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Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Middle East Imperative
Middle East Imperative by James Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, (Retired)
I wrote recently about the war in Iraq and the larger war against radical Islam, eliciting a number of responses. Let me try and put this conflict in proper perspective.
Understand; the current battle we are engaged in is much bigger than just Iraq. What happens in the next year will affect this country and how our kids and grand kids live throughout their lifetime, and beyond. Radical Islam has been attacking the West since the seventh century. They have been defeated in the past and decimated to the point of taking hundreds of years to recover. But they can never be totally defeated. Their birth rates are so far beyond civilized world rates, that in time they recover and attempt to dominate again.
There are eight terror-sponsoring countries that make up the grand threat to the West. Two, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan just need firm pressure from the West to make major reforms. They need to decide who they are really going to support and commit to that support.
That answer is simple. They both will support who they think will hang in there until the end, and win.
We are not sending very good signals in that direction right now, thanks to the Democrats.
The other six, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya will require regime change or a major policy shift. Now, let's look more closely.
Afghanistan and Iraq have both had regime changes, but are being fueled by outsiders from Syria and Iran. We have scared Gaddafi's pants off, and he has given up his quest for nuclear weapons, so I don't think Libya is now a threat.
North Korea (the non-Islamic threat) can be handled diplomatically by buying them off. They are starving. That leaves Syria and Iran. Syria is like a frightened puppy. Without the support of Iran they will join the stronger side. So where does that leave us?
Sooner, or later, we are going to be forced to confront Iran, and it better be before they gain nuclear capability.
In 1989 I served as a Command Director inside the Cheyenne Mountain complex located in Colorado Springs, Colorado for almost three years. My job there was to observe (through classified means) every missile shot anywhere in the world and assess if it was a threat to the US or Canada. If any shot was threatening to either nation I had only minutes to advise the President, as he had only minutes to respond.
I watched Iran and Iraq shoot missiles at each other every day, and all day long, for months. They killed hundreds of thousands of their people. Know why? They were fighting for control of the Middle East and that enormous oil supply.
At that time, they were preoccupied with their internal problems and could care less about toppling the west. Oil prices were fairly stable and we could not see an immediate threat.
Well, the worst part of what we have done as a nation in Iraq is to do away with the military capability of one of those nations. Now, Iran has a clear field to dominate the Middle East, since Iraq is no longer a threat to them.
They have turned their attention to the only other threat to their dominance, they are convinced they will win, because the US is so divided, and the Democrats (who now control Congress and may control the Presidency in 2008) have openly said we are pulling out.
Do you have any idea what will happen if the entire Middle East turns their support to Iran, which they will obviously do if we pull out? It is not the price of oil we will have to worry about. Oil WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE to this country at any price. I personally would vote for any presidential candidate who did what JFK did with the space program---declare a goal to bring this country to total energy independence in a decade.
Yes, it is about oil. The economy in this country will totally die if that Middle East supply is cut off right now. It will not be a recession. It will be a depression that will make 1929 look like the 'good-old-days'. The bottom line here is simple. If Iran is forced to fall in line, the fighting in Iraq will end over night, and the nightmare will be over.
One way or another, Iran must be forced to join modern times and the global community. It may mean a real war---if so, now is the time, before we face a nuclear Iran with the capacity to destroy Israel and begin a new ice age.
You may be one of those who believe nothing could ever be terrible enough to support our going to war. If that is the case I should stop here, as that level of thinking approaches mental disability in this day and age. It is right up there with alien abductions and high altitude seeding through government aircraft contrails. I helped produced those contrails for almost 30 years, and I can assure you we were not seeding the atmosphere. The human race is a war-like population, and if a country is not willing to protect itself, it deserves the consequences.
'Enough - said!'
Now, my last comments will get to the nerve. They will be on politics.
I am not a Republican. And, George Bush has made enough mistakes as President to insure my feelings about that for the rest of my life. However, the Democratic Party has moved so far left, they have made me support those farther to the right.
I am a conservative who totally supports the Constitution of this country. The only difference between the United State s and the South American, third world, dictator infested and ever-changing South American governments, is our US Constitution.
This Republic (note I did not say Democracy) is the longest standing the world has ever known, but it is vulnerable. It would take so little to change it through economic upheaval. There was a time when politicians could disagree, but still work together. We are past that time, and that is the initial step toward the downfall of our form of government.
I think that many view Bush-hating as payback time. The Republicans hated the Clinton's and now the Democrats hate Bush.
