Our Ongoing Presence In Iraq

The NY Times interviews Iraqi Army officers who expect the US to maintain a troop presence in support of their efforts for years.  The Captain at Hot Air has more.  I will add that Obama's troop withdrawal is not really a full withdrawal; a significant presence would be left for training and support even by the guy who thinks pretends that "no US involvement" equals "end of the war".

Comments

[Danube of Thought]

The war is over. We won. If legislation introduced by Obama had been enacated, we would have lost.

[MarkO]

We won. Obama did it. Or was it Paris?

[bgates]

HotAir says Iraq is years away from being able to defend itself against another army. But what does that matter? Jordan is too small to invade, so's Kuwait, the Saudis won't fight anyone who's armed, Iran is their BFF because they're all Shia, and Assad would risk his standing on Pelosi's Christmas card list if he became as bloodthirsty as the President of the United States. What does Iraq have to fear? Is it Turkey? I bet it's Turkey.

[PeterUK]

"What does Iraq have to fear? Is it Turkey? I bet it's Turkey."

That turkey is Obama.

I wouldn't put to much faith in the Shia, Sunni dichotomy,Christian Europe had no problem with internecine strife.

[bgates]

Well, sure, Christians are famously warlike "Onward Christian Soldiers", "Salvation Army", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", etc. But Islam is the Religion of Peace. (Not just a Religion of Peace, mind, but The Religion of Peace.) Muslims would never kill each other unless forced by Jews. And they wouldn't kill anyone else, either, who didn't likely have it coming for some intolerable offense against Islam. Which is the Religion of Peace.

[PeterUK]

Ah,but they never say which piece.
Anyway Persians and Arabs have a remit to kick the shit out of each other.

[sbw]

I thought the turkey was fake.

[PeterUK]

"I thought the turkey was fake."

Exactly !

[PeterUK]

On a more serious note,an Iranian take over of Basra would tie in with Iranian objectives of becoming a regional superpower giving them a stranglehold on the gulf oilfields.Iraq and any remaining US troops would be denied a deep water port in such an event.

[bgates]

I gotta think "remaining US troops" would have a say in an Iranian incursion into Basra.

Actually two words, the second being "no".

[PeterUK]

"I gotta think "remaining US troops" would have a say in an Iranian incursion into Basra."

Under Obama,the six of them might not have any say in the matter.The Democrats have the presidency and both houses,they will declare another Vietnam and defund the operation.

[Danube of Thought]

As long as there's a US armored division in Iraq, Iran won't do Jack Shit with Basra. If the US gets out, it's an open invitation for them.

[Veeshir]

I'm all in favor of pulling all our troops out of Iraq. I say, some go west until they get to the Med and the rest go east until they get to Afghanistan.
Talk about visualizing world peace.

[Rick Ballard]

Hamdan Convicted

Is that the first military commission trial completed to date?

[M. Simon]

I gotta think "remaining US troops" would have a say in an Iranian incursion into Basra.

Actually two words, the second being "no".

I'm guessing the first word begins with an "F".

[Sue]

Rick,

I heard earlier today it was the first.

[MarkO]

Don't all sentences begin with "F"?

[PeterUK]

"As long as there's a US armored division in Iraq, Iran won't do Jack Shit with Basra. If the US gets out, it's an open invitation for them."

Wasn't the Obama plan to leave only support units in Iraq ?

[Rick Ballard]

Associate Pus on Hamdan

The Pentagon-selected jury deliberated for about eight hours over three days before returning its split decision

Why do I have this strong suspicion that AP is building a little meme linking "split decision" to appellate court splits? He was convicted on five charges and acquitted on three - AP does manage to squeeze that in below. I guess they just couldn't find the room in the initial descriptive paragraph.

[Danube of Thought]

He's still looking at life in prison.

[bad]

..Obama's troop withdrawal is not really a full withdrawal; a significant presence would be left for training and support even by the guy who thinks pretends that "no US involvement" equals "end of the war".

