening piece!!!

:scared:

[lagniappe]

6. Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria are why Iraq will fail.

Even if you assume the Iraqi population wants a Democracy, Iraq does not exist in isolation.

I've always been amazed at the naive thinking of conservatives. They assume that Iraq will blossom into a thriving democracy which will have a domino effect throughout the region. Does anyone think that Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Syria want a Democracy next door. These countries will be meddling in Iraq for years to come. It's in their interests to have a chaotic Iraq.

[Ms. Clio]

8. No, it's in PNAC's interest to have a chaotic Middle East

Israel's, too.

[lagniappe]

12. The leaders of Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia are

cut from the same cloth as the PNAC's even if their goals are different. I am convinced that these brutal regimes do not want a Muslim democracy next door and will do anything to cause trouble.

There are some many competing agendas now that Iraq will be a lost cause for years.

[Ms. Clio]

14. Well, they don't have to worry, because "democracy"

was never the real goal in Iraq, anyway.

[lagniappe]

16. Democracy was the wrong word, but I am convinced that

Bush wants a stable Iraq that is deferential to American interests. A dictatorship would do fine so long as it is under Bush's thumb, and I don't think that Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia want a muslim country that is friendly to the U.S. next door.

Do you think that Bush and his cronies want an unstable Iraq? Why?

[Ms. Clio]

17. Well, Saddam was stable, and completely under control, if not deferential

So why did they invade Iraq? Just to install another of their CIA pets, Allawi? Or was it part of their longer range plans for the region?

I believe that the neocons and Israel think that keeping the entire region basically destabilized and off balance is in their interests--they don't want countries like Iran to become stronger, and they want to keep all the people of the region from working together against U.S. dominance--divide and conquer--it's an ancient strategy.

[Nordic]

18. what Bushco wanted was a carpetbagger's "capitalist utopia" in Iraq

Read the article in the new Harper's about it. It's really an eye-opener.

Their plan failed miserably, of course, like everything else they touch.

STOOOPIDST administration EVER

[Ms. Clio]

21. I started to read that article today, & didn't get the chance to finish it

So I didn't want to mention it--but what I did read was chilling--a carpetbagger's capitalist utopia is all too accurate.

I'm going out tomorrow to look for the mag--and I'm subscribing to Harper's right now!

[Nordic]

23. Cool. Every American should read that article before voting and

the article by Lewis Lapham on now in the last 30 years the right wing corporate elite has carefully and deliberately taken over the media. He gives a first-hand account of it and it's fascinating.

[TexasProgresive]

11. Iraq always was an artificial construct of the Brits.

It has never really had a national identity. Only a "strong man" ala Saddam can hold it together. I think the only solution left is partition and that won't be pretty.

[Ms. Clio]

7. More bullshit about Iranians and Syrians "fueling the insurgency"

Even when they tell part of the truth, they lie about the rest. It's freakin pathological.

[Nordic]

19. yeah, 24 million pissed off people aren't enough

Oh, no, it's not those people we "liberated", it's the boogeymen from outside, from those countries that we haven't in-fucking-VADED yet.

I agree, it's goddamn ridiculous.

[Ms. Clio]

22. It indicates a level of contempt--for the truth, for the Iraqis, and for

intelligent, informed Americans--that is simply staggering.

Unfortunately, as many of these threads demonstrate, some Americans are all too ready to buy into the lies all over again.

[Pax Argent]

9. The irony is thick here

"The second thing is there are people now in Iraq from outside. The Iranians are involved, people are coming in from Syria, so that the insurgency is being fueled from the outside."

Is it possible that the rest of the Middle East has seen the "wisdom" of the Bush Doctrine of "stopping them over there"? Did anyone but the nutbags in the WH NOT see this coming?

[Nordic]

20. yes, the insurgency is being fueled by AMERICAN BOMBS

If we get the fuck out, the insurgency will stop.

Pretty simple. Even my dog could figure that out.

"Hm, that cornered cat is scratching the shit out of my nose. Maybe i'd better back off".

[LisaL]

24. Well, somebody is paying

for those brand new rocket propelled grenade launchers.

[TacticalPeek]

13. One question.

How many this time?

[WillyT]

15. Exactly...

Great post.

[Tsiyu]

25. it's like Deja Vu

all over again