So, both parties are putting their hate toward willingness to do anything for political dominance to include lying and always taking the opposite stand just for the sake of being opposed. JUST HOW GOOD IS THAT FOR OUR COUNTRY?
In my lifetime, after serving in uniform for President's Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush I have a pretty good feel for which party supported our military, and what military life was like under each of their terms. And, let me assure you that times were best under the Republicans.
Service under Jimmy Carter was devastating for all branches of the military. And, Ronald Regan was truly a salvation.
You can choose to listen to enriched newscasters, and foolish people like John Murtha (he is no war hero), Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Harry Reid, Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and on-and-on to include the true fools in Hollywood if you like. If you do, your conclusions will be totally wrong.
The reason that I write, appear on radio talk shows, and do everything I can to denounce those people is simple. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR THIRST FOR POLITICAL POWER AND QUEST FOR VICTORY IN 2008 ABOVE WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY. I cannot abide that.
Pelosi clearly defied the Logan Act by going to Syria, which should have lead to imprisonment of three years and a heavy fine.
Jane Fonda did more to prolong the Vietnam War longer than any other human being (as acknowledged by Ho Chi Minh in his writing before he died). She truly should have been indicted for treason, along with her radical husband, Tom Hayden, and forced to pay the consequences.
This country has started to soften by not enforcing its laws, which is another indication of a Republic about to fall.
All Democrats, along with the Hollywood elite, are sending us headlong into a total defeat in the Middle East, which will finally give Iran total dominance in the region. A lack of oil in the near future will be the final straw that dooms this Republic.
However, if we refuse to let this happen and really get serious about an energy self-sufficiency program, this can be avoided. I am afraid, however, that we are going in the opposite direction.
If we elect( Barack Obama) and a Democrat controlled congress, and they carry through with allowing Iran to take control of the Middle East, continue to refuse development of nuclear energy, refuse to allow drilling for new oil, and continue to do nothing but oppose everything Bush, it will be over in terms of what we view as the good life in the USA.
Now, do I think that all who do not support the war are un-American--- of course not. They just do not understand the importance of total victory in that region.
Another failure of George Bush is his inability to explain to the American people why we are there, and why we MUST win.
By the way, it is not a war. The war was won four years ago. It is martial law that is under attack by Iranian and Syrian outside influences, and there is a difference.
So, what do I believe? What is the bottom line? I will simply say that the Democratic Party has fielded the foulest, power hungry, anti-country, self absorbed group of individuals that I have observed in my lifetime. Our educational system is partially to blame for allowing the mass of America to be taken in by this group. George Bush has done the best he can with the disabilities that he possesses.
A President must communicate with the people. And, I would tell you that Desert Storm spoiled the people. Bush Senior's 100-hour war convinced the people that technology has progressed to the point that wars could be fought with no casualties and won in very short periods of time.
I remember feeling at the time, that this was a tragedy for the US military. To win wars, you must put boots on the ground. When you put boots on the ground, soldiers are going to die. A President must make the war decision wisely, and insure the cause is right before using his last political option.
HOWEVER, CONTROLLING IRAN AND DEMOCRATIZING THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE ONLY CHOICE IF WE ARE HELL-BENT ON DEPENDING ON THEM FOR OUR FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS.
Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret. Lakeside, Montana 59922
'I'll tell you what war is all about; you've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough they stop fighting.' Gen. Curtis LeMay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments Anyone?
~g
I wrote recently about the war in Iraq and the larger war against radical Islam, eliciting a number of responses. Let me try and put this conflict in proper perspective.
Understand; the current battle we are engaged in is much bigger than just Iraq. What happens in the next year will affect this country and how our kids and grand kids live throughout their lifetime, and beyond. Radical Islam has been attacking the West since the seventh century. They have been defeated in the past and decimated to the point of taking hundreds of years to recover. But they can never be totally defeated. Their birth rates are so far beyond civilized world rates, that in time they recover and attempt to dominate again.
There are eight terror-sponsoring countries that make up the grand threat to the West. Two, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan just need firm pressure from the West to make major reforms. They need to decide who they are really going to support and commit to that support.
That answer is simple. They both will support who they think will hang in there until the end, and win.
We are not sending very good signals in that direction right now, thanks to the Democrats.
The other six, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea and Libya will require regime change or a major policy shift. Now, let's look more closely.
