Location, Location, Location! (Open Thread)
By NoQuarter on July 22, 2007 at 10:53 PM in Afghanistan, Current Affairs, Foreign Aid, Iraq, Rice
– Cartoon by Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, sent to me by Leslie
Next, from McClatchy’s top article today, “Constant filibuster threat is tying Senate in knots“:
Senate Republicans this year are threatening filibusters to block more legislation than ever, a pattern that’s rooted in — and could increase — the pettiness and dysfunction in Congress.
The trend has been evolving for 30 years. The reasons behind it are too complex to pin on one party. But it has been especially pronounced since the Democrats’ razor-thin win in last year’s election, giving them effectively a 51-49 Senate majority, and the Republicans’ exile to the minority.
Seven months into the current two-year term, the Senate has held 42 “cloture” votes aimed at shutting off extended debate — filibusters, or sometimes only the threat of one — and moving to up-or-down votes on contested legislation. Under Senate rules that protect a minority’s right to debate, these votes require a 60-vote supermajority in the 100-member Senate.
Democrats have trouble mustering 60 votes; they have fallen short 22 times this year. That’s largely why they haven’t been able to deliver on campaign promises.
By sinking a cloture vote last week, Republicans successfully blocked a Democratic bid to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq by April, even though a 52-47 Senate majority voted to end debate.
Republicans also have blocked votes this year on immigration legislation, a no-confidence resolution for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and major legislation dealing with energy, labor rights and prescription drugs.
Nearly one in every six roll-call votes in the Senate this year has been a cloture vote. … READ ALL.
Other news items today:
- “Rice’s foreign-aid overhaul sparks backlash“:
… Rice responded to the disarray by handpicking corporate veteran Randall Tobias to manage a sweeping overhaul of U.S. foreign assistance. Tobias abruptly resigned in April after he admitted receiving massages from women linked to an alleged prostitution ring — but not before he created a system that aims to reshuffle billions of dollars in aid to better reflect the administration’s priorities.
Rice’s foreign-aid approach “sadly bears the hallmarks of our failed early assistance efforts in Iraq, where ideology and political connections trumped professionalism,” charged Pam Pearson, a foreign-service officer who had worked for Tobias, in a cable she sent to top State Department officials last fall.
The fight over U.S. foreign aid largely has been hidden from the public, but it is likely to emerge Tuesday, when the Senate holds confirmation hearings for Henrietta Holsman Fore, the undersecretary of state for management and the nominee to replace Tobias as the deputy secretary of state for foreign assistance.
The bulk of the $23 billion in annual U.S. foreign aid goes to a handful of key countries, leaving about 120 nations to battle over $3 billion of the pie. India is one of the big losers in Rice’s foreign-aid revolution. All U.S. aid to assist India in education, women’s rights, democracy and sanitation is terminated under the new system. Overall aid to India — where 80 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day — would be cut 35 percent in 2008, to $81 million, on the theory that India has one of the best-performing economies in the world.
One promising U.S.-funded program in India is QUEST, a partnership with tech firms such as Microsoft and Lucent aimed at teaching critical skills in Indian classrooms. With Washington, D.C., promising about $2 million a year, QUEST grew from 200 to 2,000 schools in one year.
But without a continued U.S. contribution, the initiative probably will not survive. …
- “Mob Wars Hit New Heights in Israel“:
When an explosion goes off on a busy Israeli street these days, it seems as likely to be a mob hit as a Palestinian attack.
Rival underworld gangs are waging bloody battles for control of gambling and protection rackets, targeting each other with bullets, bombs and anti-tank missiles.
Organized crime, long overshadowed by the Arab-Israeli conflict, has become such a part of everyday life that Israel has its own “Sopranos”-style TV series, “The Arbitrator,” in which even synagogues are no refuge from hit men. …
Again, the United Iraqi Alliance has raised it bloody hand into the air and given the Bush admin the one-fingered salute:
(The United Iraqi Alliance is largely comprised of the Islamic Al-Da’wa Party and Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq which have been trying to make Iraq an Islamic state for over two decades.)
