Is the “Surge” really a success?
January 8, 2008 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
U.S. Military Spends Quarter Of A Billion Dollars On “Concerned Local Citizens”
Maybe MoveOn.org was right to publish the highly controversial “Betray-us” ad in the NY Times?
As it turns out, the ‘good’ General Petraeus has come up with the perfect scheme that would allow the illegal Iraq war and media lies that support the war to continue indefinitely. How the heck could he accomplish such a feat while minimizing casualties and keeping the anti-War sentiment at bay? Well, I can tell you that it has nothing to do with the “surge” success story that Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is feeding the world.
Indeed, the “surge” is just another GOP-sanctioned media blitz used to manage public outrage just like the manipulative phrases that preceded it. (e.g. “The Patriot Act”, “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, “Operation Enduring Freedom”, “the War on Terror”, “Support the Troops”) Without even trying, the Bush Administration and his legion of GOP buffoons has managed to take the media and play it like a fiddle. Most media outlets are content satisfying the masses with sensationalist propaganda and “analysis” that amounts to political talking points and big advertising bucks. There are few journalists that attempt to present objective information or fair analysis, bias has taken over the airwaves and the money that comes in as a result is enough to keep pundits giving us more of what we want ot hear.
I’m not going to sit around and shout for people to “wake up” because it’s cliche and idiotic to expect brainwashed people to suddenly snap out of their stupor. Instead I’ll provide you with facts and knowledge and you can spend time either resisting the truth or spreading it to loved ones and friends so that they can know what is going on in society.
Here’s an article from the NPR: “Military Officials Disagree on Impact of Surge“
· A year ago this week, violence in Iraq appeared to be spiraling out of control, prompting President Bush to come up with a new strategy. The idea was to create “breathing space” — to give Iraq’s leaders a chance to take hold of their country. To do this, the president ordered a “surge” of 30,000 additional troops to be sent to Iraq. One year later, supporters and even some detractors have hailed the surge as an unqualified success. Violence is down to levels not seen since 2004, and Iraqis are now back out on the streets.
The 250 million dollar lie courtesy of General Petraeus?
I still remember the controversy over the summer. President Bush kept demanding that Congress give him more time. All he needed was for September to roll around so that General Petraeus could brief us on whether the ’surge’ was working.
In fact, a plan was in progress to derail the violence that had reached an all-time high, not by ‘winning’ and overwhelming the enemy with force and troops, but by buying off the Iraqi Sunni Muslims with a $10 / day payment. The offer of money in exchange for ‘not killing our troops’ was made to well over 70,000 “former insurgents.”
The military knows that it could pay this sum indefinitely and under the current budget at least ten years of payments could be made to the tune of 250 million dollars a year.
It’s a controversial strategy, and Macgregor warns that it’s creating a parallel military force in Iraq that is made up almost entirely of Sunni Muslims.
“We need to understand that buying off your enemy is a good short-term solution to gain a respite from violence,” he says, “but it’s not a long-term solution to creating a legitimate political order inside a country that, quite frankly, is recovering from the worst sort of civil war.”
That civil war has subsided, for now. It’s diminished because of massive, internal migration, a movement of populations that has created de-facto ethnic cantons.
“Segregation works is effectively what the U.S. military is telling you,” Macgregor says. “We have facilitated, whether on purpose or inadvertently, the division of the country. We are capitalizing on that now, and we are creating new militias out of Sunni insurgents. We’re calling them concerned citizens and guardians. These people are not our friends, they do not like us, they do not want us in the country. Their goal is unchanged.”
Essentially, to put it simply… we found a way to short-circuit the civil war that we inadvertently sparked with our war of aggression. Next time you hear Fox News throw figures at you related to the relatively insignificant (rolls eyes) casualties of war, at least you’ll know why the death and wounded counts have dropped. It’s not to say that we aren’t hurting in Iraq, people still die.. it’s a fact of war. I’m glad that we’ve found a way to limit the amount of American deaths, but the fact is that over 1 million Iraqis are dead and that number may double or triple during our occupation.
As an American citizen, what troubles me the most is the incessant use of propaganda and lies by our government over an issue that is very high priority in the minds of the American people. The abuse of the media and Fox News controlling public opinion to the best of its ability is really frightening. Of course, those goons would just as soon write off these facts as ‘liberal’ propaganda and maybe even tag along a cute “tin foil / moonbat” attack, but the only way to fight the lies is to infect people with knowledge.
