Declining Security in Iraq
Bush and Mailiki are scheduled to meet in Jordan next week. Certainly the purpose of the meeting is to try and derail the recent Syrian and Iranian overtures. But in Jordan?
After Condi Rice's last "surprise trip" was delayed from landing in Baghdad for 35 minutes because of mortar fire, I guess it's no longer considered safe.
Iraq is no longer safe enough for even a "surprise" visit. (But what will we do with all the $34.99 Turkey Dinner George Bush action figures?)
A bit more on the car bombs discovered in the Green Zone yesterday. They were discovered after a bomb partially went off in an armored car being driven by an American security guard. Another vehicle in the convoy was found to be rigged.
It may well be Sunni on Sunni in the Green Zone. The apparent target, Sunni Parliamentary Speaker Mashhadani, "On Nov. 1, al-Mashhadani had to be physically restrained from attacking a Sunni lawmaker."
And the deaths continue to pile up. Over 120 a day in October.
("The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad." George Bush, address to the nation, Sept. 11, 2006.)
After Condi Rice's last "surprise trip" was delayed from landing in Baghdad for 35 minutes because of mortar fire, I guess it's no longer considered safe.
Iraq is no longer safe enough for even a "surprise" visit. (But what will we do with all the $34.99 Turkey Dinner George Bush action figures?)
A bit more on the car bombs discovered in the Green Zone yesterday. They were discovered after a bomb partially went off in an armored car being driven by an American security guard. Another vehicle in the convoy was found to be rigged.
It may well be Sunni on Sunni in the Green Zone. The apparent target, Sunni Parliamentary Speaker Mashhadani, "On Nov. 1, al-Mashhadani had to be physically restrained from attacking a Sunni lawmaker."
And the deaths continue to pile up. Over 120 a day in October.
Iraq's civilian death toll has reached a new monthly high of more than 3,700 in October, a UN report said, as US President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki prepared to meet next week to review the situation in the war-torn country.
("The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad." George Bush, address to the nation, Sept. 11, 2006.)
posted by mikevotes at
8:11 AM
8 Comments:
The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad.
I guess we are screwed then. Oh, wait, I forgot that he is full of shit. (I try not to swear but my patience is wearing thin lately.)
By
Praguetwin, at 8:59 AM
That line jumped out at me when he said it because on Sept. 11 it was clear that Forward Together would fail and that we'd lost that "battle."
And, your frustation is shared and understandable. From his speeches and rhetoric, the President's understanding of Iraq has consistently been 6 months behind the reality.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 9:22 AM
mike, good points in your post... you've captured what has been rolling around in my mind as well.
Iraq is a cock-up, and Bush will go down in history as a major screw-up; an object lesson of "pride goes before the fall." You don't defeat hate and resentment by continually giving people excuses to hate and resent you.
By
-epm, at 9:42 AM
"It may well be Sunni on Sunni in the Green Zone."
I can think of a simpler explanation:
"It may well be Iraqi Resistance on Occupation & Collaboration in the Green Zone."
By
Anonymous, at 12:00 PM
EPM, yeah. He often says that history will judge all of this and that all the facts are not yet in. Sometimes I agree with Bush, although my interpretation of what that historical view will be is somewhat different.
Yeti, fair point. Mashhadani has been working to try to find a political solution and has been distancing from the Sunni insurgents. The parliamentarian he almost attacked is tied fairly closely to one of the major insurgent groups. So, it could certainly be interpreted as anti-collaboration. Still Sunni on Sunni, but a slightly different flavor.
I was just shocked that the attack would be staged inside the Green Zone, of course that would accomplish the dual goal.
Thanks.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 1:52 PM
I wonder who has access to all those vehicles...
By
Anonymous, at 2:54 PM
BTW, the election's been over for two weeks and Bush's foreign policy adventures have been going over like a pig roast in Ramadan.
So I have to ask... WHERE THE HELL IS CONDI? Really, where? Have I just missed all the Condi headlines lately?
By
-epm, at 3:02 PM
Romunov, that was what I was wondering. Was it smuggled in then attached? Or maybe done outside and not detected at the gate? A local employee servicing the vehicles?
EPM, She disappeared about a month before the election. She went on that high profile Asia trip but the successful result was announced by Hadley. Just weird.
http://bornatthecrestoftheempire.blogspot.com/2006/11/wheres-condi-rice.html
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 3:35 PM
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