TM You are assuming this plan would still be the plan were he to become president. To quote Jim Geraghty:

"All statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date. All of them."

[bad]

Which is the Religion of Peace.

Or is it PIECES?

[PeterUK]

"TM You are assuming this plan would still be the plan were he to become president. To quote Jim Geraghty:

"All statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date. All of them."

Yes,but do the Iranians understand that ? The ad hoc megaphone policy making by Obama may be construed differently in Tehran.

[bad]

What is Hillary's plan for Iraq?

Hillary Rodham Clinton told a gathering of supporters last week that she's looking for a "strategy" for her delegates to have their voices heard and "respected" at the Democratic National Convention -- and did not rule out the possibility of having her name placed into nomination at the convention alongside Sen. Barack Obama's.

LUN

[Sara]

It must be very distressing to the naysayers to hear the Iraqis starting to refer to themselves as Iraqis rather than as Kurds, Sunni or Sh'ia.

Success breeds national pride which breeds unity which a functioning democracy-based country makes.

[bad]

The ad hoc megaphone policy making by Obama may be construed differently in Tehran.

They construe he is exactly the president for them.

[PeterUK]

"They construe he is exactly the president for them."

Obama is the 12th Imam?

[Danube of Thought]

Everyone knows that Bob Herbert is dumber than a post, but I hadn't heard that he apparently thought the McCain ad mocking his Berlin appearance was photo-shopped to put the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the background as some sort of subliminal phallic message. This is from Victor Davis Hanson:

"It's getting loony, but then who is to say that the Leaning Tower of Pisa might not really be the Victory Column?

"What was stunning about the NY Times' Bob Herbert's charge that the McCain campaign, in its satire on Obama's messianic sense of self, had deliberately inserted clips of the phallic Leaning Tower of Pisa and Washington Monument to drive home a racist trope about black men and white women was not just his embarrassing ignorance of architecture, or his infantile pop-Freudianism, or even his preemptory efforts to tie all criticism of Obama to racism and thereby stifle dissent. It was the sheer arrogance in the manner in which he persisted in his false points: 'An image right there... of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and ... the Washington Monument.... You tell me why those two phallic symbols are placed there...'"

[Danube of Thought]

"Success breeds national pride which breeds unity which a functioning democracy-based country makes."

It was not much more than a year ago that the spectacularly stupid Joe Biden--who always is described as having great foreign policy expertise--was recommending that Iraq be partitioned into three separate states.

[glasater]

OT--Austin Goulsby is on Cavutto saying how much the oil companies can make.

Sounds like anything over eighty dollars a barrel is 'windfall profits'.

Glad that's cleared up!

[Sara]

A little humor to brighten you day:

Al Gore’s Yacht Is Named “BS One”

Stands for Bio-Solar One.

[bad]

Obama is the 12th Imam?

In his mind he can be anyone he wants to be.

[centralcal]

DOT: we discussed poor Herbert in another thread a day or two ago, so don't know if a link still exists of the video -- but Herbert was positively demented when he talked about the two phallic symbols, the Tower of Pisa and the Washington Monument.

Quite a brilliant fella, that Bob Herbert!

[GMax]

We dont dare question AA do we?

[M. Simon]

If Hillary gets the nod there will be cities burning across America.

Look up Recreate '68

[centralcal]

GMax: question AA? eh! why bother? both Herbert and his fellow nincompoop, Eugene (fogot his last name) at the Washington Post have been around for eons, so I am sure they are AA.

M. Simon: I posted on the other thread that ABC dot com (politics section) is saying Hillary wants her name offered at the convention, just so her supporters can have their say with a vote before they move on to Obama. I can't stop laughing at our crafty Red Witch.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Obama channels Ted Kennedy (warning; you'll have to sit through a 30 second commercial to get to the Roger Mudd Moment).

[Jim Rhoads aka vnjagvet]

Robinson, centralcal. Sadly, that name is in my otherwise feeble memory bank.

Re Hamdan:

The press has started the predictable meme that the trial was (a) unfair and (b) a "stinging blow" to the prosecution and the Bush Administration.

