Comments on: Things Are Swell in Baghdad http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/ Sun, 27 May 2012 12:54:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Tomas del Sol http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17240 Tomas del Sol Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:30:52 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17240 Barbara Tuchman's books should be required reading for anyone who needs to make foriegn policy decisions. Barbara Tuchman’s books should be required reading for anyone who needs to make foriegn policy decisions.

]]> By: Montag http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17223 Montag Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:28:52 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17223 Shirin, Speaking of incompetence, did you ever hear of the U.S. Army Camel Corps.? This was an experiment which was the brainchild of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis in the 1850s. Something like 100 camels were imported for use in overland communications and transportation between Camp Verde, Texas and Fort Yuma, CA. Although the camels worked fine, the long-suffering soldiers assigned to this duty hated them. The camels in California were soon sold off, but those in Texas were taken over by the Confederates when they seized the Federal assets. Supposedly they used the camels to deliver mail. When Texas surrendered in 1865, the Camel Corps. came back to haunt the U.S. Army, as the man holding the camels insisted they take them back, and billed them for their upkeep while in his care! These camels were sold off as well. Some of the camels were abandoned or escaped into the wild, leading many travellers who spotted them to think they were seeing things! A footnote to this historical footnote concerns the "camel expert" who was brought over with the camels, a man named Haj Ali. He remained in the U.S. and became so well known and beloved, (they Americanized his name to, "Hi Jolly") that I believe they put up a statue to him and the camels somewhere--which he certainly deserved. After all, if you think about it, Haj Ali was the most expensive immigrant ever to come to the U.S. Jefferson Davis of course went on to become the worst American President until George Bush. It's surpising that when his name was first put forward as Confederate President it wasn't received with hoots of, "What about the CAMELS then, Jeff?" Shirin,
Speaking of incompetence, did you ever hear of the U.S. Army Camel Corps.? This was an experiment which was the brainchild of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis in the 1850s. Something like 100 camels were imported for use in overland communications and transportation between Camp Verde, Texas and Fort Yuma, CA. Although the camels worked fine, the long-suffering soldiers assigned to this duty hated them. The camels in California were soon sold off, but those in Texas were taken over by the Confederates when they seized the Federal assets. Supposedly they used the camels to deliver mail. When Texas surrendered in 1865, the Camel Corps. came back to haunt the U.S. Army, as the man holding the camels insisted they take them back, and billed them for their upkeep while in his care! These camels were sold off as well. Some of the camels were abandoned or escaped into the wild, leading many travellers who spotted them to think they were seeing things!

A footnote to this historical footnote concerns the “camel expert” who was brought over with the camels, a man named Haj Ali. He remained in the U.S. and became so well known and beloved, (they Americanized his name to, “Hi Jolly”) that I believe they put up a statue to him and the camels somewhere–which he certainly deserved. After all, if you think about it, Haj Ali was the most expensive immigrant ever to come to the U.S.

Jefferson Davis of course went on to become the worst American President until George Bush. It’s surpising that when his name was first put forward as Confederate President it wasn’t received with hoots of, “What about the CAMELS then, Jeff?”

]]> By: mudkitty http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17199 mudkitty Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:46:51 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17199 We all know the surge is more like a splat. We all know the surge is more like a splat.

]]> By: Shirin http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17176 Shirin Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:23:55 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17176 Montag, Especially if they are Iraqi dates*! * Iraq is famous for the extraordinary variety and quality of its dates, and prior to the imposition of the sanctions dates were one of Iraq's major exports (Dromedary dates, an American brand, were all imported from Iraq). Montag,

Especially if they are Iraqi dates*!

* Iraq is famous for the extraordinary variety and quality of its dates, and prior to the imposition of the sanctions dates were one of Iraq’s major exports (Dromedary dates, an American brand, were all imported from Iraq).

]]> By: Shirin http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17175 Shirin Thu, 19 Jul 2007 06:20:06 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17175 Andrew, surely you have figured out that the rule in in this administration is the more spectacularly you f*** up the more medals and promotions you get. Andrew, surely you have figured out that the rule in in this administration is the more spectacularly you f*** up the more medals and promotions you get.

]]> By: AndrewD http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17171 AndrewD Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:06:20 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17171 Montag, I was re-reading Mark Bowden's book last month and that point struck a nerve with me. The resignation of Les Aspin after the 'Black Hawk Down' incident, painfully illustrates the different between then and now. At what point exactly, will somebody in this admin feel responsible for what has unfolded under their direct supervision. Where are the Les Aspin's of today? Montag, I was re-reading Mark Bowden’s book last month and that point struck a nerve with me. The resignation of Les Aspin after the ‘Black Hawk Down’ incident, painfully illustrates the different between then and now. At what point exactly, will somebody in this admin feel responsible for what has unfolded under their direct supervision. Where are the Les Aspin’s of today?

]]> By: bohewasp http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17161 bohewasp Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:32:50 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17161 Am I the only one waiting for a new false flag attack on America? The stage is being set with the sudden flurry of "gut feelings", national intelligence estimates, bin Laden's latest cameo, Arkansas yahoos saying we need to be attacked again to get everyone with the Bush program, Santorum's comments, etc. There will be an "attack" worse than 9/11 and some Iranian passport will be "found" in the debris of said attack. Then we'll be off and running, perhaps starting WWIII with a nuclear attack. Are we going to blog right through to the end? Or are we going to start screaming from the rooftops to stop this before it is too late? What the hell can we do? Am I the only one waiting for a new false flag attack on America?

The stage is being set with the sudden flurry of “gut feelings”, national intelligence estimates, bin Laden’s latest cameo, Arkansas yahoos saying we need to be attacked again to get everyone with the Bush program, Santorum’s comments, etc.