Buying Time Until the 2008 Election
Macgregor says that people are desperate for success.
“They want to believe that we have done something positive for the population of Iraq. That we are helping them to become something positive,” he says. “The thing that worries me most of all is what happens over the next 12 to 24 months in Iraq. Could we not have made matters worse in the long term? Are we not actually setting Iraq up for a worse civil war than the one we have already seen?”
Iraq can be seen as a conflict temporarily frozen.
The largest Shiite militia group has temporarily sworn-off attacking both the U.S. military and Sunni Muslims. Sunni groups are, for the time being, allying themselves with the United States for a fee. And in the north, Kurdish militants are focused on Turkey rather than Iraq. It is a waiting game.
And still, quietly, each group builds its own armory, preparing for the inevitability of fighting another day.
Remember when this was all about capturing Saddam Hussein? It then turned into a mission to “free the Iraqis” and “spread Democracy”. That of course failed due to the dysfunctional government that we helped raise and now it’s about Al Qaida and national security. There seems to be an endless supply of rhetoric that our officials have latched onto, it’s sad that this “surge” word has become so popular with the war faction of the right. These cute words are infectious and coupled with the anti-liberal mud, work quite well together to promote their agenda.
Please do your part to spread the word about the evil that has overtaken our government and the extent to which they’d go to hide the reality of what’s happening over-seas. Meanwhile, I can assure you that the “enemy” within is spending plenty of money and devising ways to keep us at war and continuing to do the bidding of our latest high-profit operations in the middle east.
WMDs and believing our own lies
January 6, 2008 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Propaganda
Yeah, it matters when they had WMDs. This clip is a bit older, but the issue still remains. I think it’s interesting when asked about WMDs that some pro-war people try to raise the issue of the Kurds and biochemical weapons. You can’t cherry pick facts like that because guess what? We (the United States) installed Saddam Hussein into power, we provided him with money and weapons as well as other factions within the middle east. The bottom line is we made a mess in the middle east and now we’re trying to clean it up. A lot of the problems over in the middle east didn’t just ‘happen’ independently of American influence.
Here’s a word for you propagandists to research: Blowback
John McCain on the issues
January 6, 2008 | Filed Under Elections, News, War, government | Leave a Comment
The implication: he flips and flops like the next politician, can he be trusted?
Support the troops, bring them home
December 19, 2007 | Filed Under News, War, government | Leave a Comment
War is hard on everyone, not a single rational American believes that bringing the troops home is in any way a knock on the military. The propaganda machine often suggests that if we leave Iraq, we’re conceding defeat. If we bring the troops home, we’re “not supporting the troops”. The logic is unbelievably stupid and Americans have had enough of carrying out a political agenda that is unsound and irrational.
The bottom line is this: BRING THE TROOPS HOME, NOW.
Either Dennis Kucinich hates the troops, or…
December 13, 2007 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
Kucinich really loves the troops and loves our country
Below are statements that Dennis Kucinich made this week as the inevitable war funding debate continues to support President Bush’s war.
Is it moral to support a war based on lies?
“It is immoral for Congress to make a deal to keep this war going. It is immoral to keep a war going that is based on lies. And it is immoral to make a deal to claim legislative victories unrelated to the war while at the same time spending money to keep the war going,” Kucinich said.
“In politics, you can make a deal where one party gets its way and the other party gets its way and that’s okay when people don’t die,” Kucinich said.
“This war funding plan shows a distressing lack of concern about the situation of our troops. It shows a disregard for the Democrats’ promise to the American people to end the war.”
“We do not have to fund the war. We have the money to bring the troops home. It does not require a vote. It requires determination and truth.
“This is yet another example of leadership becoming increasingly unwilling to end this war,” Kucinich concluded.
Ron Paul sounds a lot like Ronald Reagan
December 6, 2007 | Filed Under Elections, News, War | Leave a Comment
You know, Republicans like to invoke the spirit of Ronald Reagan, but only one candidate sounds like the former President.