Afghanistan and Iraq have both had regime changes, but are being fueled by outsiders from Syria and Iran. We have scared Gaddafi's pants off, and he has given up his quest for nuclear weapons, so I don't think Libya is now a threat.
North Korea (the non-Islamic threat) can be handled diplomatically by buying them off. They are starving. That leaves Syria and Iran. Syria is like a frightened puppy. Without the support of Iran they will join the stronger side. So where does that leave us?
Sooner, or later, we are going to be forced to confront Iran, and it better be before they gain nuclear capability.
In 1989 I served as a Command Director inside the Cheyenne Mountain complex located in Colorado Springs, Colorado for almost three years. My job there was to observe (through classified means) every missile shot anywhere in the world and assess if it was a threat to the US or Canada. If any shot was threatening to either nation I had only minutes to advise the President, as he had only minutes to respond.
I watched Iran and Iraq shoot missiles at each other every day, and all day long, for months. They killed hundreds of thousands of their people. Know why? They were fighting for control of the Middle East and that enormous oil supply.
At that time, they were preoccupied with their internal problems and could care less about toppling the west. Oil prices were fairly stable and we could not see an immediate threat.
Well, the worst part of what we have done as a nation in Iraq is to do away with the military capability of one of those nations. Now, Iran has a clear field to dominate the Middle East, since Iraq is no longer a threat to them.
They have turned their attention to the only other threat to their dominance, they are convinced they will win, because the US is so divided, and the Democrats (who now control Congress and may control the Presidency in 2008) have openly said we are pulling out.
Do you have any idea what will happen if the entire Middle East turns their support to Iran, which they will obviously do if we pull out? It is not the price of oil we will have to worry about. Oil WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE to this country at any price. I personally would vote for any presidential candidate who did what JFK did with the space program---declare a goal to bring this country to total energy independence in a decade.
Yes, it is about oil. The economy in this country will totally die if that Middle East supply is cut off right now. It will not be a recession. It will be a depression that will make 1929 look like the 'good-old-days'. The bottom line here is simple. If Iran is forced to fall in line, the fighting in Iraq will end over night, and the nightmare will be over.
One way or another, Iran must be forced to join modern times and the global community. It may mean a real war---if so, now is the time, before we face a nuclear Iran with the capacity to destroy Israel and begin a new ice age.
You may be one of those who believe nothing could ever be terrible enough to support our going to war. If that is the case I should stop here, as that level of thinking approaches mental disability in this day and age. It is right up there with alien abductions and high altitude seeding through government aircraft contrails. I helped produced those contrails for almost 30 years, and I can assure you we were not seeding the atmosphere. The human race is a war-like population, and if a country is not willing to protect itself, it deserves the consequences.
'Enough - said!'
Now, my last comments will get to the nerve. They will be on politics.
I am not a Republican. And, George Bush has made enough mistakes as President to insure my feelings about that for the rest of my life. However, the Democratic Party has moved so far left, they have made me support those farther to the right.
I am a conservative who totally supports the Constitution of this country. The only difference between the United State s and the South American, third world, dictator infested and ever-changing South American governments, is our US Constitution.
This Republic (note I did not say Democracy) is the longest standing the world has ever known, but it is vulnerable. It would take so little to change it through economic upheaval. There was a time when politicians could disagree, but still work together. We are past that time, and that is the initial step toward the downfall of our form of government.
I think that many view Bush-hating as payback time. The Republicans hated the Clinton's and now the Democrats hate Bush.
So, both parties are putting their hate toward willingness to do anything for political dominance to include lying and always taking the opposite stand just for the sake of being opposed. JUST HOW GOOD IS THAT FOR OUR COUNTRY?
In my lifetime, after serving in uniform for President's Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush I have a pretty good feel for which party supported our military, and what military life was like under each of their terms. And, let me assure you that times were best under the Republicans.
Service under Jimmy Carter was devastating for all branches of the military. And, Ronald Regan was truly a salvation.
You can choose to listen to enriched newscasters, and foolish people like John Murtha (he is no war hero), Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Michael Moore, Jane Fonda, Harry Reid, Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and on-and-on to include the true fools in Hollywood if you like. If you do, your conclusions will be totally wrong.
The reason that I write, appear on radio talk shows, and do everything I can to denounce those people is simple. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR THIRST FOR POLITICAL POWER AND QUEST FOR VICTORY IN 2008 ABOVE WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY. I cannot abide that.
Pelosi clearly defied the Logan Act by going to Syria, which should have lead to imprisonment of three years and a heavy fine.
