15 Comments so far

1. PJD March 20th, 2007 4:45 pm

   “I am an anti-imperialist. I oppose putting the eagle’s talons on any other land”

   - Matk Twain

2. Gail March 20th, 2007 4:52 pm

   “One would think that we would be more clever than that in camouflaging our occupation. Are we to believe that Iraqis will not take notice of this massive complex in the heart of Baghdad?”

   Well, no, the majority in this country are very aware that the Iraqis will, or have already taken notice. But that won’t stop egotistical morons and Wall Street control freaks who insist on counting their eggs before they hatch. These are the same people who believe that shipping your job to China or India is in the interest of America, or as I would call it, American greed.

   They’re counting on the help of our Congressional leaders (after delivering $$$ major campaign contributions) to burden the middle class taxpayers with the expenses in Iraq while the top 1 percent in this country benefit from the “Iraq war and oil profits” in addition to U.S. tax giveaways. Nice plan, wasn’t it?

   But this is not the time to beat-yourself-up for putting these low-lifes back into office; it’s time to thank yourself for seeing the light and making the necessary changes to get our country back on the moral, ethical and humane road. The road that will bring this country back to its roots.

3. Lobo Gris March 20th, 2007 5:37 pm

   Gail March 20th, 2007 4:52 pm

   “But this is not the time to beat-yourself-up for putting these low-lifes back into office; it’s time to thank yourself for seeing the light and making the necessary changes to get our country back on the moral, ethical and humane road. The road that will bring this country back to its roots.”

   Uhm, not so sure that “we” put them back in office. From the article about blowback in Ohio it looks like they put themselves back in office.

   Lobo Gris

4. fpal March 20th, 2007 8:33 pm

   I remember Colin Powell warning Americans by saying something to the effect of … if you break Iraq you will own the country.

   Perhaps that wasn’t taken by Bush as a warning but as a strategy. Such blatant actions will not stand as Adil predicts in his first paragraph.

5. expatincebu March 20th, 2007 8:40 pm

   Every empire ultimately fails by bankrupting itself on military spending required to maintain the empire.

   Does anyone seriously think the U.S. is any different? Here we have the largest economy in the world that runs on huge government, consumer, and trade debt; that produces literally almost nothing but paperwork. How long can this economy operate?

6. Lobo Gris March 21st, 2007 4:00 am

   #
   expatincebu March 20th, 2007 8:40 pm

   “Every empire ultimately fails by bankrupting itself on military spending required to maintain the empire.

   Does anyone seriously think the U.S. is any different? Here we have the largest economy in the world that runs on huge government, consumer, and trade debt; that produces literally almost nothing but paperwork. How long can this economy operate?”

   The short answer is not long.

   Lobo Gris

7. Essie March 21st, 2007 4:20 am

   One of the biggest mistakes America made was to bomb and destroy Iraq’s infrastructures such as water supply/treatment facilities, electrical power plants, cable plants and telephone network etc. The bombing of these vital facilities destroys the normal everyday life of the population, and it would be difficult and time consuming to rebuild and bring back life to normal, which is what the U.S. is now trying to do by surge. Another big mistake was to disband the army as well as de-baathification. All the U.S. had to do was to get rid of Saddam & Sons, set up another Saddam from among the existing generals, conclude the oil deals, and hightail it fast in less than six months. The building of military babes could come quietly at a later date upon the request of the puppet government. I am giving this free advice in my new capacity as six-star General Essie to the next emperor of the United States for their future endeavors.

8. Chuck Cliff March 21st, 2007 5:53 am

   Good article by Adil and a real nice comment thread here.

   “…if you break it, you buy it” a warning which became a policy — good shot, fpal!

   Gee, General Essie, I’m just a PCSC (private citizen second class — I’m not rich!)

