Clipmarks | Iraq Clips

Now The Surge Is Succeeding?

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:13:43 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: .......continued... But the National Intelligence Estimate of Jan 2007 said this:

Coalition capabilities, including force levels, resources, and operations, remain an essential stabilizing element in Iraq. If Coalition forces were withdrawn rapidly during the term of this Estimate, we judge that this almost certainly would lead to a significant increase in the scale and scope of sectarian conflict in Iraq, intensify Sunni resistance to the Iraqi Government, and have adverse consequences for national reconciliation.

OK, so Obama opposed a surge that succeeded and advocated a policy that the NIE said at the time would lead to a disaster in Iraq.

As to whether anyone could have predicted that the surge would be effective - well, Bush did introduce it this way in his January 2007 speech:

President's Address to the Nation

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070110-7.html

Clip Source: justoneminute.typepad.com

As recently as July, the Democratic presidential candidate declined to rate the surge a success, but said it had helped reduce violence in the country. On Thursday, Obama acknowledged the 2007 increase in U.S. troops has benefited the Iraqi people.

Here is an old post with links to the vast Obamafuscations last July when Obama struggled to pretend that (a) the surge was not successful and (b) he had always said the surge would succeed as it had. John Dickerson raised an excellent question about Obama's judgment:

If Obama was wrong about the tactical gains that would be made by the new strategy and wrong about how the Iraqi political leaders would react, can his larger theory about how Iraqis will respond to a troop pullout remain intact? Perhaps, but he has the burden of explanation.

Right - Obama will be in a big hurry to tackle that hypothetical "what if?" puzzle - how might Iraq have developed if his "surrender now" policy had been adopted in the winter of 2007? Who can tell?

Tags: obama concedes, surge successful

Wrong Woman; Wrong Message

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:46:12 GMT

clipped by: debbyski
clipper's remarks: Her down-home, divisive and deceptive speech did nothing to cosmeticize a Republican convention that has more than twice as many male delegates as female, a presidential candidate who is owned and operated by the right wing and a platform that opposes pretty much everything Clinton's candidacy stood for -- and that Barack Obama's still does. I get no pleasure from imagining her in the spotlight on national and foreign policy issues about which she has zero background, with one month to learn to compete with Sen. Joe Biden's 37 years' experience. When asked last month about the vice presidency, she said, "I still can't answer that question until someone answers for me: What is it exactly that the VP does every day?" When asked about Iraq, she said, "I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq."

Clip Source: www.latimes.com

Here's the good news: Women have become so politically powerful that even the anti-feminist right wing -- the folks with a headlock on the Republican Party -- are trying to appease the gender gap with a first-ever female vice president. We owe this to women -- and to many men too -- who have picketed, gone on hunger strikes or confronted violence at the polls so women can vote.

But here is even better news: It won't work. This isn't the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women want and need. Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie.

To vote in protest for McCain/Palin would be like saying, "Somebody stole my shoes, so I'll amputate my legs."

Palin Invokes God to Justify Iraq, Pipelines.

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:07:15 GMT

clipped by: papananook
clipper's remarks: What a....Repukelican. ..no I won't say what I really think. There are women here I respect too much...But not Sarah, or Cindy McCain or Laura Bush--any woman who can cleave to men like that doesn't deserve MY respect.

Clip Source: voices.washingtonpost.com

a $30 billion dollar project that's going to create a lot of jobs for people in Alaska, and we're going to have a lot of energy flowing through here -- and pray about that also -- I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she told them, "but I can do my job there, in developing our natural resources, and doing things like getting the roads paved, and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms, their guns, and making sure our public schools are funded. But really, all that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God."

Switching to the war in Iraq, Palin told the group of students that they should not only pray for men and women in the military but to make sure the leaders of this country are sending U.S. soldiers "out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

Classic USA Movies About Political Elections

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:40:49 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: 'The Best Man' 1964 scandal driven political maneuverings behind the nomination of a presidential candidate, characters based on Harry Truman -- Adlai Stevenson - Richard Nixon)

‘The Candidate’ 1972 how the political machine corrupts, and thecharade image making of politics.

Sentimental - ‘The Last Hurrah’ 1958

‘All the King’s Men’ - 1946 about the most amazing, most radical politician most Americans never heard about.

‘Wag the Dog,’
A spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war

‘The War Room’ 1994 Documentary of the Clinto campaign

‘Primary Colors’ - 1998 - silver tongue talker Clinton-like character

‘Bulworth’ > black humor & impending death leads to blunt talk

Last but not least, 1939 - ‘Mr. Smith goes to Washington,’ called one of the hundred best USA movies of all time, about as real as Santa Claus, but everybody loves the dramatic filibuster at the end. We can’t have an election until we see it.

Clip> about amazing propaga

Clip Source: video.google.com

Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq war

The War on Iraq, filmmaker Robert Greenwald chronicles the Bush Administration's determined quest to invade Iraq following the events of Sep...all »

[Video]

Tags: usa_elections, political_movies

Iraq War Veteran Tossed Out of RNC for Disagreeing

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:50:54 GMT

clipped by: sahara

Clip Source: img179.imageshack.us

Clip Source: www.prospect.org

INTERVIEW WITH MCCAIN HECKLER ADAM KOKESH.

