I would HIGHLY recommend EVERYONE watch a movie called THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS- 1965. It is Iraq disguised as Algiers. I was doing work and had the TV on as background when this show came on. It caught my attention as it talked about wiretaps, the surge, the invasion (French), and how the troops treated the insurgents. I have read books on Iraq and talked with hundreds who are there or have been. This movie is incredible. PLEASE- watch this movie and then spread the word- you will be amazed.

Maliki has failed. The surge has failed. And yet there is no press on this. We hear the same old GOP talking heads telling us what a smashing success it is, yet there is still no unified Iraqi government, and there are still militias in control of vast portions of the country.

Misson Accomplished!! What better way to keep the profiteering war chest feeding the Radical Republican Neocons than enduring these failed surges?

Political reconciliation has not happened in Iraq, and by all measures, the Iraqi security forces are going to be unable to police the nation themselves. The failure of the Iraqi offensive in Basra and continued violence in Baghdad indicate the weakness of heart of the Iraqi forces as a nationalized unit. In Basra, Maliki went from "We will crush the Mahdi Army" to "Well, how about three days to come out" to "OK, a week, but I really mean it" to an Iranian brokered cease fire.

Maliki has failed. The surge has failed. And yet there is no press on this. We hear the same old GOP talking heads telling us what a smashing success it is, yet there is still no unified Iraqi government, and there are still militias in control of vast portions of the country.

How can this be?

Despite recent improvements in the security environment, Iraq remains dangerous, volatile and unpredictable. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue, including in the International (or “Green”) Zone. Targets include hotels, restaurants, police stations, checkpoints, foreign diplomatic missions, and international organizations and other locations with expatriate personnel. Such attacks can occur at any time. Kidnappings still occur; the most recent kidnapping of an American citizen occurred in August 2007. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), and mines often are placed on roads, concealed in plastic bags, boxes, soda cans, dead animals, and in other ways to blend with the road. Grenades and explosives have been thrown into vehicles from overpasses, particularly in crowded areas. Rockets and mortars have been fired at hotels, and vehicle-borne IEDs have been used against targets throughout the country. Occasionally, U.S. Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to certain areas depending on prevailing security conditions. In addition to terrorist and criminal attacks, sectarian violence occurs often. Detailed security information is available on the Embassy's web site at http://iraq.usembassy.gov and at http://www.centcom.mil.

Military aircraft arriving and departing from Baghdad International Airport (ORBI) have been subjected to small arms and missile fire. Travelers choosing to utilize civilian aircraft to enter or depart Iraq should be aware that, although there have been no recent attacks on civilian aircraft, the potential threat still exists, as well as does the high risk to road transportation described above. Official U.S. Government (USG) personnel are strongly encouraged to use U.S. military or other USG aircraft when entering or departing Iraq. All personnel serving in Iraq under Chief of Mission (COM) authority are prohibited from entering or departing ORBI on commercial airlines unless approved by the Regional Security Office (RSO) on a case-by-case basis. Other personnel not under COM authority must be guided by their own agency.

Yeah the surge is working. McCain says we won!!

From your link above:



Manipulation. Just like everything else (the bubble tripple threat) they have or are manipulating.

you can hold on to your notions but the most of us concur that the surge has worked.

but we still need recruits


http://www.goarmy.com/flindex.jsp?#?channel=&video=



anyone who is able to serve and feels the current govt position on the middle east is correct, ought to get to going

As human beings do age and eventually retire, wouldn't ANY organization need recruits? What's that got to do with it?

Obama certainly believes that the war on terror must be continued.

As human beings do age and eventually retire, wouldn't ANY organization need recruits? What's that got to do with it?

If the surge succeeded, why do we have more troops there now than before the surge? It's like the surge was a smokescreen for an escalation.

Oh, yes. Because we went in with not enough troops in the first place.


But regardless of the surge, we will leave someday. Have we retrained the Iraqi military enough to take over the defense of their own country?

How we go will depend upon the type of leadership we choose. We could be out in a couple of years or when we go bankrupt.

Political reconciliation has not happened in Iraq,..

I am just saying, we cant continue a military presence if everyone is like Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or Dick Cheney or George W Bush or almost (note the word almost) every single member of the bush administration current and past, that is people who support war but are not willing to fight it...

hopefully every person under the age of 46 I think it is now, promoting that we stay even ONE MORE DAY there, is on their way down to the recruiters office as I type this...

If the surge succeeded, [b]why do we have more troops there now than before the surge?[/b] It's like the surge was a smokescreen for an escalation.

Oh, yes. Because we went in with not enough troops in the first place.


But regardless of the surge, we will leave someday. Have we retrained the Iraqi military enough to take over the defense of their own country?

Sorry, that makes absolutely no sense..

You are saying that anyone who supports the war against insurgents in Iraq - who is within valid age for military service - must and/or should enlist and be sent there?? If I'm getting your meaning, why would you think so??