From Juan Cole:
Iraq’s oil law to face more delays
This is the famous rightwing/GOP excuse for being in Iraq - the “roach motel” theory. If we turn Iraq into a roach motel for “jihadists” of any and all stripes, we can “fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here.” I’m sure the people of Iraq really appreciate that…the USA turning their nation into a roach motel. I’m sure they would much rather we fight “them” over here (or elsewhere) rather than turn their country into a roach motel.
And the rightwing expected (or pretended to expect) us to be greeted as liberators. Right Sue? Right Dan? The whole Republican argument is bullshit from start to finish.
You can view this attitude over at the rightwing sites Screw Liberals (also known as jenn of the jungle) and at mypoint, and Dr. Blogstien. You will be amazed at the lack of logic, morals and integrity.
We really have a moral dilemma here. We broke it and now we owe the Iraqi people a working government. The problem is it might be to late to fix it now and our strategy is plainly wrong and not working. Unless we go in with 500,000 troops, with a very strong political and diplomatic agenda and finish the job the right way, then we might as well come home and stop the carnage of our troops and innocent civilians. As far as AQ taking over Iraq, that is more political bull sheet rock than fact. The Iranian factor? Laughable… just laughable at this point….
No matter what we do now Iran and the shiites will control Iraq. Another dollar short and day late foreign policy. As far as the US Congress is concerned? Its time for term limits…..
Rob: No matter what we do now Iran and the shiites will control Iraq.
Exactly!
I think the media has done an extremely shitty job of fleshing out the nature and the history of the groups now comprising the United Iraqi Alliance, namely, al-Dawa and the SCIRI.
E.g.:
I am willing to bet many have no memory or knowledge of the fact that in 1983 al-Dawa (vis-a-vis the Kuwait 17) suicide bombed the US and French embassies.
I am willing to bet many have no memory or knowledge of the fact that Hezbollah took six Americans hostages to secure the release of the Kuwait 17 who suicide bombed the US and French embassies.
Can Democracy Stop Terrorism?
F. Gregory Gause III
From Foreign Affairs, September/October 2005
Summary: The Bush administration contends that the push for democracy in the Muslim world will improve U.S. security. But this premise is faulty: there is no evidence that democracy reduces terrorism. Indeed, a democratic Middle East would probably result in Islamist governments unwilling to cooperate with Washington.
“Iraq Is Not Winnable”
SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD HAASS
The old Middle East — an era which I believe has only recently ended — was one in which the United States enjoyed tremendous dominance and freedom of maneuver. [snip] It’s one of history’s ironies that the first war in Iraq, a war of necessity, marked the beginning of the American era in the Middle East and the second Iraq war, a war of choice, has precipitated its end.
The Iranian nightmare
By Michael Schwartz
Now, over two years after Baghdad fell and the American occupation of Iraq began, Kagan’s prediction appears to have been fulfilled - in reverse. The chief beneficiary of the occupation and the chaos it produced has not been the Bush administration, but Iran, the most populous and powerful member of the “axis of evil” and the chief American competitor for dominance in the oil-rich region. As diplomatic historian Gabriel Kolko commented, “By destroying a united Iraq under [Saddam] Hussein … the US removed the main barrier to Iran’s eventual triumph.”
Homer,
In war games they found that Iraq will be just as much a quagmire for Iran when we leave as it was for us. It’s a snakepit. Given how much the Arab Iraqis resent our presence why should they welcome a Persian presence with any more enthusiasm? Occupiers always screw things up with their arrogance. For instance, when the Israelis invaded South Lebanon in 1982 the Shia started by throwing rice in welcome, only to discover they’d traded one occupier for another and soon were throwing grenades.
Remember the Domino Theory during Vietnam? A U.S. defeat would supposedly result in India going Communist. Instead, Vietnam fought nasty little wars with the fellow Communists in Kampuchea and China. Some dominoes!
Homer forgets that Iraq and Iran fought a war, among other things.
Leslie: Homer forgets that Iraq and Iran fought a war, among other things.
