Ok all you armchair generals. This article says a lot. Those in the 'cut and run' crowd can see what will happen. The 'stay the course' crowd might be on the wrong path. We'll only know in retrospect.

What do we do to make the situation better?? Please don't ruminate on the past or cast blame........what do we do now? Will a change in our administration make any difference? Why?

And please, no anti Bushie/Rummy posts. We've heard all the rants already. I want to see if there are and Brainiacs out there with some real foreign policy ideas.

Oh....and Mr. Hemp poster.......the solution is not to just sit down in a drum circle and do a doob together. Might work for us, but not them...........

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

See also: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/iraq-j01.shtml

"Journalist killed after investigating US-backed death squads in Iraq
By James Cogan 1 July 2005"

"....Over the past month, Salihee had been gathering evidence that US-backed Iraqi forces have been carrying out extra-judicial killings of alleged members and supporters of the anti-occupation resistance. His investigation followed a feature in the New York Times magazine in May, detailing how the US military had modeled the Iraqi interior ministry police commandos, known as the Wolf Brigade, on the death squads unleashed in the 1980s to crush the left-wing insurgency in El Salvador.

The Wolf Brigade was recruited by US operatives and the US-installed interim government headed by Iyad Allawi during 2004. A majority of its officers and personnel served in Saddam Hussein’s special forces and Republican Guard—veterans of killings, torture and repression. The unit has been used against the resistance in rebellious cities such as Mosul and Samarra, and, over the past six weeks, has played a prominent role in the massive crackdown ordered by the Iraqi government in Baghdad codenamed “Operation Lightning”.

Better yet, read the letter Rep. Dennis Kucinich sent to Donald H. Rumsfeld on May 04, 2006:
http://www.kucinich.us/ floor_speeches/iq_rumsfeld_letter4may.php

"...Mr. Secretary, at a news conference on January 11, 2005, you publicly stated that the idea of a Salvador option was "nonsense." Yet mounting evidence suggests that the U.S. has in fact funded and trained Iraqi assassination and kidnapping teams and these teams are now operating with horrific success across Iraq."

Didn't get much coverage on FOX-CNN-MSNBC-ABC-CBS, did it?

While one may wonder what the goal of these death squads is, other than terrifying the population into abject submission, it seems that a central goal is to divide Sunnis from Shias by the use of death threats delivered to various homes. The fact that Sunni and Shia religious clerics have been calling for reconciliation only helps affirm that this plan is being carried out on the orders of Rumsfeld's Pentagon - and remember that what Rumsfeld says has nothing to do with what Rumsfeld does.

Now would be a good time to call your reps and tell them what you think of the imminent bombing of Iran (and of the Rumsfeld-Negroponte-Steele death squads).

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

we support a shia regime in iraq and are on the verge of war with a shia regime next door in iran. if war came, would the shia in iraq follow the US? The Sunni see their days numbered . They are fighting for survival, the toughest enemy of all.

What a mess.

Put reconstruction funds in escorw for a postwar authority to use and get out now!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Mr. Negroponte was ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005.

He set them up, got them started and moved on.

He's now our Director of National Intelligence.

Lucky us.

Knock knock

Who's there?

Blackwater........

Sleep well, America, you're in good hands now.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

So now we get a bit more truth: The USA Bushies are basically responsible for the mass murder of Sunnis/others. After killing many hundreds of thousands of Iraqis the Bushies are still killing many Iraqis every day by training Death Squads. Get all the troops and all the other Bushies out of Iraq. The Bushies are basically responsible for creating all these Iraq deaths and all Americans who obey terrorist Bushie orders by training those Iraqis who kill other Iraqis must leave Iraq. Get all these mass murdering Bushie American Dicks out of Iraq for they are the world's worst and most prolific killing terrorists. SHAME! IMPEACH!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

But I think the evil done by the American government on behalf of the greedy elite in control is so bad I can only hope it will be done back to them sooner or later. I want to see Bush Cheney and Rumsfeld behind bars and I want to see them NOW (wow, I bet the big-brother screening software is flashing its red light now. And I'm not even going into how much I hate them, how much they disgust me. They and their repulsive fascist Torquemada officials).