Do you seriously believe this is neccessary or even realistic?

chickenhawks make me ill

Something you've always said. From your point of view no one can have an opinion about Iraq if they aren't willing to go to Iraq. Makes no sense to me, seing as everyone has a right to an opinion... But either way, you can't really apply that McCain can you? Not only did he serve but his son served in Iraq.

not mccain...others, and i realize it makes no sense to people who havent had to sacrifice one way or another, dont know if that includes you or not*, and it isnt about having an opinion at all, it is about continuing to promote a war that was wrong from the get go, costing lives and not willing to make any sacrifice for it

if chickenhawks have no power and no say, we wont have unnecessary wars for profit, like this one


* i am not interested in making accusations againsts any one here individually, it never gets us anywhere...the chickenhawks know who they are, and again, I am not making accusations against any one individually

Failure of the surge lives on in Fallujah



http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m45875&hd=&size=1&l=e

FALLUJAH, Jul 21, 2008 (IPS) - U.S. and Iraqi forces are preparing another siege of Fallujah under the pretext of combating "terror", residents and officials say.

"Ruling powers in the city fighting to gain full control seem willing to use the security collapse to accuse each other of either conspiracy (in lawlessness) or incapability of control," Sufian Ahmed, a lawyer and human rights activist in Fallujah told IPS.

"They suddenly changed their tone from saying that the city was the safest in Iraq to claiming that al-Qaeda is a serious threat. Fallujah residents know their so-called leaders are using security threats to terrify them for their own political interests."

In the face of U.S. military claims of improved security, violence has been rising by the day this month. The city has now been placed under tight curfew while U.S. and Iraqi military forces prepare for a new offensive, according to the local Azzaman daily.

It's almost as if you WANT us to fail...

Winning takes the kind of people that I described. We can't WIN with people like you; much as we like you.

you can hold on to your notions but the most of us concur that the surge has worked.

It's as if you IGNORE reality of real situations.

Please define WIN.

(Other than no-bid service contracts for ExxonMobil et al, I mean.)

Thx.

Putting it as above, it is clear that "the surge" is nothing more than a political ploy. Something designed for purposes of being able to make some sort of claim of 'success' irrespective of the fact that the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq is a war crime that has, irrespective of its illegality, failed and failed utterly.

Granted, war crimes charges are not likely so long as the conflict can be stretched out and continued. But therein lies the true measure of the defeat. The prolongation of the crime is hugely costly to the USA, not to mention totally debilitating to the remnants of Iraq. The USA is being dragged into a decrepit shadow of its former self, having no moral authority, a broken military and a nearly crashed economy, all of which might end up causing a fundamental, Soviet Union-style collapse of the USA as we have known it.

It is quite understandable that a political poll might result in a majority of Murkins agreeing that "the surge has worked" because people are hungry and desparate for some good news. Citizens of all countries do not want their nations to lose wars; no one likes admitting defeat. That is a shared human characteristic and Murkins are no different than most. Hence, even though GWBush may be a complete failure, he's our failure and many will do what they can to pretend he has succeeded in something. Pretending the surge worked when all it does is prolong the status quo of a lost war that was illegal to begin with simply doesn't matter to many.

I suggest that people not allow MSM to have total control of the spin on the surge, because that is what is happening here. Stay focussed and stay in contact with real news and real information. MSM are propaganda outlets. That, and nothing more.

here ya go:

WWI; WWII; GRANADA; 1st Iraqi War = WIN

Viet Nam = LOSE

Korea = DRAW

FYI

Really?

I can disagree with the policies of my country

- but I don't hate my country and I don't defame it.

Seems that you, like McInsaneWarmonger, are unable to articulate what WIN means in terms of THIS conflict, and must resort to lemming recitations of last century's conflicts, so perhaps I need to rephrase:

Define WIN in terms of conditions "on the ground" in Iraq (other than no-bid contracts for ExxonMobil at al).

I agree


well, we agree on somethings.. that's good



I don't hate my country either. I report situations that are real.

Would you rather embrace your country's regime in it's lies and propaganda in order to claim progress and glory? A simple yes or no will do.

The regime you refer to was elected, by due process as a function of our governmental system. They have 8 years.

GRANADA; 1st Iraqi War = WIN

However from my observation, the USA still represents the best intentions & highest ideals among nations in this world - or even ever in the history of nations in this world.

Countries who are unhappy with us are potential enemies anyway.

Hey the nations take our money & aid..

Countries who are unhappy with us are potential enemies anyway.

There is all kinds of negetive news, views & comments available about the US based on OPINIONS.

Now let me ask YOU: Which country is BETTER than the USA in terms of intentions & ideals? I mean a major power - don't be givin me Finland...

WINNING means it is something good for my country.

They certainly do! If not for that, many of those conutries who takes our money on a regular basis would not pretend any longer to be our 'friends' since we've gone neocon full time.





Just like we treat countries that we're unhappy with..... but we sometimes phycially act out on some of them.





Is there anything wrong with honest opinions from people all around the world?





Without living in any other country, and right off the top of my head, Canada and Australia comes to mind, but they may not apply as your 'major power' countries.

wow, so if someone criticizes us, something we richly deserve because of the neocons, they are enemies?

Splain Pliz....

How exactly is snuffing out the lives of Young Americans daily while spending $12,000,000,000.00 a month to keep them there --- with the extra added bonus of inciting exponential growth in hatred for all things American --- good for "your" country?

You would never accept or understand any answer from me.

You got that right, sweetie.