True!
But you obviously have never learned a few things about Al-Dawa and the SCIRI
You are revealing a shocking level of ignorance.
Back in the 1980s, Al-Dawa and the SCIRI were opposition groups that were once violently opposed to Saddam Hussein.
With help from Iran, Al-Dawa sought to depose Saddam Hussein and father an Islamic state.
To include Al-Dawa and the SCIRI into Iraq, i.e. to align them with Saddam Hussein is ridiculous.
From The Iran-Iraq War: Struggle Without End, 1984:
Homer,
I know who Dawa and SCIRI are. So stuff it!
The Maliki [Dawa] al-Hakim [SCIRI-Badr Brigade] and Talabani [PUK] wouldn’t have much power if the Bushies didn’t support them, and weren’t arming all sides in a civil war. But Iraqis generally have been secular for generations and a majority would oppose excessive Iranian influence.
Leslie: The Maliki [Dawa] al-Hakim [SCIRI-Badr Brigade] and Talabani [PUK] wouldn’t have much power if the Bushies didn’t support them
As you know, nobody really **knows** exactly what would happen if Bush was not continuing to spill oceans of blood and treasure in order to save face.
Back in 2004, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim (Frontline interview) openly admitted that 100,000 in the Badr Brigade paraded in Iraq.
Combine that 100k with twenty plus years of planning, I think that they are a hellava lot stronger and more resistant than what’s being talked about.
Time will tell.
This so called ineptitude, weakness, etc of the Iraqi Parliament media is probably a farce perpetrated by the media. (Here’s the subtext: Those damn Iraqis. We served it up on a silver platter to them, but they were too lazy to eat up it.)
That narrative frames these men as being incompetent when in fact, to the detriment of the USA, they are well-organized, extremely patient, and have been quite successful at slowing draining the beast of its blood and treasure.
Since they have been in office, the Iraqi Parliament has not acted upon the Bush admin’s directives and have on occasion instead made deals with Iran:
People are calling them a failure due to their not acting upon the Bush admin’s directives (e.g.: oil revenue–sharing law, provincial elections, a revised Iraqi constitution, re-including purged Baathists)?
These men have fought their adult lives to make Iraq an Islamic state. They were ignored when SH was gassing the opposition.
And instead of measuring the degree to which they have made their vision come true as evidenced by southern Iraq, people are measuring them with the standards of the Bush admin?
That makes zero sense.
Bush’s deposing of SH is a gift which they are going to continue to bludgeon the US with over and over again with glee, force, and speed.
The US lost long ago.
Its way past time to go.
Homer,
What’s your expertise in Middle Eastern affairs?
Leslie: Homer forgets that Iraq and Iran fought a war, among other things.
Again, Saddam Hussein fought the war against Iran.
Being anti-Saddamists, many key members in the current Iraqi Parliament did not align themselves Saddam Hussein OR the USA.
If you did some research, you will see that Al-Maliki, Al-Hakim, Jalal Talabani, Hamid Al Bayati, Bayan Jabr, Hoshyar Zebari, et al did not arise ex nihilo.
Instead, they moved into the places they have been designing for quite some time.
Despite being forced into exile, they have been quite active at trying to depose Saddam Hussein for over the last two decades.
What we see in Iraq is over two decades in the making.
What’s your expertise in Middle East affairs, Homer?
Rob,
Thanks for your well-intentioned ideas, but may I suggest that you consider an approach that is not so America-centric, and considers the right of Iraqis to self-determination? One of the fundamental reasons that the Bush/neocon plan was doomed to failure before it even began was that it was about American domination of the process (leading inevitably, of course, to American domination of Iraq and Iraqi life). It necessitated denying Iraqis any real say in their own future and the future of their country. Iraqis were virtually completely shut out of any and all decision making at virtually every level. It is not a coincidence that Bremer was dubbed Dictator of Iraq.
Yes, you broke it, and yes, you DO owe the Iraqis a great deal. But you are the last people who can, or should try to fix it. There are many reasons for that, which I do not have time to enumerate now, but you are as qualified to fix Iraq as a serial child molester is to fix his victims.