Wow. This is so wrong at so many levels. This trial brought back memories of general courts martial I tried in RVN over 40 years ago. Recently, I found general orders on a number of cases I prosecuted and defended there. I was surprised by the number of "mixed" verdicts like the one in Hamdan.

I have always told everyone who would listen that the military juries I encountered in VN were the best (in the sense of producing legally correct verdicts) and fairest I came across in my whole career. Better than juries, better than judges and better than private arbitrators. They listened, asked good questions, deliberated and rendered their verdicts timely, but not like a kangaroo court.

In Hamdan, the prosecution got convictions on five counts of "supporting terrorism"; the defense got acquittals on three counts of "conspiracy".

Pretty good result for all counsel.

Take what the defense lawyers are saying with a grain of salt. It is their job to get Hamdan off and out of jail. They are doing their job well. But don't assume that every thing they say is factual. It's mostly argument.

[centralcal]

Jim: thanks for the reminder, I just went blank today.

[Jane]

It was actually a good result all around (at least politically). Balanced, presumably fair - and he can appeal. Sort of an initiative for defense lawyers who will be occupied for the next trillion years.

I'm watching hardball, and Andrea Mitchell and Clarence Page are simply shocked that the public might be getting sick of Obama's mug on TV. They are also all agog over Clinton's remarks that "no president is ready for the job".

Funny that the impact news has on them is so different from the impact of news on people here.

[Soylent Red]

"All statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date. All of them."

Obamessiah's real problem is that no one knows for sure what he will do.

Is he BS-ing the far Left and plans to follow the pragmatic path or is he actually as crazy as his policies make him out to be?

That's the problem with being a stealth liberal, and why his polling numbers are static.

For the record, my guess is c. None of the Above. I don't think he has an actual clue what he would do, besides whatever would draw adoring crowds to his events. Policy is secondary. This is about Him and His Self Esteem.

[RichatUF]

Jane-

I'm watching hardball, and Andrea Mitchell and Clarence Page are simply shocked that the public might be getting sick of Obama's mug on TV.

They probably had a few drinks before the show.

[Jane]

Boy that Andrea isn't aging well. Maybe that explains it. All that plastic surgery - such a waste.

[Pagar]

"If Hillary gets the nod there will be cities burning across America."

They burn them in Paris, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, anywhere they think they have enough power. Why would the US be different?

"Youths burned buildings and more than 500 vehicles in the eighth consecutive night of rioting."

LUN (Link under name)

[Rick Ballard]

Why is Edwards sweating?

And who took the pics?

[Ann]

"Everyone knows that Bob Herbert is dumber than a post, but I hadn't heard that he apparently thought the McCain ad mocking his Berlin appearance was photo-shopped to put the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the background as some sort of subliminal phallic message."

Considering that we all found out that Bill Clinton was crooked in more ways than one, hmmmmm... I think Bob Herbert was nostalgic for the first black president when conjuring up the Leaning Tower of Pisa phallic message. :)

[SWarren]

Dems call on Edwards to address the controversy.

LUN

[bad]

LOL Ann

Rick, cellphone through veil? lowtech lapel camera? belly button spycam? by friend of Hunter?

[Pagar]

Soylent Red, IMO, Obama is scripted every step of the way by his puppet master, there is no way whoever set this empty suit up is going to let him get off course. His policies are going to be what ever his puppet master decrees. Otherwise, why would he be looking at his teleprompter all the time?

[bad]

Here is a howler from SWarren's link:

"If there is not an explanation that's satisfactory, acceptable and meets high moral standards, the answer is 'no,' he would not be a prime candidate to make a major address to the convention," said Columbia's Don Fowler, a former Democratic National Committee chair.

High moral standards are a must!!!

[Jane]

This is my favorite line from the link:

he big media has tried to be responsible and handle this with kid gloves,

My gawd they are such hypocrites.

[Elliott]

by friend of Hunter?

Rielle-roaded.

