Month: February 2008

Despite assertions by the George W. Bush Administration that the escalation strategy in Iraq – known as the "surge" – has been a rousing success, many of the problems of pre-surge Iraq still exist and, along with new issues, are exacerbating a tenuous political situation there. With the five-year anniversary of the US-led invasion looming, … Continue reading “Surge Exposing Iraqi Political Tensions”

As Eric Alterman has written, he’s the “journalist” of “perpetual wrongness” (as well as an “apparatchik” of the first order and a “right-wing holy warrior”). And for that, he’s perpetually hired or published: Fox News, the Washington Post op-ed page, Time Magazine, and most recently, the New York Times where, in his very first column, … Continue reading “The Lost Kristol Tapes”

He’s said it many times, in many different venues, and perhaps the words change a bit over time, and the cadences, too, but the message is always the same: "I think the pundits have it wrong. I think the American people have had enough of politicians who go out of their way to look tough, … Continue reading “The War Party Targets Obama”

How long will the American occupation of Iraq last? Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton figures at least through her first term, if she is elected. Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the deputy U.S. commander in Iraq, says five to ten years. President George W. Bush says at least a decade. Lt. Gen. James Dubik, head of … Continue reading “Operation Iraqi Occupation: A Decade, Century, or More?”

Updated at 1:35 a.m. EST, Feb. 15, 2008At least 41 people were killed or found dead and 56 more were wounded during the latest attacks, which included a serious bombing in Sadr City. No Coalition deaths were reported, but two foreign security contractors were injured during a bombing. Also, a British journalist held in Basra … Continue reading “Thursday: 41 Iraqis Killed, 56 Wounded”

BAQUBA – The Awakening Councils in Diyala province are stepping up their protests against the government in Baghdad. The Awakening Councils, or the Sahwa as they are called, are a mostly Sunni Muslim force set up by the US to draw in resistance fighters into their ranks, and then to help US forces fight other … Continue reading “A New Force Called Sahwa Shows Its Muscle”

Retired Air Force Colonel Chet Richards has published another short, good book: If We Keep It: A National Security Manifesto for the Next Administration. The “it” in question is a republic, which we are unlikely to keep since republics require a virtuous citizenry. But suggesting a rational, prudent defense policy for the next administration is … Continue reading “The Best Counterinsurgency: Unentangle”

Almost five years on from "Operation Iraqi Freedom," the neocon dreams of imperial conquest have hit the buffers. Despite the lies about the "surge" being a great success, Iraq remains in chaos: in the first week of February alone over 200 people have been killed in the violence. In Afghanistan the situation from the neocons’ … Continue reading “Europe: Divorce the US Military”

Updated at 7:20 p.m. EST, Feb. 13, 2008During light violence, at least 19 Iraqis were killed and 12 more were wounded. No Coalition troops were reported killed. In other news, the speaker of the Iraqi parliament is threatening to disband it over issues of distrust and ability to pass laws. Meanwhile, an interpreter working for … Continue reading “Wednesday: 19 Iraqis Killed, 12 Wounded”

As the ugly reality of what we had gotten ourselves into in Iraq settled on the national consciousness, like a viral infection settling on the lungs, the conventional wisdom was that the authors of this war – the political tendency known as the neoconservatives – were utterly and completely discredited. Where were the "weapons of … Continue reading “The Monster That Wouldn’t Die”