And about Iraq, someone here asked for suggestions to get out of the situation instead of rants. Shit, what suggestions do you expect?

OK, Do you want to know why the situation created by the US government right now is worse than Hitler's in Poland or France? Because at the time England and America and the Soviet Union where there to oppose their good intentions to the evil ones.

Now there are no nations or alliances in the world to oppose the big bully.

Our only hope is a big waking-up of the American people, and --following-- of the western people in general (the opposite just wouldn't work) : and I don't mean by voting some phony alternative in rigged elections: I mean by marching in the streets and actively opposing this government, even risking their lives and future.
Tien-an-men style, people, no less.
Sorry for those Americans who are reading this and feeling uncomfortable, but guys, this burden is on you now. Face your responsibilities. Turn off your TV screens and do something unpredictable for once.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Watch this film America: Freedom to Facsism. The truth shall set you free. www.freedomtofacsism.com

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

I recommend, for people wanting to get a grip on where this is going, and why, a look at Robert Kaplan's "Imperial Grunts", which is probably the most realistic and cogent look at the current US military apparatus involved in so-called "unconventional war" (special ops, urban warfare, etc.) that I've seen. It's not exactly a defense of the current policy, but is basically sympathetic to it, explaining what the outlook is within the pro-war sectors of the military (which is not all of them). One idea gaining in popularity is the (classically imperialist) use of local forces with US military advisors to do "dirty work" while "winning hearts and minds" with Pentagon substitutes for NGO work (which also act as cover for intelligence gathering).

The "Salvador Option" was brought up because the conventional thinking within the Pentagon and CIA is that the operations in El Salvador were a success, and the various tortures, rapes, brutal murders etc. carried out by local forces trained by the CIA and special forces were not part of the policy, but an "unfortunate" side effect due to providing the technical training and tools to people who don't have the same ethical stance as the US military. They think of it as a "lesser evil", and as a way of getting influence over the behavior of people who would be doing such things anyway, and cite the decline in the death rate in the later part of the El Salvador operation. (Which ignores the fact that, since it was successful, in the sense of suppressing threats to the US-approved government, there was less killing to do in the later parts).

Now, you may not find that convincing, but it seems to be the standard outlook within the Pentagon. Future projection of American power to defend various US/Western interests - political, business, or whatever - are liable to use the military for some time, regardless of which political party sets the big-picture policy objectives, because that's the kind of power America has. The use of the military will probably move away from the use of large-scale Army operations like the one in Iraq, regardless of which party wins the next few election cycles (maybe more gradually, maybe less, depending on just what happens). Which means more embedding of Green Berets and Marines within the forces of death-squad operating governments in areas of strategic interest to the US.

Baghdad is also a snapshot of the future of war because it's in an urban setting, and because the "two-side" model with clear rules of warfare is breaking down and being replaced by a multi-side conflict between groups identified by factional, ethnic, language, religious, and cultural identity. Because it illustrates the blurring of the line between civil policing and warfare as civil disorder gets bigger and warfare gets more "unconventionalized". We've seen other precursors in Chechnya, Mogadishu, etc.

And as much as the current US policy may exacerbate the problem, these trends are mainly driven by: growing poverty due to resource depletion, environmental degradation and overpopulation; rapid urbanization of the third world; a large state-backed arms industry; the continuing effects of the loss of a political frame for conflict such as provided by the Cold War.

All indications are we can expect to see more of the same in one or more of Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, and possibly others in coming years and decades. Possibly others if the Iraq model is applied to, say, Iran or Syria.

So my question is: regardless of who wins the US election (let's say it's the Democrats, and they miraculously become susceptible to demands to rein in the military-industrial complex... what, then, is the big story about what we do instead? The Big Idea for making the Earth secure and livable for its occupants? My guess is it won't be based on purely national policy or national interests. What, then?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

was a feasibility study done on the need for two more morgues? Remember we need to keep our priorities straight over there, we really must have the money for more Military Bases.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

The collective impression I'm receiving here is that our forces will follow oil wells around the globe. I never liked the simplistic blood for oil equation. But oil is the only rational reason for deep US involvement in the Persian Gulf and Middle East.