“A very strong political and diplomatic agenda” enforced by 500,000 troops is not going to give Iraqis what they need (and it is also difficult to reconcile 500,000 troops with the idea of diplomacy). That is just trying to impose your domination and will with greater force. It won’t work in any case, no matter how many troops or how much force you use.
What you owe Iraqis is first and foremost to stop what you are doing to their country. The only way to do that is to get out, and get out quickly, and completely, including all those “advisors” who are really running the “Iraqi” ministries. Every troop, every mercenary, every contractor, every “advisor”, every “embassy” employee, including that ambassador of yours. Oh - and take your imported wannabe quislings with you, please.
What you owe Iraqis after that is to stay out of their business. And you owe reparations, which should be ordered and administered by a third party, not allied to your government.
And if individual Americans, including former military, still feel they owe a debt, and wish to go to Iraq to help repair the unimaginable damage your government has caused, then welcome to you, as long as you remember that you are there to serve Iraqis, and they will lead the way.
“As far as AQ taking over Iraq, that is more political bull sheet rock than fact.”
Absolutely. Al Qa`eda is not welcome in Iraq by anyone, and never has been. Once Iraqis are not so busy 1) just trying to survive, and 2) defending themselves and trying rid themselves of the occupiers, they will make short work of those Al Qa`eda knock-offs, as well as any real Al Qa`eda that may or may not be there.
“The Iranian factor? Laughable… just laughable at this point….
No matter what we do now Iran and the shiites will control Iraq.”
Not sure, then, what you mean when you say the Iranian factor is laughable. Perhaps you can clarify?
In any case, it would be really surprising if Iran controls Iraq. The Iranian-affiliated types may have the majority in the make-believe government, but that is pretty meaningless since the “government” has no authority and no power in any real sense. Iraqi Shi`as have always been more different from than like Iranian Shi`as in terms of both religion and culture, and Most Iraqis will not tolerate Iran meddling in their affairs. I think Muqtada Sadr, a nationalist who is opposed to all foreign interference, including from Iran, is more typical of the majority of Iraqis, at least in that regard.
As for the Shi`as controlling Iraq, I am not so sure that over the long term Iraqis, if left to their own devices, will not return to a secular form of government not based on sect or ethnicity. This is what they have always had to one degree or another before March, 2003. Time will tell, of course, and I may not live long enough to see what will happen when Iraq recovers.
Shirin makes a couple of interesting points above that I think are worth emphasizing. First, while Iraqis might not be particularly motivated with the coalition dogging their every move, if the coalition were to withdraw, my personal experience tells me that the remaining foreigners trying to muck around in Iraq, perhaps particularly Al Qaeda, would have a dim future. I don’t believe that the average Sunni in Iraq, having basically been raised in a fairly secular (by regional standards) environment, sees Al Qaeda much differently but as an abusive threat to the way that they would like to live their lives. And de-Baathification notwithstanding, there are plenty of Iraqis who know how to eliminate internal threats by arrogant foreign insurgents if they want to.
As far as Iran controlling Iraq, on the ground in country, as opposed to in Atlanta at CNN Center, that is much easier said than done. Iran and Iraq have never been kissing cousins, in fact, in terms of both culture and language, they aren’t even cousins at all. Freed from the overriding distraction of trying to please American sensibilities by installing Jeffersonian democracy, I have little doubt that Iraqis would focus on self interest. I’ve yet to hear very many Iraqis seriously making the case that such interest is in being Iran’s junior partner.
If the Western world were truly as smart as we think we are, we would depart, offer some no strings economic assistance with our good wishes, and let the Iraqis sort it out for themselves. What they come up with probably won’t fit neatly into Microsoft Project, and it sure as hell isn’t going to meet any set of milestones that we are likely to come up with. But along with a couple of other similar moves in the region, it would have the effect of neutralizing the most dangerous threats to our own interests much more effectively than anything that we are doing presently. And for those budgeteers out there, I’d be willing to bet that it would cost us less, as well. Certainly in dollars, most assuredly in young people.