   Lobo, I know it is accepted wisdom that we are going to bankrupt oursleves, but what is almost always forgotten is that ever since we went off the gold standard, we have been on the plutonium standard

9. Poet March 21st, 2007 10:08 am

   As a long time investigator responsible for interviewing thousands of witnesses and perpetrators I learned that whenever there is a disparity between what is said and what is done (or being done)that actions speak louder and truer than words. This goes for everything from body language to paper (or cyber) trails.

   What turned from politically apathetic to militant was watching both Bush and Cheney’s behavior and words since 09/11/01.

   It was the same feeling I had as a high school student watching LBJ land at Andrews AFB and announce to the world that he needed everyone’s prayers and that “we may never know in this life time why what happened in Dallas earlier that day did”.

   I instantly thought “this guy is lying through his teeth” and a similar feeling filed my gut watching the Watergate hearings and listening to Richard Nixon’s protestations of innocence. But LBJ and Nixon combined had absolutly nothing on the pair of Cheney and Bush.

   I hope the Iraqis burn that poobah playpen of an embassy compound to the ground once it is completed. Ditto for the “permanent bases” being foisted off on their homeland. Shame on U.S. for letting such things go on in our name!

10. Lobo Gris March 21st, 2007 10:16 am

    Chuck Cliff March 21st, 2007 5:53 am

    “Lobo, I know it is accepted wisdom that we are going to bankrupt oursleves, but what is almost always forgotten is that ever since we went off the gold standard, we have been on the plutonium standard”

    True enough. If we do go bankrupt first then we may well not have the money to maintain all those nukes. Or like the North Koreans our “dear leader” may let us all starve in an effort maintain the status and power of having a nuclear arsenal.

    Lobo Gris

11. Poet March 21st, 2007 10:16 am

    Whenever a persons actions contradict their words, the actions speak the truth in the matter.

    As someone who knew at the instant it was uttered that LBJ’s declaration that “we may never know why what happened in Dallas earlier that day ocurred in our life times., was a lie and that richard nixon’s protestations that he was no crook was also a lie, I got the same feelikng in my gut with both Bush and Cheney since 09/11/01.

    I hope the Iraqis burn that poobah playpen of an embassy to the ground once it is built. Ditto for the 14 permanent bases being stuck in Iraq. Shame on those who have done and are doing such things in our name and shame on us for letting it go on. Impeach Cheney first, then Bush. Kucinich/Nader in 08.

12. MountainMike March 21st, 2007 11:13 am

    I US embassy being built in Iraq is only a part of the issue. We are also building 14 permanent military bases. This was part of 2005 DOD bill that was backed by a Republican controlled congress. Originally, a clause was put into the bill prohibiting funding of permanent military bases. After the bill was passed, the Republicans ILLEGALLY removed it. No one has ever been held accountable for this abuse of power.

    As a direct result, KBR, despite all of its track record for violating its contracts, overcharges, fraud, kickbacks and paying bribes to get contracts, has started to build these bases. After providinig our troops with contaminated water over a prolonged period of time, after serving our troops $50 Halliburton-burgers, they are right back again getting contracts from our corrupt to the core contracting process managed by Halliburton cronies.

    We need specific legislation passed to SHUT DOWN the Bush empire in Iraq, no huge embassy and no 14 huge military bases. Those responsible for taking out the section of the 2005 bill prohibiting permanent bases need to be held fully accountable for their abuse of power.

13. Rebel Farmer March 21st, 2007 11:14 am

    The true quote is “If you break it, you own it”. It’s an old sign that used to be posted in retail stores. I think it was Gen. Abisaid(sp) that said it a couple of years ago.

    I want to know how this embassy got funded. Did it come out of the war budget or was it separately funded somewhere else? Can Congress turn this monstrosity over to the Iraqi government for their offices?

14. Rebel Farmer March 21st, 2007 11:18 am

    Mountain Mike,
    I knew about the permanent bases but I didn’t realize there were so many of them! Who do we write in Congress to start an investigation?

    Raise hell!

15. bnvexucupopu December 12th, 2007 10:52 am

    titviruzipaxa…

    exhutecahesu…

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