Ron Paul for President, 2008
Exploit the troops, it’s the “American” way
November 29, 2007 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
As I was perusing the Internet for the latest gems of American culture, I found an article that highlighted a member of the U.S. military who was offended by John McCain’s position at the debate. I’ve seen McCain say the same thing in the past, he’s been on the Daily Show before and uses the “troops don’t want to lose” argument. It’s pretty despicable, I know he served our country but he doesn’t speak for the troops. In fact, the troops are speaking with their wallets and giving all of their cash to the anti-War candidates, including Ron Paul, Barack Obama and the rest of the Democrats. So next time John McCain wants to exploit the soldiers the way President Bush does, he might think twice before letting loose his “support the troops” bombs.
Below are some select i-reporter answers from the post-CNN debate by relevant parties:
anon from WA says the don’t ask, don’t tell policy is no good, the morale argument is a cop out
I am a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. I served as a platoon leader, and am now working at the battalion level and am about to make the rank of captain. I ask that you not use my name because I am active duty. In response to the candidates’ remarks on gays in the military, not a single one will get my vote. Sen. McCain said he has talked to the leaders in the Army, the generals.
These are not the people to talk to on this issue; the people to talk to are the lieutenants, the captains and the sergeants. They are the ones who serve with these soldiers. They are the ones who see how these soldiers serve. Openly gay soldiers should not be discriminated against. They do not damage morale; they do not damage the ability of a unit to fight. Years ago, the ability of women to fight was questioned, yet now we are in a war where there is no battle line, everywhere is the front line. I’ve lost friends both on the FOB and outside, both men AND women.
Jeff Stevens of Peekskill, New York - United States Army offended by John McCain’s ‘troops want to win’ propaganda.
As a member of the U.S. Army, it greatly offends me to hear John McCain say things like “Our troops want to finish the job.” I have never in my few years as a young Soldier in both an active duty and reserve component heard anyone say such things. It is a soldier’s job to be neutral and fulfill the duties that the American people task us with. I think it is wrong to fool the American people into thinking that soldiers actually enjoy the brutal environment in Iraq and wish to stay there.
Stephen Farley of San Francisco, California referring to the man who wanted equal treatment for gays in the military.
The bravery of the brigadier general in the audience was the highlight of the evening.
Despite my annoyance with John McCain exploiting “the troops” ™, he did do one great service to America. He has taken a strong stance against torture, waterboarding and showed his disgust with the pussyfooting by various Republicans on whether or not waterboarding constitutes torture. Good for him, if not for that strong bit of character I’d have him in the Rudy Giuliani basket (aka loser). Below is another comment that is relevant to this matter.
Frank Richmond of Wichita, Kansas
I’m amazed to hear all these well-fed people who have never felt any pain talking about what is or isn’t torture. If you kicked in any of these candidates’ doors, dragged them out of bed naked, threw them in a cell for a few days, then tied them upside down to a board with a wet towel around their head and started hosing them down, they would think it was torture.They might think it’s necessary on occasion, but at least be man enough to call it what it is.
Being honest about difficult policy issues isn’t their forte, sorry to say. Over the last decade, it’s been all about how our politicians could exploit the troops for political gain then turn around and leave them to drown, pardon the pun. How many veterans are homeless, suffer from mental illness, have experienced divorce and broken families as a result of our military abuse? Bush isn’t the first president to exploit them, but he’s certainly been the most blatant with it and he’s been downright shameless.
Bush’s lies, War and American Imperialism
November 24, 2007 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
This shoot first and ask questions later philosophy has gotten us into a lot of trouble and if we don’t learn to practice restraint, we are going to be at war permanently. The fact is, we have more enemies now than we ever did pre-Bush. Our own allies seem to have a hard time stomaching “the arrogant Americans” and it’s really sad when we can’t rally our own allies / friendly nations to help us fight injustice in the world.
Below is an excerpt from a very interesting article about American imperialism. The article outlines the real reason that American tax dollars are so high.
As distinct from other peoples, most Americans do not recognize — or do not want to recognize — that the United States dominates the world through its military power. Due to government secrecy, our citizens are often ignorant of the fact that our garrisons encircle the planet. This vast network of American bases on every continent except Antarctica actually constitutes a new form of empire — an empire of bases with its own geography not likely to be taught in any high school geography class. Without grasping the dimensions of this globe-girdling Baseworld, one can’t begin to understand the size and nature of our imperial aspirations or the degree to which a new kind of militarism is undermining our constitutional order.