Jane Fonda did more to prolong the Vietnam War longer than any other human being (as acknowledged by Ho Chi Minh in his writing before he died). She truly should have been indicted for treason, along with her radical husband, Tom Hayden, and forced to pay the consequences.
This country has started to soften by not enforcing its laws, which is another indication of a Republic about to fall.
All Democrats, along with the Hollywood elite, are sending us headlong into a total defeat in the Middle East, which will finally give Iran total dominance in the region. A lack of oil in the near future will be the final straw that dooms this Republic.
However, if we refuse to let this happen and really get serious about an energy self-sufficiency program, this can be avoided. I am afraid, however, that we are going in the opposite direction.
If we elect( Barack Obama) and a Democrat controlled congress, and they carry through with allowing Iran to take control of the Middle East, continue to refuse development of nuclear energy, refuse to allow drilling for new oil, and continue to do nothing but oppose everything Bush, it will be over in terms of what we view as the good life in the USA.
Now, do I think that all who do not support the war are un-American--- of course not. They just do not understand the importance of total victory in that region.
Another failure of George Bush is his inability to explain to the American people why we are there, and why we MUST win.
By the way, it is not a war. The war was won four years ago. It is martial law that is under attack by Iranian and Syrian outside influences, and there is a difference.
So, what do I believe? What is the bottom line? I will simply say that the Democratic Party has fielded the foulest, power hungry, anti-country, self absorbed group of individuals that I have observed in my lifetime. Our educational system is partially to blame for allowing the mass of America to be taken in by this group. George Bush has done the best he can with the disabilities that he possesses.
A President must communicate with the people. And, I would tell you that Desert Storm spoiled the people. Bush Senior's 100-hour war convinced the people that technology has progressed to the point that wars could be fought with no casualties and won in very short periods of time.
I remember feeling at the time, that this was a tragedy for the US military. To win wars, you must put boots on the ground. When you put boots on the ground, soldiers are going to die. A President must make the war decision wisely, and insure the cause is right before using his last political option.
HOWEVER, CONTROLLING IRAN AND DEMOCRATIZING THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE ONLY CHOICE IF WE ARE HELL-BENT ON DEPENDING ON THEM FOR OUR FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS.
Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret. Lakeside, Montana 59922
'I'll tell you what war is all about; you've got to kill people, and when you've killed enough they stop fighting.' Gen. Curtis LeMay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments Anyone?
~g
Labels: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jimmy L. Cash BGen USAF Ret, Libya, Middle East, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
George S Patton's New Speech-Iraq & modern world
George S Patton's New Speech-Iraq & modern world (6:18)
Labels: America, Clinton, Freedom, George Bush, imitation, impression, Iran, Iraq, Jihad, Parody, Patton, War, World
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
IRAQ News Alerts by Google - 08/08/07
On Iraq, no better friend
Power Line - Minneapolis,MN,USA
The US, he insisted, should never pull out until we have real security in the form of an Iraqi military in control of the situation, something the British ...
See all stories on this topic
NYT's Baghdad Bureau Chief: 'No Doubt' Surge Making Life Better in ...
NewsBusters - USA
But Burns also thinks "there's no doubt" things are better in Iraq since the troop surge and that a withdrawal would make life "very much worse" there. ...
See all stories on this topic
Iraqi Leader Talks Security in Iran
Forbes - NY,USA
The Iraqi prime minister's visit to Tehran came two days after US and Iranian experts held talks in Baghdad on improving Iraq's security. ...
See all stories on this topic
Would It Take A Dictator to Stabilize Iraq?
IraqSlogger - USA
The re-emergence of a nationalist dictator could provide Iraq its best hope for stability, according to a number of scenarios proposed by a workshop held by ...
See all stories on this topic
Helping enemies in Iraq
Cincinnati Post - OH,USA
The Defense Department has no clue about what happened to at least 190000 guns - 110000 AK47s and 80000 pistols - that it gave Iraqi security forces in 2004 ...
See all stories on this topic
Iraq Says LUKoil Will Get a Fair Shake
The Moscow Times - Russia"Any rules are better than no rules at all." Analysts said it was not clear, however, to what extent the Iraqi government would welcome investment from ...
See all stories on this topic
Maliki arrives in Iran as US bombs Sadr City
Daily Star - Lebanon - Beirut,LebanonMaliki's visit comes two days after Iraqi, Iranian and US officials held the first meeting of a committee aimed at improving cooperation on stabilizing Iraq ...