[Danube of Thought]

"And who took the pics?"

My guess is one of those fiber-optic gizmos you can slip in under the door.

"...big media has tried to be responsible and handle this with kid gloves..." Sure. They always do, when one of their favorites is in the cross-hairs. How about the NYTimes's handling of the McCain "affair?" Kid gloves? (Or is the NYTimes perhaps no longer big media?)

[Soylent Red]

Pagar:

I don't dispute that when you cut the teleprompter umbilical, the Obamessiah is lost.

The real question is who drives the policies behind the teleprompter. Is it The One (PBUH) or is it Axelrod? Or is it some liberal element further in the shadows?

[Danube of Thought]

"'If there is not an explanation that's satisfactory, acceptable and meets high moral standards, the answer is "no, he would not be a prime candidate to make a major address to the convention,"' said Columbia's Don Fowler, a former Democratic National Committee..."

So I take it Bill Clinton will not be speaking.

[SWarren]

C'mon John, just fess up. Certainly your stellar ability to sway the jury can knock this out of the park. Wipe away a few tears as you vow to provide for this child and be a part of her life. Touchy,feely Dems will lap it up. All is forgiven, a standing ovation awaits you at the convention!

[centralcal]

So I take it Bill Clinton will not be speaking.

DOT: Laughing Until Numb!

[centralcal]

Rick: I noticed the sweat earlier today when the pics were first posted.

It is most noticeable on his neck as he draws the drapes (or whatever it is that he is doing in the photo sans baby).

[bad]

The baby looks adorable, even with low quality photography.

[centralcal]

bad: The baby is adorable. John Edward's other children, who were babies once, were probably equally adorable. That is what makes this all so darned disgusting. The kids who didn't have any choice in the matters of their parents, yet are victims of the public eye.

[narciso]

I'm surprised when any terrorist gets convicted; I shouldn't be, but after the failure of the Holy Land Foundation prosecution, the sideshow that was Moussaoi
and the unsatisfying Padilla trial; I'm naturally skeptical. How does some one driving around with SA-7s in the trunk; part of a terrorist organization, not in conspiracy by his own definition. I guess he got points for cooperating.

Came across Fmr. General Jerry Boykin's memoir. Was very impressed, not surprisingly
he debunked all the stupid 'holy roller' comments attributed to him, by William Arkin, including the quote given by that wretched piece of filth Aidid's henchman Osman Atto, which Arkin took at face value.
Of course, as the old line goes " a lie goes
half around the world, while the truth is getting his shoes on" Case in point, the latest thriller by Christopher Reich; which
featured actual terrorists being interrogated at the Far Falestin facility, Iranians actually building up their nuclear
program; at a Caspian seaside village called Chalus. But the Shmyalan twist is the
man behind the newly speeded up Iranian program is a thinly veiled caricature of Gen. Boykin, a rogue Air Force General with
a 'messiah complex. Needless to say, this treatment is fast tracked for movie development; whereas the previous work about Wahhabi Ilkwan from the tribe Utaibi acquiring a nuclear bomb through stock market transactions and intellectual piracy; "Devil's Banker" is in indefinite
turnaround. In other news that proves Hollywood's insanity "doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result"
George Clooney, the prince of Lake Como, has paid 7 millionn dollars (as Dr. Evil would say) for the rights to the treatment
of the story behind the Hamdan trial; where
the characters will apparently re-enact "A
Few Good Men" in reverse.

[bad]

Why is Edwards sweating?

He wears a t-shirt for missionary work...

[centralcal]

Narciso: Interesting about the Clooney purchase of rights for the story of Hamdan! Where do you find this stuff?

Today, all the news was about Clooney and Barry traveling to Switzerland for a fund raiser (after Barry's Hawaiian vacation). $10,000 per plate for dinner, 75 guests only.

[Rick Ballard]

bad,

Working himself into a lather over the opportunity provided by the the opening of a new missionary position?

I suppose that's possible.

