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genesis of disaster .....

‘This is a terrible story. Thomas Ricks, the highly respected Washington Post defence correspondent, could not be further from the grotesque antics of Michael Moore, yet his scrupulous account of the disaster in Iraq will fill the reader with anger. His research confirms how some extremely clever neo-cons in Bush’s circle were blinded by arrogance and ideological obstinacy. The degree of their irresponsibility, intellectual dishonesty, incompetence and lack of imagination is almost beyond belief. Virtually every decision they took has played straight into the hands of the West’s deadliest enemies.

The obsession with Saddam Hussein went back to the inconclusive end of the first Gulf war. George Bush Snr’s advisers believed that Saddam would be overthrown. They encouraged the Kurds in the north and the Shias in the south to rise in revolt, but not only did they fail to provide assistance, they did nothing to stop Saddam using his attack helicopters against them. The resulting massacres left a bitter legacy of anti-American distrust. The situation became so terrible in the north that the Americans set up an enclave for the Kurds protected by the US Air Force. Paul Wolfowitz, the leading neo-con hawk, was its most fervent proponent. Wolfowitz became carried away with the disastrously misleading historical parallel that Saddam was the new Hitler, and all those who did not want to overthrow him were appeasers. He failed to remember the results of Anthony Eden’s conviction that Nasser was a modern Hitler.’

Countdown To Disaster

the war lover .....

‘There is something important to be learned from the recent experience of the United States and Israel in the Middle East: that massive military attacks, inevitably indiscriminate, are not only morally reprehensible, but useless in achieving the stated aims of those who carry them out.

The United States, in three years of war, which began with shock-and-awe bombardment and goes on with day-to-day violence and chaos, has been an utter failure in its claimed objective of bringing democracy and stability to Iraq. The Israeli invasion and bombing of Lebanon has not brought security to Israel; indeed it has increased the number of its enemies, whether in Hezbollah or Hamas or among Arabs who belong to neither of those groups.

I remember John Hersey's novel, "The War Lover," in which a macho American pilot, who loves to drop bombs on people and also to boast about his sexual conquests, turns out to be impotent. President Bush, strutting in his flight jacket on an aircraft carrier and announcing victory in Iraq, has turned out to be much like the Hersey character, his words equally boastful, his military machine impotent.’

War Is Not A Solution For Terrorism

crying wolf .....

The bushit administration has announced that a “top al-Qaeda leader has been seized in Iraq” on 39 occasions ……

Here’s the list:

Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, aka Abu Humam, aka Abu Rana (9-3-06)

al Qaeda in Iraq’s “second most senior member.”

Mansur Suleiman al-Mashhadani (6-20-06)

Zarqawi’s “a right-hand man”

Mohammed Hila Hammad Obeidi (4-06-06)

“said to have close ties to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Abu al-Farouq (2-27-06)
“previously unknown;” “top aide.”

Bilal Mahmud Awad Shebah, aka Abu Ubaydah (10/14/05)

“Gatekeeper, Courier, Confidant of Zarqawi.”

Sa’ad Ali Firas Muntar al-Dulaimi, aka Abu Abdullah 10/15/05)

“Highly regarded” by top Al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including the group’s chief, Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Abu Azzam (9/27/05)

‘The No. 2 official in the al-Qaida in Iraq organization.’

“The top deputy to Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Mohammed Salah Sutton, aka Abu Zubair (8/14/05)

“A lieutenant of al-Qaida terror boss Abu Musab al Zarqawi.”

Abu Abd al-Aziz (7/13/05)

“Zarqawi’s ‘main leader in Baghdad’”

Khalid Suleiman Darwish, aka Abu Alghadiya (6/26/05)

A Syrian dentist…was described by Arab media as the ‘number two’ in Iraq’s al Qaeda network and tipped to succeed its leader Abu Musab Al Zarqawi.”

Mohammed Khalaf Shakar, aka Abu Talha (6/17/05)

“A top lieutenant of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Mullah Mahdi, aka Abu Abdul Rahman (6/4/05)

“Suspected deputy of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Abu Karrar (5/27/05)

“The Washington Post quoted a Zarqawi lieutenant by the nom-de-guerre of Abu Karrar as saying the Jordanian militant was shot and wounded in fighting with US forces near the western city of Ramadi.”

Mullah Kamel al-Assawadi (5/25/05)

“Described as one of al-Zarqawi’s top lieutenants.”

Agha Umar (5/25/05)

“A top aide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Amar Adnan Muhammad Hamzah al-Zubaydi, aka Abu al-Abbas (5/9/05)

“A high-ranking aide to terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Ghassan Muhammed Amin Husayn al-Rawi (4/26/05)

“A key associate of Iraq’s most wanted militant, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Hamza Ali Ahmed al-Wdimizyar, aka Abu Majid (beginning of April-05)

“Zarqawi associate”

Salman Aref Abulkadir Khwamurad al-Zardowe, aka Abu Sharif (beginning of April-05)

“Zarqawi associate”

Taifor Abulsattar Malallah (3/8/05)

“One of the ‘princes’ of Musab al-Zarqawi’s terrorist group.”

Talib Mikhlif Arsan Walman al-Dulaymi, aka Abu Qutaybah (2/25/05)

“Iraqi forces have captured a man described as a trusted aide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Mohammed Najm Ibrahim, aka Mohammed Najm (2/25/05)

“Zarqawi lieutenant”

Adel Mujtaba, aka Abu Rim (2/20/05)

“A propaganda chief of al-Qaeda’s frontman in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Anat Mohammed Hamat al-Kays, aka Abu Alid (1/28/05)

“High-level Zarqawi lieutenant”

Sami Mohammed Ali Said Jaaf, aka Abu Omar Kurdi (1/25/05)

“A senior aide to Abu Musab al Zarqawi”

“The ‘most lethal’ top lieutenant of Al Qaeda’s leader in Iraq.”