See all stories on this topic
Debate on Iraq surge's effectiveness heats up
Christian Science Monitor - Boston,MA,USA
For now, things look much better than before. American advisers told us that many of the corrupt and sectarian Iraqi commanders who once infested the force ...
See all stories on this topic
Power Line - Minneapolis,MN,USA
The US, he insisted, should never pull out until we have real security in the form of an Iraqi military in control of the situation, something the British ...
See all stories on this topic
NYT's Baghdad Bureau Chief: 'No Doubt' Surge Making Life Better in ...
NewsBusters - USA
But Burns also thinks "there's no doubt" things are better in Iraq since the troop surge and that a withdrawal would make life "very much worse" there. ...
See all stories on this topic
Iraqi Leader Talks Security in Iran
Forbes - NY,USA
The Iraqi prime minister's visit to Tehran came two days after US and Iranian experts held talks in Baghdad on improving Iraq's security. ...
See all stories on this topic
Would It Take A Dictator to Stabilize Iraq?
IraqSlogger - USA
The re-emergence of a nationalist dictator could provide Iraq its best hope for stability, according to a number of scenarios proposed by a workshop held by ...
See all stories on this topic
Helping enemies in Iraq
Cincinnati Post - OH,USA
The Defense Department has no clue about what happened to at least 190000 guns - 110000 AK47s and 80000 pistols - that it gave Iraqi security forces in 2004 ...
See all stories on this topic
Iraq Says LUKoil Will Get a Fair Shake
The Moscow Times - Russia"Any rules are better than no rules at all." Analysts said it was not clear, however, to what extent the Iraqi government would welcome investment from ...
See all stories on this topic
Maliki arrives in Iran as US bombs Sadr City
Daily Star - Lebanon - Beirut,LebanonMaliki's visit comes two days after Iraqi, Iranian and US officials held the first meeting of a committee aimed at improving cooperation on stabilizing Iraq ...
See all stories on this topic
Debate on Iraq surge's effectiveness heats up
Christian Science Monitor - Boston,MA,USA
For now, things look much better than before. American advisers told us that many of the corrupt and sectarian Iraqi commanders who once infested the force ...
See all stories on this topic
Labels: Iran, Iraq, Iraq Surge Effectiveness, LUKoil, Maliki, Sadr City, Security, Surge Making Life Better
Friday, June 15, 2007
IRAQ Google News Alerts - 06/15/07
How can we best support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
How best can we support the military as they risk their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan? Is it simply a question of spending more money? ...
See all stories on this topic
Gates Makes Surprise Trip To Iraq
WCSH-TV - Portland,ME,USA
En route to the war zone, Gates said it "remains to be seen where we'll be in September" when he is to make an assessment of whether the Iraqi government is ...
See all stories on this topic
Pace Pledges His Best Through End of Term
NewsBlaze - Folsom,CA,USA
But Pace also told the secretary to do what he thought was best for the institution. "Whatever he and the president decided was going to be best for the ...
See all stories on this topic
Idaho National Guard Is Better Prepared For A Disaster
KIFI - Idaho Falls,ID,USA
After more than four years in Iraq, the majority of National Guard units around the country have less than sixty percent of the necessary equipment to ...
See all stories on this topic
Army Plans for Improved Health Care
Military.com - USA
Ritchie said long and repeat deployments caused by extended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are causing more mental strain on troops. ...
See all stories on this topic
06/17/07 LEFT/RIGHT: More is better
Sunday Paper - Atlanta,GA,USA
By Stephanie Ramage Last week, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, writing about a May 24 Muslim funeral procession in Iraq that was attacked by a ...
See all stories on this topic
All the fun of the fair - it must be Iraq
Guardian Unlimited - UK
Geoff Hahn of Hinterland Travel, who has been organising Iraq tours for the best part of 30 years, took a group to Rowanduz, Yezidi villages, ...
See all stories on this topic
Better Feral Beasts than Ignoble Lackeys
Washington Post - United States
Someone should remind Tony Blair that it was not the media but his government that "sexed up" intelligence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction ...
See all stories on this topic
War in Iraq may not be the best way to fight against al-Qaeda
The Advocate - Newark,OH,USA
Improved ties between al-Qaeda and the fundamentalist group Jaish-e-Muhammad in Kashmir opened the door to a series of bombing attacks in India last year, ...
See all stories on this topic
Improved care proposed for veterans
Miami Herald - Miami,FL,USA
BY DAVID WHITNEY
Legislation to ensure quality care for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was unveiled in the Senate Thursday, ...