[Sue]

I read somewhere today where the picture of Edwards standing was not taken at the same time as the one where he is holding the baby. I googled John Edwards under news and it was on one of the links. The blogger had talked to NE and they told him it wasn't taken on the same day.

[Larry]

"All that plastic surgery - such a waste." Posted by: Jane | August 06, 2008 at 08:21 PM The stage when her navel was in the middle of her forehead was the worst, but it's not so bad now that it's hidden in her hairline.

Where is Hit?

[bad]

Your phrasing is so much more elegant than mine Rick.

[PaulL]

$10,000 for a dinner? Somebody is making a windfall profit on that food.

[narciso]

I got it over here; href:<http://dirtyharrys
place.com/p=3496#comments> who in turn got it from the New York Post. The last time I recall, someone paying several million dollars for a screenplay or treatment; were the Shane Black back to back clunkers, "the Last Boy Scout" and the "Long Kiss Goodbye".
the last was the first film to suggest
'trutherism' before September 11th. Now the
'Devil's Banker' was optioned by TomCruise, back before he was manifestly showing
symptoms of crazy. The fact that Baer's memoir of the hunt against Hezbollah and AQ, turned into the incomprehensible
"Syriana"; which kind of makes AQ's argument for them, does nothing to reassure me they can get it right. The trailer for
Russell Crowe adaptation of Ignatius's
"Body of Lies" which features a race against time, to fight a Syrian AQ bomb maker in Europe, has turned into a DiCaprio vehicle,?(for someone who's supposed to look vaguely Middle Eastern)and two of the key characters who provide the hero's motivation were merged; thus jettisoning the entire third act of the story.

[Sue]

Via drudge...

FLASH: ANTI-OBAMA BOOK -- OBAMA NATION -- TOPS BOTH NYT BESTSELLER LIST/BOOKSCAN FOR AUGUST 17... DEVELOPING...

PELOSI FAILS TO CHART...

Poor Nancy. ::grin::

[bad]

..the picture of Edwards standing was not taken at the same time as the one where he is holding the baby.

Thats interesting. My first thought when I saw the sweaty picture was that he was in medical scrubs and had helped deliver the baby. Changed my mind when he appeared to be wearing the same thing in the picture where he is holding little Frances.

[Pagar]

Soylent Red, I thought for a long time it was George Soros, but now I'm leaning more to Fidel or Raul Castro.

[Ann]

Obama has collected over 400 million in contributions. We keep asking ourselves, How and From Whom. Read the following two articles when you get a chance.

Palestinian Brothers in Gaza Illegally Donate to Obama $29K, Says Reporter Aaron Klein

Obama site: Jews must be 'burned'
Anti-Semites congregate on candidate's official presidential campaign blog

h/t marklevinshow.com

[Sara]

Re: Plastic surgery.

Did anyone happen to catch the segment this afternoon on Fox with Barbara Boxer? I couldn't decide if she had been dragged out of bed and hadn't had a chance to comb her hair, or whether she was drunk. She looks absolutely horrible.

[RichatUF]

Going OT for a moment, but it looks like we may have a JOM reader over at US News and World Report. How General Petraeus Saved the U.S. Economy...
graf-

Instead, to quote a recent and much-overlooked Associated Press analysis, terrorists and insurgents "no longer have the clout to threaten the viability of the central government." Perhaps now the energy-stressed global economy can look forward to more Iraq oil coming onto the market, perhaps 6 million barrels a day or more in time as western capital pours in...

The Russian and Iran firm state supply dynamic that pushed prices up will work in reverse as KSA and Iraq (with much smaller populations and larger exports) get into a price war for market share.

[bad]

Gee Rich, are we going to hear about "war for oil" again?

[RichatUF]

bad-

Gee Rich, are we going to hear about "war for oil" again?

Yes.

[Porchlight]

Where is Hit?

I think he's on vacation, Larry. He is missed!

[Sara]

I saw a protest sign somewhere online that said, "no war for air."