So it's Nigeria, Indoneisia, and Venezuela next?

Oh no. It's time to get out the old Vietnam walking boots.

Shut it down.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

One way to stop the corruption,lying,theft,murderers,war crimes, profiteering,etc,is to get rid of the people who monetarily benefit from war/oil aggression,who are also the instigators. But they control the government/laws and military for profit,so will get rid of the people that try to stop them,YOU. IT is you or them that must prevail for this change to come about in the world,so we need a lot of brave souls to stand up to the f*cking new NAZIs that run most everything,just for pure profit,not for the people/slaves.
The NEW WORLD ORDER of business is winning, so far profits are way up for the new NAZIs.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

OK they're there, and their gastly work is all too apparent. One question though: Whose government is really behind this, theirs or ours?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

So our jackboot, pseudo christian fascist demogogic cabinet's designs are coming to fruition. Dont be fooled FOR A SECOND that this is not what they were planning all along. However, they had hoped the chaos would last just long enough for them to:

Get the Iraqi constitution rewritten to allow US corporate takeover.

Build the 1/2 dozen military bases as a staging ground for the rest of the middle east.

Install a puppet govt to do the bidding of the neocon fascists.

Finish the underground pipeline from Kuwait to steal much of Iraq's oil.

So..maybe they didnt get EVERYTHING they wanted by now, but they are close. The neocons have been supporting death squads all over the world since the early 70's in countries such as: Chile(Pinochet),Argentina, Columbia,Phillipines, Pakistan,Guatamala, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia, Spain(Franco), Indonesia, Iran(Shah).etc AND IRAQ(under Sadaam and after).

It's amazing..the rest of the world knows what they are doing and their goals, namely control of the financial markets and resources of lesser developed countries. This new 21st century imperialism is the same as old, just coached in different terms.

The only real avenue is to GET THE FUCK OUT. Vietnam could never be won by as an occupying force, and never will Iraq (and soon to be Iran). We are only helping radical islamic leaders to get more recruits and gain more political standing(evidenced by the rise of Hamas and Hezbollah) by staying. Not only are we lessening the violence by staying, we are actually increasing it every day.

But maybe...just maybe The neoconfuckups want thsi. They want to create a new 21st century enemy to divert the attentions of the US populace away from their imperialist fascist agenda by creating an illusive(hence the lack of capture of the cia operative bin laden) enemy that grows to the size of the old soviet threat.

We are just pawns in this game. What do we do with criminals who subjugate our voting process, destroy our contitution and the rights it proposes to our citizens, and proceeds with illegal wars, killing innocent foreign civilians (at nearly 700k at this point) in our name?

This is treasonous activity that goes to the very core of our society. If we do not root out these demogogs, our country will be a shadow of it's former self with massive internal strife with the bane and hatred of the rest of the world on us for decades to come. Thus, the only way to deal with this is to arrest our illicit leaders(who gained power via a bloodless coup), and put them up for charges of warcrimes. While i do not generally believe in the death penalty because it preys on the poor and uneducated, i am for it in this case.

Get the troops completely out.

Trash the "recreated" Iraqi constitution,

Undo ALL of Bremer's 100 orders,

Remove the present puppet governement, and allow Iraqis to really vote in the parliament that they want with proportional representation, WITHOUT SPLITTING UP THE COUNTRY).


Give $50billion to independent iraq and worldwide agencies to put towards rebuilding the country HIRING IRAQIS TO DO IT.

Create a fund to compensate them for the next 20 years. It has to hurt, so put the figure at, say $500billion. It wont cover all of the pain and suffering we've caused, but it will allow them to rebuild their infrastructure, take control of their resources and build new lives in the ashes.

Allow a new coalition of Middle-East peace keepers to come in and work with the Iraqi forces to begin to quell the violence.

AMERICANS NEED TO FEEL THE PAIN OF THE IGNORANCE AND IDIOCY OF OUR CALLOUS AND IMPERIALIST CULTURE.

These are the paths to peace in Iraq. Sovereinty,Security, Stability, Freedom, Independence.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

More information for those who think that options are slim for Iraq.