Kokesh, a passionate Ron Paul supporter, is 26 and a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. He served in Fallujah in 2004, grew up in Santa Fe, and currently lives in Washington, D.C. He has a website.

At the beginning of McCain's speech, Kokesh held up a sign reading, "McCain Votes Against Vets" and yelled, "Ask him why he votes against vets!" I followed as Kokesh was escorted out of the Excel Center by security, handcuffed by local police, and then briefly questioned while security debated whether or not the Secret Service would get involved. They did not. He was then escorted off the premises and allowed to go free. I interviewed him just outside the security gates, where he was greeted happily by antiwar protesters.

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

Adam Kokesh's speech (Revolution March)

[Video]

Tags: liberty, war

US Military Deaths, Just a Number

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:54:48 GMT

clipped by: Imnclady
clipper's remarks: Only, declined, the casualties first suffered, since, the latest, at least 4,153, since....2003

These words used in the article seem to detach themselves from the fact that "our " brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands, and friends are being killed in a war with Iraq.

It makes me think that people may be viewing this as just " war " and maybe compared to " the Vietnam War " and not as " the war on terrorism " or " the fight for freedom."

Maybe " that " is why people protest this war, not against the soldiers that are led there, but " the Politics behind it ".

I may be wrong and you may not care what I think, but I hope " I still have the freedom ", to say it.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

2 US soldiers killed in Baghdad roadside bomb

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed two American soldiers patrolling eastern Baghdad on Thursday, the U.S. military said, announcing the first combat deaths in the capital in a week.

With security vastly improved in Baghdad since the U.S. troop buildup last year, the number of American soldiers killed on the streets of the Iraqi capital has declined sharply.

The casualties were the first suffered by the American military in the capital since Aug. 28 when a soldier was killed in a roadside bombing. Another soldier died Tuesday in Baghdad of non-hostile causes, the military said.

The latest deaths brought to at least 4,153 the number of U.S. military members who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Tags: iraq, deaths, military, usa, american, war on terror, news, reference

Running Against Themselves

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:37:39 GMT

clipped by: debbyski
clipper's remarks: "Mr. McCain says he is the candidate who will better protect the country from terrorism. But about all he has to offer is his pledge to continue the war in Iraq. We have yet to hear an explanation for how he plans to do that while also salvaging the war in Afghanistan — the real front line in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban."

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Three days into the Republican National Convention, it is clear that the G.O.P. has settled on a message: “Washington is not working.” The phrase is included in virtually every speech and every statement in St Paul.

We agree completely that Washington is in desperate need of renewal and reform. We’re not even going to quibble about the fact that Barack Obama said it first. The problem is that American voters have yet to hear — from John McCain or his warm-up acts — any serious ideas on what, exactly, is wrong with Washington, apart from the fact that a Democrat might win the White House, never mind how to truly fix it.

As hard as he tries, Mr. McCain cannot escape the burdensome shadow of President Bush because his policies offer no real change

Mr. McCain also has yet to explain to voters how he intends to go on paying for the war in Iraq — and also fix a dangerously stretched and overburdened military.

McCain v Obama; Iraq Policy

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:53:55 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: I can see if Obama were to become president, he would quite likely acquiesce to Iraq's original demands of a full withdrawal by 2010. But if McCain were to be elected, I don't see how he would convince the Iraqi government to allow us to stay beyond 2011.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: Chris LeJeune

Wed Sep 03, 2008

From the outset, the policies of Obama and McCain regarding Iraq could not have been further apart. Obama wished to withdraw troops over a 16 month timeline, while McCain was promoting a permanent occupation. Since then, certain agreements between the Iraqi government and our own have changed matters in such a way that McCain's policy is no longer feasible. Permanent bases in Iraq are not going to happen. The Iraqi government supported Obama's withdrawal timeline, initially requesting that all of our troops be removed by 2010. The Bush administration pushed for a stay until 2015, and so they compromised. Under the current draft agreement, combat troops are to be withdrawn by the end of 2010, and all troops are to be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of 2011

So, this poses a number of questions. Now that there will be no 100 year stay and no permanent bases, how is McCain's Iraq policy any different from what Obama has been proposing all along?

Tags: the, body, politics

Palin's speech - the meat or lack thereof

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:39:14 GMT

clipped by: lp97702
clipper's remarks: this puts another light on it...

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Watching the speech as if Sen. Biden, I could see his eyes gleaming every time Sarah Palin said we were "so close to victory in Iraq" and that Democrats want to "cave." In their debate, he will skewer her on this. Even the White House is now for setting time tables to withdraw. Iraq itself wants us out in 16 months - which John McCain has said we must do, because Iraq is a sovereign nation. When she blasted Mr. Obama about wanting to negotiate without preconditions - Joe Biden will detail not only American history in negotiating, but also note that the Bush Administration has now met with Iran without pre-conditions. Time and again, she opened the door even wider with ghastly foreign and domestic platitudes that will fall apart in the face of an expert responding. And Joe Biden will respond every time.