Our military deploys well over half a million soldiers, spies, technicians, teachers, dependents, and civilian contractors in other nations. To dominate the oceans and seas of the world, we are creating some thirteen naval task forces built around aircraft carriers whose names sum up our martial heritage — Kitty Hawk, Constellation, Enterprise, John F. Kennedy, Nimitz, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carl Vinson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, John C. Stennis, Harry S. Truman, and Ronald Reagan. We operate numerous secret bases outside our territory to monitor what the people of the world, including our own citizens, are saying, faxing, or e-mailing to one another.
You can catch more of the article here: “America’s Empire of Bases.”
Amusingly enough, I stumbled upon the article off of a headline that read, “ever wonder why your taxes are so high?” I guess I never really think of war in terms of how much it is going to cost the American tax payer. My motivation for wanting to shake up American foreign policy thinking has to do with justice, American soldier’s lives, and honest political efforts overseas. The way I see it, the American people have been lied to by their president. It wasn’t just any ole’ lie, and it certainly wasn’t something as personal and seemingly trivial (now) as infidelity in the White House.
No, the President has deceived Americans, he tricked us into supporting his war. It wasn’t all 9/11 and the media either. His administration cherry picked evidence (much of which was false intelligence) and wrapped it up in a beautiful package to deliver to Americans and the world. Now, we have this war that will cost trillions. If you are worried about taxes, it isn’t just going to lay on the current generation, our children and maybe their children will be paying for President Bush’s war. What’s more, and of course the most important issue, is our fathers, brothers, cousins, uncles –aunts and mothers even– are dying in Iraq.
If it were entirely about American security, that would be one thing, but nothing could be further from the truth. September 11th is the consequence of poorly functioning government, agencies, and a history of meddling in the affairs of the middle east. Muslim fundamentalists hate us, it’s true, but they don’t hate us because we are free. These radicals can’t stand America because they believe we have been killing their children, family members, that we’ve been hurting their cultural and political interests with our excessive and overreaching policies.
Do I blame America for 9/11? Hell NO, I am still angry at what has transpired, I am angry that our friends and family died at home, but two wrongs doesn’t make a right. Will diplomacy diffuse the increasing tension between Americans and people of the middle east? My guess is no, it may never happen, but if we don’t try diplomacy and stick by international law on rules of engagement, we are no different from the people we’ve learned to hate. How are we any less of terrorists if we are engaging in first strikes and “preemptive” measures? This is especially true when we have little evidence of wrongdoing on the part of our adversaries overseas.
An honest and thoughtful president would have been much wiser about how s/he’d approach war. As for President Bush, well lets just be glad that his time is almost up. May our next President be everything that America needs right now, and more.
Pulitzer prize journalist denied rights
November 21, 2007 | Filed Under War | Leave a Comment
AP Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Bilal Hussein, denied Constitutional rights
This is why so many Americans are frightened at the denial of Habeas Corpus to “enemy combatants”. The military, under the direction of overzealous leaders can abuse the power and deny an American his constitutional protected rights.
The Pentagon says additional evidence has come to light proving Bilal Hussein is a “terrorist media operative” who infiltrated the news agency. The case will be passed to Iraqi judges who will decide if he should be tried. AP says its own investigation has found no evidence that he was anything but an Iraqi journalist working in a war zone. The agency’s lawyers say they have been denied access to Mr Hussein and the evidence against him, making it impossible to build a defense.
This man, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist, has been under custody for providing shelter to random strangers. The Pentagon calls this a security threat and danger to our military and they’ve promised evidence of the threat. This kind of reminds me of the slam dunk evidence that President Bush had that sent us to war,.. and didn’t exist?
p.s. In case you’re an idiot, there was no slam dunk evidence, it was a lie.
Alberto Gonzales, executioner of Liberty
November 21, 2007 | Filed Under News, War, government, scandals | Leave a Comment
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was instrumental in helping President Bush send Americans off to get butchered in the middle east. He, like President Bush, is complicit in crimes that not only violate federal and international law, but do a number on the Constitution.
There is nothing about this administration that is good for America. We’ve lost so much of our essence to these murderers, and they sit around and smile. The smug look on their faces is enough to make any American gag. In the end, justice will prevail. Good WILL triumph over evil, it’s unfortunate that the rhetoric about good and evil is now best focused on our own country. Blood is on their hands and God will be the ultimate judge.
President Bush and Attorney Gonzales better come up with a better plan around the divine than “Weapons of Mass Destruction” and “God told me to invade Iraq” because lying won’t be an option.