[bad]

Beware!! Eloquence is contagious. Michelle Obama on Barack as an elitist:

"You know, this is the kid who was raised by a single mother, who didn't have access to many resources, who, you know, has walked away his entire life from lucrative careers to work in the community," she said of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. "This guy, you know... he personifies all of what, you know, we hope that our kids can be."

Link under name

[Larry]

Re Hit: Remember now driving family back home from Tx.

[Sue]

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/08/why-is-the-john-edwards-photo-so-sketchy.php>Radar

Most interesting, though, is the curious case of the Enquirer's "exclusive" photo. The blurry money shot, as it were—Perel calls it "the smoking gun"—is juxtaposed next to a photo of a man who is clearly Edwards wearing the same blue shirt. That photo, however, was taken earlier this year. The positioning of the two makes it seem like they were taken on the same day, a point that those who doubt the photo's authenticity will certainly pick up on. Perel acknowledges that the old photo doesn't "prove anything"; rather, he says he ran it simply to make sure that no one stumbled upon it and accused the Enquirer of using it to doctor the actual hotel pic. "We included that photo specifically to address that point, that in January he wore the same or very similar shirt," he says.

[Ann]

Hit's back and has been on a roll:

The Young and the Restless

Go over to Thevimh.blogspot.com and read other gifts from Hit. :)

[bad]

From Sue's link:

The Enquirer reports that the mystery donor who has been paying out $15,000 a month to Edwards' purported mistress Rielle Hunter and an undisclosed sum to Edwards aide and fall man Andrew Young is actually "a rich retiree in Dallas, Texas."

Was wondering what Ross Perot was up to...

[RichatUF]

bad-

The Obama Campaign is working overtime to plug up the holes in the biography campaign. Someone linked an article a week or so ago about how protective Alexrod & Co. were of Obama's bio.

Very interesting she left out the part that he was also raised by his upper middle class, white grandparents, went to an exclusive private school in Hawaii, was a Harvard legacy, and curiously, given a substantial advance on his first "autobiography" written when he was in his early 30's [for just being Barack Obama I suppose...]

[bad]

The Obama Campaign is working overtime to plug up the holes in the biography campaign. Someone linked an article a week or so ago about how protective Alexrod & Co. were of Obama's bio.

All this effort for a bio, not even a resume, just a personal bio. If thats the biggest gun in the hope and change arsenal, "empty suit" may be generous.

[ben]

"He's still looking at life in prison."

AP will spin that to "He will only be sentenced to half the amount of life sentences he could have received"

[bad]

Charles Krauthammer cautioned against pushing the "empty suit" meme today on Britt Humes show.

[BobS]

Hi, Gang!

[BobS]

IBD did an editorial on Obama's connection to ACORN the voter fraud group

[Larry]

Hi, BobS! The other night you said you were in NW Fl. I look out my back window, across the bay, at Tyndall AFB. Maybe we can do coffee some time.

[BobS]

Really!! Cool. I'm in Crestview and teach and coach at the HS here.

[BobS]

Errrrr...this isnt Larry Johnson is it?

[bad]

Karl Rove in the Wall Street Journal:

Then there's character. Mr. McCain is the most private person to run for president since Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s. He needs to share (or allow others to share) more about him, especially his faith. The McCain and Obama campaigns are mirror opposites. Mr. McCain offers little biography, while Mr. Obama is nothing but.

link under name

[bad]

Hey BobS

[Larry]

LOL! No. I'm a several year lurker, occasional commenter here. Come here mostly because this is where all the hot women are.

[BobS]

Bad: does that story have the part about the adoptions the McCains have done?

[Ann]

bad,

Why did Charles Krauthammer caution pushing the obvious "empty suit" meme? Is that like calling him "skinny". We all know how racist that is.

I absolutely find it disgusting when friends call me skinny,
..Ha Ha.

[BobS]

call me skinny anytime

[Danube of Thought]

I think Larry is the USAF grad who is still smarting about the serial losses of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the gallant Mids.

But even with his flawed pedigree he should never, ever be confused with the corpulent fraud Johnson.