Ismael Jeddan (1/23/05)

“The raids also netted a man identified as Ismael Jeddan, an alleged associate of al-Zarqawi.”

Ali Hamad Ardani Yasin Isawi (1/20/05)

“top lieutenant”

Inad Mohammed Qais (1/20/05)

“The deputy prime minister for national security affairs, Barham Salih, later told a news conference that authorities have arrested a third Zarqawi lieutenant.”

Salah Salman Idaaj Matar Luhaybi, aka Abu Sayf (12/31/04)

“Zarqawi’s chief of operations in Baghdad”

Fadil Hussain Ahmed al-Kurdi, aka Abu Ubaydah al-Kurdi, aka Ridha (12/30/04)

“A senior member of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s network.”

Abdul Aziz Sa’dun Ahmed Hamduni, aka Abu Ahmed (12/22/04)

“Zarqawi-linked leader”

Hassan Ibrahim Farhan Zyda (12/14/04)

“An aide to Iraq’s most-wanted man, Jordanian Islamist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Abu Saeed (11/26/04)

“A lieutenant of Iraq’s most feared terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Nameless (10/23/04)

The US military has arrested a ’senior leader’ in the network run by Jordanian mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Omar Yusef Juma’a, aka Abu Anas al-Shami (9/25/04)

“A senior aide of the Jordanian al Qaeda mastermind, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

Umar Baziyani (6/4/04)

“A top aide of al-Qaeda suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi”

“His capture removes one of Zarqawi’s most valuable officers from his network.”

Abu Mohammed Hamza (2/24/04)

“A key lieutenant to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.”

Hassan Ghul (2/23/04)

“The letter was found on al-Zarqawi lieutenant Hassan Ghul, a Pakistani captured in Iraq.”

The letter in reference was a “17-page letter to senior al Qaeda leaders written by terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who asked for help starting a Muslim civil war between Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites.”

Nameless (4/30/03)

“An associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been captured in the Baghdad area.”

TV network garage for retired US top military brass

From Al Jazeera

When [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5BDF87FD-818F-4435-84DD-EF18297DD725.htm|assumption trumps objectivity]

By Habib Battah

Sunday 03 September 2006, 12:24 Makka Time, 9:24 GMT
After four weeks of devastating Israeli air raids across Lebanon, American news network NBC began its Nightly News bulletin with its anchorman, Brian Williams, asking: "Does the US really have any influence in this war?"
Hours earlier on sister network MSNBC, anchorwoman Chris Jansing seemed to be at a similar loss. "Can anything be done to stop the violence?" she asked.
But to an American audience, the thought of a Syrian or Iranian news anchor posing the same questions would be fit for a comedy skit.
After all, the Syrians and Iranians wield an obvious "influence" over the course of the conflict according to the NBC channels, which like CNN, Sky and many other Western new organisations reported relentlessly on claims that Hezbollah’s rocket imports were made possible through the help of its two "rogue" allies.
Read more at Al Jazeera

Unfortunately, the US president invented it...

From the New York Times

An Online [war]Game, Made in U.S., Seizes the Globe

By SETH SCHIESEL
Published: September 5, 2006
SEOUL, South Korea — At 10:43 p.m. one recent Saturday, in a smoky basement gaming parlor under a bank in this sprawling city’s expensive Daechi neighborhood, Yoon Chang Joon, a 25-year-old orc hunter known online as Prodigy, led his troops into battle. “Move, move!” he barked into a microphone around his neck as a strike team of some 40 people seated at computer terminals tapped at keyboards and stormed the refuge of the evil plague lord Heigan, fingers flying.
As Mr. Yoon’s orders echoed from speakers around the room, Heigan reeled under an onslaught of spells and swords. In six minutes he lay dead. The online gaming guild called the [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/technology/05wow.html?ei=5094&en=9d3b5750e6f5e8bc&hp=&ex=1157515200&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1157429251-S0FfU7/VA5nkb4r+Q/33fA&pagewanted=all|Chosen] had taken another step in World of Warcraft, the online fantasy game whose virtual, three-dimensional environment has become a global entertainment phenomenon among the cybersavvy and one of the most successful video games ever made...
Read more at the NYT
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Gus: could someone please invent a new game where one does not have to "kill" someone else, monopolize the loot or bury someone to win the "competition"?

a straw Vulcan man

Who Set the Wayback Machine for 1939?
By Eugene Robinson
Tuesday, September 5, 2006; Page A19

With George W. Bush [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR2006090400698.html|talking so much] about Nazis and fascism, Donald Rumsfeld warning ominously against lily-livered appeasement and Dick Cheney quoting Franklin Roosevelt on the "dirty business" of war, one might worry that this direction-challenged administration has wandered into some sort of time warp. Somebody's going to have to break it to them that Churchill and Stalin are gone and the Dodgers don't play in Brooklyn anymore.
Condi Rice seems to be the only one of the so-called Vulcans who missed the memo that it's 1939. When she made her obligatory pilgrimage to the American Legion convention in Salt Lake City last week, she referred to the enemy in the war on terrorism as "violent extremists," which sounds so 2006.

war mongers .....

‘The first drafts of history are fragmentary. Important revelations arrive late, and out of order. In this timeline, we’ve assembled the history of the Iraq War to create a resource we hope will help resolve open questions of the Bush era.

What did our leaders know and when did they know it?

And, perhaps just as important, what red flags did we miss, and how could we have missed them?’

Lie By Lie