Tags: palin, biden

From Iraq

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:36:33 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman
clipper's remarks: photos

Clip Source: www.boston.com

Is the McCain-Palin Campaign Violating Operational Security?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:42:13 GMT

clipped by: cptenaud
clipper's remarks: And while not illegal, if she really did believe that's when he's deploying to Iraq, then she didn't know enough to keep quiet about that to keep from violating OPSEC - something a potential Commander in Chief should know.

But, more disturbing, and definitely in violation of security, are an explosion of stories that say specifically where in Iraq Track is deploying to, which have been dutifully eaten up by right wing websites, and reprinted. I will not reprint it here, because I would only be compounding the issue. But, unfortunately, it is very easy to find on the web at this point.

It is simply impossible that any reporter could figure this out on their own. Just by knowing Track's name and the date he is heading to Kuwait, one could not figure out specifically where Track and his company would be going in Iraq. There's a reason it's impossible to figure that out - because the military doesn't want that information out there.

Clip Source: www.vetvoice.com

by: Jon Soltz

Wed Sep 03

When Sarah Palin was announced as John McCain's Vice Presidential pick, I found it a little disturbing that she told the public that her oldest son, Track, would be deploying to Iraq on September 11. Generally, disclosing the date of deployment is against Operational Security (OPSEC) and illegal.

[Video]

Calling around to a couple of Public Affairs Officers (PAO) who would be handling the flow of information about Track and his unit, VoteVets.org found out that, first, Track is not deploying on September 11. He may be part of a deployment ceremony that day, before going to Kuwait, though one Public Affairs Officer said that any details of the upcoming ceremony hadn't been made public yet by the military.

Governor Palin may have spilled the beans on that one, while showing she doesn't know the difference between a soldier deploying to Iraq vs. one preparing to deploy to Iraq.

Tags: gaffe, or, eresponsability

Mrs. Palin's life will never be the same

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:46:06 GMT

clipped by: klippety
clipper's remarks: If they can dish it out, will they be able to take it? An endless array of not so funny, funny episodes.

Clip Source: www.truthdig.com

More Nuggets From the Palin Gold Mine

While the webloids are busy looking into the drinking habits of young Bristol Palin, The Huffington Post has a disturbing report on Ma Palin’s right-wing church: “Pastor Kalnins has also preached that critics of President Bush will be banished to hell; questioned whether people who voted for Sen. John Kerry in 2004 would be accepted to heaven; charged that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and war in Iraq were part of a war ‘contending for your faith;’ and said that Jesus ‘operated from that position of war mode.’ ”

John McCain’s VP choice addressed the church in June, leading a prayer on such subjects as the Iraq war and oil pipelines.

critics of President Bush will be banished to hell;

charged that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and war in Iraq were part of a war “contending for your faith;” and said that Jesus “operated from that position of war mode.”

Putting Country First...Sarah Palin..?

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:46:54 GMT

clipped by: TJColatrella
clipper's remarks: Posted by me at the NY Times..in response to Tom Friedman..

Clip Source: community.nytimes.com

We saw this with the Bush administration repeatedly that ideologues were placed in high positions due their ideological purity and zealotry over those with appropriate experience and competence..

This was a big factor in our early long term failures in Iraq and Katrina, FEMA, The FDA, The Justice Dept. as well so many other bureaus and agencies..

Palin was selected and appears to be inflicted upon America soon due to her gender and ideological zealotry..alone..!

So this is just more of the same, as we experienced with Bush these many years to disastrous results, and now McCain sees fit to repeat this tendency, to reward and promote beyond their abilities those who are ideologically pure, zealots and sycophants..

How is this in any manner putting, Country First..?

— TJ Colatrella, Boiceville NY

Tags: sarah palin, john mccain, republicans, bush, iraq, katrina, fema, fda, justice dept., vice president

Palin's Church May Have Shaped Controlversial Worldview

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:04:21 GMT

clipped by: zizzy
clipper's remarks: Go to the article to watch the video of Palin's speech. I wanted to watch the recorded sermons of Palin's Assembly of God pastor, Ed Kalnins at http://www.wasillaag.net. The server was overloaded.

Audio and Video Archive
Due to the high volume of simultaneous requests our server has temporally reached it's capacity. Please try again later.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God," she exhorted the congregants. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

Religion, however, was not strictly a thread in Palin's foreign policy. It was part of her energy proposals as well. Just prior to discussing Iraq, Alaska's governor asked the audience to pray for another matter -- a $30 billion national gas pipeline project that she wanted built in the state. "I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that," she said.

what is Palin's faith and how exactly has it influenced her policies?

Palin believes the Iraq war is a "task that is from God"

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:12:40 GMT

clipped by: bbittner
clipper's remarks: Now I'm scared.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Speaking before the Pentecostal church, Palin painted the current war in Iraq as a messianic affair in which the United States could act out the will of the Lord.