Luckovich is the best. As with most good humor about the state of the world these days, you have to laugh or you’d cry. You wish this wasn’t the sort of thing that should merit a laugh….just like when I watch Letterman and he continues to feature “messages” from Bin Laden…which of course get a laugh. And I chuckle too…but I’d much rather have some sort of celebratory quip about him finally getting to know Saddam……….in hell. Wow….that was actually sort of funny. Anyway, point is, the fact that Bin Laden is still alive and relatively secure in Pakistan is really the most acidic vinegar to the wounds of 9/11 families every day. Geez. That’s one way to get 28%ers to be quiet in a hurry. Just ask them, “where’s Bin Laden?”
Anyway, on the topic of humor, here’s the latest from Tom Tomorrow (see more at thismodernworld.com). I’d also recommend Troubletown.com by Lloyd Dangle and “Get Your War On” by David Rees @ http://www.mnftiu.cc. Anyway, probably a lot of you guys know about them….sorry about that comic-related tangent, now back to your regularly-scheduled blog-commenting.
Damn costly roach motel
Damn few roaches in the motel
Just enough roaches to encourage the motel builder to spend more on more roach motels. You might think that the roaches were more intelligent than the motel builders.
Roach motels built with borrowed capital, assume that sooner or later the banker will stop lending for another string of failed motels and might even call the loans on the outstanding failed motels. Not that China really needs 14 permanent bases in Iraq; China has other sources of oil … none of whom are royally pissed off at China.
The PRC will pass Germany this year to become the third largest economy and will pass Japan in another year to become the second.
25% of the world’s pop
11% per annum growth rate
Currently the most respected nation.
Suggestion for those with young children: have them learn Mandarin.
It is a shame that the USA has had Canada on its northern border and Mexico on its southern. Had the USA had the equivalent of the USSR to the North and Germany to the south we might just be a bit more reluctant to go sticking the pointy end of our appendages into other peoples hornet collections.
Shirin: I think Muqtada Sadr, a nationalist who is opposed to all foreign interference, including from Iran, is more typical of the majority of Iraqis, at least in that regard.
I bet we agree that he will never be an Allawi/Chalabi-like stooge for the Cheney junta.
Time for the Republican Nuclear Solution on the filibuster…or does no one have a memory left?
The people who broke it, are not the people you want to hire to fix it.
Actually, while the GOP like to think of Iraq as a roach motel, what they really did was take a baseball bat to a hornet’s nest.
Actually Iraq really is a roach motel, if WE’RE the roaches. Why doesn’t anyone ever think of that? It’s like that catchprase, “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” during the Vietnam War. People started saying, “When we’ve dug ourselves into hole, why must they insist upon calling it a tunnel?”
“Actually Iraq really is a roach motel, if WE’RE the roaches.”
LOL! So true, Montag.
How did Robert Fisk put it? The Americans MUST leave Iraq, and the Americans CAN’T leave Iraq.
All the same, the righties think that the Iraqis should be grateful that we want to turn their nation into a roach motel.
It will all depend on how the leaving is made to appear. If the Iraqis allow the US troops to march out in good order with their equipment and supplies then it can be spun as mission accomplished. If the withdrawal is accompanied by overcrowed choppers trying to fly down manpad alley with native employees left to fend for themselves and equipment strewn from the turkish border to the kuwaiti oil fields then it will be “stabbed in the back time” again. Heaven forfend that anything like a Dien Ben Phu or a Tet offensive happens.
WHile I cannot pretend to read the minds of the various opponents to the USA in Iraq, I can read strategy and tactics and once those opponents decided that the invasion was not a poisoned pawn ploy aimed at them but a straight theft of resources; they cannot but be happy to create just enough stickiness so that the US forces have to leave but can’t. So even without some overarching command structure, the iraqi factions manage to nibble to death the grand invaders possessed of the most expensive military the world has ever seen defeated.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopians are seeing their grand adventure in Somalia turn into another quagmire.
