Comments on: An Update on Iran and Iraq

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:49:56 +0000

Larry and Susan/all have you read this one

Conscript the Children of Politicians into the Military
The Prince Harry Solution

By RALPH NADER
http://www.counterpunch.org/nader03042008.html

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:35:51 +0000

Thanks

By: John Stanton

John Stanton — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:33:05 +0000

Read Trita Parsi’s book. It’s excellent and he is an eloquent speaker. His book is Treacherous Alliance – Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the US (Yale University Press, 2007)

He should help design new US policies in whatever administration we end up with.

http://www.tritaparsi.com/

By: CK

CK — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:39:09 +0000

The war and the economy both appear to be offlimits this go round.
South America will be offlimits too ( except for the requisite Chavez bashing ).
The need for a military draft will be offlimits.
McCain’s endorsees will be offlimits.
I suppose we can talk about imaginary health care initiatives, the rights of gay folks to cohabit with IRS benefits thrown in, and the crisis of obesity as long as HFCS is not mentioned.
Bernanke’s cluelessness will remain offlimits.
Whenever you are in doubt remember the famous political words of Barbie: “Thinking is hard.”
I believe the WAPO style page this week pretty much covered that.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:50:45 +0000

The lack of comments indicate that there are not many people interested in what is going on in Iraq and Iran, just the way the Bush administration likes it, well some of the Democrats too. (especially those Democrats who voted for that 2002 war resolution)

I am sure folks have noticed how coverage of the Iraq war has basically disappeared off of Chris Matthews, Olberman, Scarborough and the rest of the MSM. Matthews no longer interviewing returning soldiers, retired Generals, no focus on Walter Reed.

Al Gore and many others predicted this over a year ago when the campaign started. Wonder what soldiers in Iraq feel about this? We’ll never know since this issue has become “off limits” in the MSM.

By: HoosierHoops

HoosierHoops — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:38:56 +0000

IndyRobin
It’s good to see other Hoosiers here in support of Hillary..

By: TeakWoodKite

TeakWoodKite — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:32:17 +0000

Larry: Thanks for the informative heads up.

After watching the congressional hearing in the House yesterday, covering the “Future of Iraq Forces” agreement with Iraq and “Declaration of Principles” “draft”, we are in a very serious FUBAR bind.

A Ms Long ,undersecretary of defense and one David Satterfield, State dept “Senior Iraq Advisor”, were at the table. Mr. Satterfield did nothing but repeat the position that the AUMF is all this administration needs to use force anywhere on the planet for any “reason”, contrary to the constitution and the war powers act.

A sharp Congresswoman (name escapes me) from NY pointed out to Mr. Satterfield that at the same time this administration is cutting unconstitutional deals with Maliki government, the President of Iran is running laps on the red carpet. The policy of this administration, the Congresswoman pointed out, was bipolar. The committee got nowhere. It was so bad that Mr. Satterfield would not answer the question posed by the chairman. “Does the US Constitution state that the Congress has the sole constitutional power to declare war”?
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

By: IndyRobin

IndyRobin — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:15:41 +0000

ACTION ALERT … off topic but Hillarys Voice have issued a petition asking for Howard Dean to RESIGN
Please sign ASAP

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/65/petition-for-howard-dean-to-resign-

By: IndyRobin

IndyRobin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:49:27 +0000

Quick everyody … go vote for Hillary for Prez

http://www.kgwn.tv/index.aspx

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:33:24 +0000

Thanks Larry, informative article.

Npr’s Neil Conan had a great two hours on the situation in Iraq. General McCaffrey and Colonel McGregor on in the second hour. Even before the invasion you could hear how pissed General Zinni and others who had focused on “containment” in the middle east over the last 30 years were about the neo-cons regime change strategy
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=5

I often go read what Flynt Leverett has to say about Iran.

http://www.cfr.org/publication/10326/

By: Simon

Simon — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:31:37 +0000

Current Washington policy makers can’t get their heads around the multitude of factors that create a situation of this sort, much less assess their own contribution in exacerbating the problems.

It’s my impression they simply do not have a clear picture of the factors contributing to the unrest, or they, again, are not qualified to control the problems THEY created, and are panicking, striking out aberrantly, without thought.

It’s heartening, though, to see the LA Times recognize Cheney and Bush as part of the problem, not blaming Iran solely for assuming a rationally defensive posture, given the Iraqi invasion, and the mess in Afghanistan.

That’s refreshing, and a necessary change, for future progress.

The last thing the US needs is to be isolated in the Middle East, fighting the rest of the world, by proxy, for oil.

And on the news this morning, it was mentioned OPEC will not be increasing oil production, despite record high prices per barrel of oil.

Me? I’d call Putin.

By: jwrjr

jwrjr — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:28:13 +0000

The only strategy that bush has in the middle east can be summarized as: “start a war with Iran”.

By: CK

CK — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:15:22 +0000

Did I not notice the President of Iran flying into Iraq, taking that terrible highway from the airport to central Baghdad without huge military escort. Hanging around with the current rulers of Iraq for several days trading kisses and making deals and then travelling that same highway back to that same terribly dangerous airport and flying home?
Must have been an LSD dream for all the coverage the AIPAC media gave it here in the states.
I read the Gates story, but at least on this website the Greenspan story didn’t get much coverage. The fact that he told the Gulf States financial people to depeg, decouple their currencies from the US $ might have a few interesting political ramifications.
Especially considering that just yesterday the Gulf State financial people declined to come to the aid of Citi.
As some advice to the owners of this website and posters here, if you have accounts with Citi, 401-ks managed by Citi, or credit cards that you pay on monthly to Citi. You might want to head for the exits ahead of the rest of the hoi polloi. When Citi goes belly upwards, your accounts will not be accessable for a LONG period of time. The FDIC has never handled a bankruptcy the size that Citibank’s will be. A run on a bank is not such a bad thing if you are among the lead runners. It is pure hell if you are not.
Now for the rest of Ray’s article, the efforts against Iran are also crumbling with China and Russia. Lip service is easy to pay, China and Russia will say whatever they wish and do whatever is profitable and increases their security.
Germany might tag along with the USA, GB will as long as it benefits them. Japan is dependent for guaranteed oil supplies from Iran. And we all know how well the Japanese can nod and bow and scrape and politely not do squat that they don’t wish to. Ask all the American firms that are successful exporters to Japan — oh wait you can’t.
And how did that Boeing deal go for the tankers?