The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Iraq: America's Worst Kept Secret

    By Desider on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 3:54pm |

    Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, just clued us in on America's worst kept secret - that we might stay in Iraq past the end of 2011. If "the Iraqis say pretty pretty please with candy corns on top". 

    Well, I probably shouldn't say worst kept secret. Because as far as the media is concerned, the war ended in Iraq a year or 2 ago. Who cares if 47,000 troops comes with twice that number in contractors - it's down from 100,000+, so it must mean peace in our time.

    Put another way, if the Libyan rebels had 47,000 well-trained or even poorly-trained troops, they'd be kicking Qaddafi's ass. But, well, they don't.

    So we'll stay in Iraq another 5 years ensuring the not-quite-peace, not-quite war. Your tax dollars at work here.

    Comments

    "Only Blackwater knows for sure..."...if there's still a war in Iraq.

    How's that Malaki workin' out for 'em"

    http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141832&l=1   China was smarter, China was smarter...China was smarter...


    by we are stardust on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 4:26pm

    It really IS bizarre, when you realize just how few troops it would take to hit the beach in Libya and throw Gaddafi out. Granted, we'd still be left with all the issues of who the new government is, but there are days when you just wonder, what with Libya having a fraction of the military that Iraq had, and all of it strewn along the coast, and Gaddafi obviously a monster, what in the hell is our logic? I mean, yeah sure, great, we're gonna build up the moral fibre of the rebels by only providing them with a no fly zone. And a no travel zone. And CIA guidance on the ground. And weapons. And training. And the Generals to lead the rebellion. And mercenaries. And cash to buy off clan leaders. And...

    WHAT ARE WE DOING AGAIN?

    This shit just makes no sense to me anymore. 

    Oh wait. We were stopping a civilian slaughter. Sorry. Slipped my mind.

    Carry on.


    by quinn esq on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 5:23pm

    Well the neo cons, and the left at times warned that if you invade you own the goddamn place.

    We saw all the fun had by that old nemesis USSR in Afghanistan (can you think of any other country that as a consequitive fgh in it?) and they just could not get out of that hellhole.

    I dunno. I do not know why we are there or why we are there.

    I give up.

    I gave up on the NRA, i mean they won everything.

    I gave up on a number of silly repub plans that the dems never remove.

    I give up!


    by Richard Day on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 6:23pm

    It is only a secret to those Americans who don't peruse the basic headlines dealing with actual news.


    by Elusive Trope on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 8:30pm

    Here is a bit of news, Des.  Gates has been trying to get Malaki, et.al. to extend the SOFA; Maliki is saying: GET OUT!  No foreign presence.  In the comment thread, kisses from links to a Guardian piece about Iraqi troops attacking 'massacring' 23 at an MEK camp of Iranians allowed in by Saddam back in the day.  There is info that the US knew it was Iraqi policy as far back as 2009.

    Nasty stuff. 

    Also looks like there's a new tranche of Wikileaks on Israel that includes Bahraini King  Kahlifah (spelling?) bragging about his/their ties to Mossad. 

    Oh--and MFI was on your blog; he lives in Iraq; one of the Gorilla Guides.


    by we are stardust on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 8:23am

    Maliki wants us out? Does that mean really out, or a lot more concessions and support for his poor performance?

    Is that Gorilla Guides or Guerrilla Guides?

    Look forward to the Wikileaks, Mars Needs More StinkBombs (and Women)


    by Desider on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 2:34pm

    Well, what a surprise: I forgot the link.  His new one is about Al-Sadr et.al., meaning business about us ferreners gettin' gone:

    "You can take for granted that when Muqtada al-Sadr says flat out that he’ll order the resumption of military operations by the Jaish al-Mahdi if the hated American invaders don’t depart on time that he means it.

    You can take it that when Hazem al-Araji says that they’re all "ticking time bombs" that he knows what he’s talking about and that he means it.

    You can also take it that their audience approves, I was invited to witness the demonstration in al- Mustansiriyah Square, when the part of al-Sadr’s statement in which he discussed escalating military operations was read out there was a full throated roar of approval from the crowd the same was true when al-Araji made his ticking time bombs comment."

    http://my.firedoglake.com/markfromireland/2011/04/09/we-are-all-ticking-time-bombs/

    But, yes; it's 'Gorilla Guides'.  Dunno why; there's a link to the Guides in the first diary.


    by we are stardust on Sat, 04/09/2011 - 2:52pm