In building a govt in Iraq it is imperative that all parties feel included in the process. Thus it will be necessary to bring together the different factions, especially those that are actively battling US forces presently, to state their desires for a future Iraq.

All to often the US acts as a hegemonic sanctimonious piece of shit, and doesnt respect the cultural and ideological views of other countries and their citizens. It is very possible that a stable Iraq may take a completely different approach than the corporatist fascist pseudo representative democracy that is being forced down their throat.

Iraq, at one time, was a shining star in the region with the most progressive culture, stable government, highest literacy, lowest infant mortality, highest regard for women, etc. The list goes on and on. The US installed and propped up Sadaam in the 80's to go against Iran. Sadaam acted like your typical mafia boss, namely forcing everyone to cowtow and getting pay backs. However, he did understand that you can't shake the boat (or the store owner up so to speak), or you cant milk the country for money. Thus, while he subjugated the people to his will, the basic infrastructure was still in place from Iraq's heyday.

What really has destroyed Iraq, was the first 2 months of the occupacy in which Bremer et all dismantled the military, the entire police force, rewrote the constitution, and implemented the evil 100 orders. Iraq now has become a UW corporatist enterprise, and WOW guess what? The Iraqi people are smart enough to see it and are rebelling. They are not approaching a civil war, THEY ARE IN A FREEDOM WAR, mostly against western control and subjugation.

This conflict is very likely to get even worse before it gets better, and it's up to each and everyone of us to push for getting out and reparations. The Iraqi's in the end will have to decide the kind of society they want to create post Sadaam and post US. We'll have to get out with our tail between our legs and leave all of our imperialist aspirations in the dumpster.

Again, lets just hope that someday we can act as a civilized member of the world community instead of what we are now. BUT IT'S A LONG ROAD AND WE HAVE TO START NOW!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

US policy in Iraq now is morphing into what happens when you are an occupying power confronting an insurgency. In some respects, we can see parallel's to Vietnam. US forces are fighting an enemy difficult to see, to detect, and even more difficult to defeat. Well, as frustration builds, the enemy starts to become an unknown you look for in every Iraqi. You never know who it might be and everyone is suspect. Already the groundwork is laid, Abu Ghraib, US soldiers raping children and killing families, units told to kill every Iraqi of military age. And still the insurgents keep coming. The next step in the program. Operation Phoenix for Iraq. The death squads, white phosphorus for Iraq cities and towns. Time for Negroponte once again. President Bush to no doubt call in Henry Kissinger for advise. The USA can only leave via "peace with honor." Face it GW, the USA has lost the Iraq war and resorting to desperate measures by using Nazi like tactics isn't going to work. Actions officially condoned or not condoned, done by "special forces" or CIA mercs, you (USA) will only get more desperate and the atrocities and barbarism will only ratchet upward. The only solution, get out now.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

What is the point of reading alternet at all, any more? How many more slaps across the face will American take before he realize he's got a fight ?

If you can watch freedom to fascism without jumping out of your chair.... then please, DO tell how you do it

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

When Saddam Hussein gassed people the West was up in arms saying he was a brutal dictator. Why is the same West not seeing the present government as a dictatorial one for the daily murder of innocent people by the people who run the government? Don't we see hypocrisy here by the West?

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

It seems to me that everything is going exactly according to plan. That would be the PNAC plan, of course. What more could they have hoped for than Iraqis killing Iraqis? Richard Perle must be rolling over and laughing in his grave. Oh wait, he's still alive. Shit.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

By his own mouth he uters the direction of his minders.....If we set a date for withdrawal we will lose and they "might" set up a radical empire from Spain to Indonesia.....I think "THEY", are doing just that.....are'nt "THEY"..That is Bu$hCo.......aren't THEY. Toooo late the clown...Diplomacy or bombs.....which way will the UFSA go Mmmmmmm.......me thinks Bombs...99.9% right.....If in doubt blow it out
Rumsfeld doing a great job!!!!!!..JESUS!!!!...THEY are completely lost in their own spin...and just curious....what happens in Eighteen months...whats on the calendar in eighteen months time prey tell......and why eighteen months....why not this time next year.....Mmmmmm Iran maybe...Mmmmmm..puzzle?

Captain OUT

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]