There will be an “attack” worse than 9/11 and some Iranian passport will be “found” in the debris of said attack. Then we’ll be off and running, perhaps starting WWIII with a nuclear attack.

Are we going to blog right through to the end? Or are we going to start screaming from the rooftops to stop this before it is too late? What the hell can we do?

]]> By: Montag http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17156 Montag Thu, 19 Jul 2007 02:03:12 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17156 Shirin, They probably just gave the "Senior Al Qaeda" man a fruit basket. Hey, for a handful of dates I'll sing like a canary. Some interesting developments. The Lehrer Newshour had a piece on the misbegotten V-22 Osprey, which will be deployed in Iraq in September. This is truly the gun that shoots backwards! You know those sophisticated "cutting edge" weapons that look great on the drawing board but are Hell to actually use? That's the Albatross...er, Osprey. I guess they thought U.S. soldiers had it too easy in Iraq, so they'd make it more interesting. Another point, you know those "impregnable" MRAP vehicles that they're all screaming about but can't actually get TO the troops? They're already coming up with add-on armor kits for them, but it's TOO HEAVY for the vehicles to bear! The troops don't even have them yet and already they're obsolete. We need to rename the Defense Dept. the "Day-Late-And-A-Dollar-Short Dept." Man, when Clinton's Defense Secretary Les Aspin refused to send tanks to Somalia when they were requested and that Blackhawk rescue went horribly wrong because they didn't have any tanks, he was out of there SO fast! Shirin,
They probably just gave the “Senior Al Qaeda” man a fruit basket. Hey, for a handful of dates I’ll sing like a canary.

Some interesting developments. The Lehrer Newshour had a piece on the misbegotten V-22 Osprey, which will be deployed in Iraq in September. This is truly the gun that shoots backwards! You know those sophisticated “cutting edge” weapons that look great on the drawing board but are Hell to actually use? That’s the Albatross…er, Osprey. I guess they thought U.S. soldiers had it too easy in Iraq, so they’d make it more interesting.

Another point, you know those “impregnable” MRAP vehicles that they’re all screaming about but can’t actually get TO the troops? They’re already coming up with add-on armor kits for them, but it’s TOO HEAVY for the vehicles to bear! The troops don’t even have them yet and already they’re obsolete. We need to rename the Defense Dept. the “Day-Late-And-A-Dollar-Short Dept.” Man, when Clinton’s Defense Secretary Les Aspin refused to send tanks to Somalia when they were requested and that Blackhawk rescue went horribly wrong because they didn’t have any tanks, he was out of there SO fast!

]]> By: rjj http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17155 rjj Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:55:41 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17155 Not sure how fast this has gotten around. At least it has been said out loud, i.e. in print. <blockquote>My suspicions have at their base the feeling I have that, given their operating style now, this bunch will not leave the White House easily in 2009.</blockquote> <a href="http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/OPINION04/707180321" rel="nofollow"> http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/OPINION04/707180321 Not sure how fast this has gotten around.

At least it has been said out loud, i.e. in print.

My suspicions have at their base the feeling I have that, given their operating style now, this bunch will not leave the White House easily in 2009.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/OPINION04/707180321

]]> By: PrchrLady http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17154 PrchrLady Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:37:08 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17154 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tTLmR1Dyo&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tTLmR1Dyo&NR=1

]]> By: PrchrLady http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17153 PrchrLady Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:36:12 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17153 well that didn't work, trying again <!--more--> well that didn’t work, trying again

]]> By: PrchrLady http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17152 PrchrLady Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:34:47 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17152 This is probably last post for night, but want to share this U Tube Video, which is on military response to DU (or lack therof same), not only did they lie to the troops, but think of all the people who live there, and will suffer from bushco. imhumanity for thousands of years to come.... we must find a better way. " alt="DU video" /> This is probably last post for night, but want to share this U Tube Video, which is on military response to DU (or lack therof same), not only did they lie to the troops, but think of all the people who live there, and will suffer from bushco. imhumanity for thousands of years to come…. we must find a better way.

” alt=”DU video” />

]]> By: Leslie http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17149 Leslie Thu, 19 Jul 2007 00:09:32 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17149 PrchrLady, I've been doing a little research into your cognitive/communication difficulties, which you've described in a few posts, and I may have found the cause in a recent Center for Disease Control report: <a href="http://www.smirkingchimp.com/node/7977" rel="nofollow">Bushie Exasperation Syndrome</a> or BES. Intelligent people are highly susceptible and it's also highly contagious. However, inexplicably, those with low IQs are immune. PrchrLady,
I’ve been doing a little research into your cognitive/communication difficulties, which you’ve described in a few posts, and I may have found the cause in a recent Center for Disease Control report: Bushie Exasperation Syndrome or BES.

Intelligent people are highly susceptible and it’s also highly contagious. However, inexplicably, those with low IQs are immune.

]]> By: Shirin http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17146 Shirin Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:31:06 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17146 Very eloquent rant, PrchrLady. And you are welcome to the vomitorium any time. Very eloquent rant, PrchrLady.

And you are welcome to the vomitorium any time.

]]> By: osama_been_forgotten http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/679/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17145 osama_been_forgotten Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:56:37 +0000 http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/07/18/things-are-swell-in-baghdad/#comment-17145 You know this "senior AQI guy" is probably some junior wack-job who's talking trash. Yeah right. He WISHES OBL had him on speed-dial. (And so does Cheney). You know this “senior AQI guy” is probably some junior wack-job who’s talking trash. Yeah right. He WISHES OBL had him on speed-dial. (And so does Cheney).

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