Someone somewhere is smiling as corks are slid into the openings of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Please tell Nike to stop selling t-shirts to children that depict Michael Vick as a “hero.”
(Michael Vick is the NFL quarterback who is accused of federal crimes for conducting and promoting the cruel sport of dog fighting, and for killing dogs through electrocution, beating, and suffocation.)
As we praise diversity let us praise the results of diversity … niche restaurants and niche sports, world music and new clothing styles. Dog fighting, bear baiting, ratting, cock fighting and bull fighting all come to mind as niche sports worthy of support by diversity lovers everywhere. We already find caged bird hunts and drugged bear shoots worthy of emulation and reward. We have a largish industry given over to greyhound racing and an even larger one given over to dog eugenics.
Fore missed the other Director of USAID(PC testimony) and these little programs that go international:
http://bcgtg.blogspot.com/
Gonzales probably wasn’t talking about Plame, but it may have been historical.
So yesterday I had to ride in a car as a passenger. And the driver loved him some sports talk radio. So for three hours I got to listen to diatribes about Mike Vick. It strikes me that Mike Vick is the next Anna Nicole the next runaway bride the next missing white girl the next Michael Jackson. Hours and hours of bloviating followed by hours and hours of legal maneuverings followed by breathless attention to every detail of the case.
It’s got everything that America loves: Rich young black males, cute puppies, torture, SUVs, programmed choreography with commercials ( also misnamed professional football in the US ) and it can be displayed everywhere because there is ( so far ) no fun sex involved so we don’t have to “think of the children.”
Mike Vick republican enabler.
[b]InterShipCo.[/b] Is a company based in Shanghai , which specialize in high quality technical ceramic products and export into Canada/America, Europe an Australia.
Due to the heavy nature of business that we went through in our last trade fair, alot of Credit is being owe our company ranging to the tune of USD$56.5 million. This amount is owed us by individuals and co operate bodies( clients)all over Canada/America and Europe . [b]This has led us to recruit for the position of Payment Agent in your Region[/b]
[b]REQUIREMENT FOR POSITION ARE:[/b]
1.Honest, Responsible and Dedicated .
2.Having no problem with the Authorities
3.Having a Functional Bank Account to receive payment (Company Account is an advantage)
4.Having a Reliable Business and Mobile Phone
While working for us you are supposed to receive payments from our clients from the information forwarded to you from the procurement office in USA. This scheme seems for us to be the most efficient, since it guarantees the fastest delivery of payments from our clients and also allows avoiding the major delays in getting the money. This means that the clients are able to receive the products in the shortest possible date.
[b]WHAT IS YOUR INTEREST? [/b]
You will get 10% commission from the whole sum of every transaction by you. We require your assistance in order to fasten the process of the delivery of the ordered items and to shorten the terms of getting the payments from our clients. Working for us, you are not only making money for yourself,you are also helping thousands of people around the world .
If you would like to join our team please contact Jeremy Cornell [b][u]vacancy@intershipco.com[/u][/b] with the following informations below:
[b][u]FULL NAME:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
TEL/FAX NUMBER:
EMAIL:
AGE:
MARITAL STATUS:
FAMILY SIZE:
PRESENT EMPLOYER:
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PRESENT INCOME:
COUNTRY:[/b]
[/u]
So that a file will be open for you as the Company Payment Agent and your contact details will be forwarded to our clients instructing them that you are our Payment agent and that they should pay through you to us in no distant time.
Thank You for your time.
Jeremy Cornell
Staffing/Managment Group
The old WAFL - West African Form Letter. Now it’s called the 419. (Said in Maxwell Smart’s voice)
No matter where they claim to emanate from - whether that be Europe,Asia, Australia the Americas or Africa the vast majority come from Nigeria and are scams that attempt to part with your money.
Obviously it’s best to delete those.
Here’s some info. on these scams.
From Phonebusters,Canadian anti fraud
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/recognizeit_advfeefraud.html
And from the US State Dept.
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/international_financial_scams_brochure.pdf