See all stories on this topic
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
How best can we support the military as they risk their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan? Is it simply a question of spending more money? ...
See all stories on this topic
Gates Makes Surprise Trip To Iraq
WCSH-TV - Portland,ME,USA
En route to the war zone, Gates said it "remains to be seen where we'll be in September" when he is to make an assessment of whether the Iraqi government is ...
See all stories on this topic
Pace Pledges His Best Through End of Term
NewsBlaze - Folsom,CA,USA
But Pace also told the secretary to do what he thought was best for the institution. "Whatever he and the president decided was going to be best for the ...
See all stories on this topic
Idaho National Guard Is Better Prepared For A Disaster
KIFI - Idaho Falls,ID,USA
After more than four years in Iraq, the majority of National Guard units around the country have less than sixty percent of the necessary equipment to ...
See all stories on this topic
Army Plans for Improved Health Care
Military.com - USA
Ritchie said long and repeat deployments caused by extended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are causing more mental strain on troops. ...
See all stories on this topic
06/17/07 LEFT/RIGHT: More is better
Sunday Paper - Atlanta,GA,USA
By Stephanie Ramage Last week, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, writing about a May 24 Muslim funeral procession in Iraq that was attacked by a ...
See all stories on this topic
All the fun of the fair - it must be Iraq
Guardian Unlimited - UK
Geoff Hahn of Hinterland Travel, who has been organising Iraq tours for the best part of 30 years, took a group to Rowanduz, Yezidi villages, ...
See all stories on this topic
Better Feral Beasts than Ignoble Lackeys
Washington Post - United States
Someone should remind Tony Blair that it was not the media but his government that "sexed up" intelligence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction ...
See all stories on this topic
War in Iraq may not be the best way to fight against al-Qaeda
The Advocate - Newark,OH,USA
Improved ties between al-Qaeda and the fundamentalist group Jaish-e-Muhammad in Kashmir opened the door to a series of bombing attacks in India last year, ...
See all stories on this topic
Improved care proposed for veterans
Miami Herald - Miami,FL,USA
BY DAVID WHITNEY
Legislation to ensure quality care for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was unveiled in the Senate Thursday, ...
See all stories on this topic
Labels: Afghanistan, Gates, Idaho National Guard, Iraq, Pace, WCSH-TV
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
IRAQ Google News Alerts - 05/09/07
Google News Alerts
Situation in Iraq improving, says Cheney
Malaysia Sun - MalaysiaAll the Iraqi leaders who met with Cheney Wednesday noted the turnaround in Iraq’s Anbar province, where citizens previously aligned with enemy fighters now ...
See all stories on this topic
Grim evolution in Iraq: Better chances to save soldiers but more ...
North County Times - Escondido,CA,USAThe drama to save their lives -- played out in emergency rooms filled with injured US troops as well as Iraqi forces and civilians -- was another glimpse of ...
See all stories on this topic
The Best of Enemies?
Reason Online - Los Angeles,CA,USA Reason: Last week in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt, at a conference on Iraq, Iranian and American officials spoke very briefly. Has the ball of better relations ...
See all stories on this topic
Diplomacy is the best option
Gulf News - Dubai,United Arab EmiratesIt happened in 1990, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and in 2003, shortly before the US invaded Iraq. US officials claim Cheney wants to urge the allies ...
See all stories on this topic
8th Annual Save The Children Report Indicates Egypt's Progress ...
AHN - USAWestport, CT (AHN) - The saving of lives of children ages 5 and under have progressed in Egypt, while those in Iraq are rapidly declining, according to the ...
See all stories on this topic
VA Should Institute Better Claims Process for PTSD, Study Finds
Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USAThe 17-member advisory commission will be composed of veterans from the first Gulf War and veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to ...
See all stories on this topic
Situation in Iraq improving, says Cheney
Malaysia Sun - MalaysiaAll the Iraqi leaders who met with Cheney Wednesday noted the turnaround in Iraq’s Anbar province, where citizens previously aligned with enemy fighters now ...
See all stories on this topic
Grim evolution in Iraq: Better chances to save soldiers but more ...
North County Times - Escondido,CA,USAThe drama to save their lives -- played out in emergency rooms filled with injured US troops as well as Iraqi forces and civilians -- was another glimpse of ...
See all stories on this topic
The Best of Enemies?
Reason Online - Los Angeles,CA,USA Reason: Last week in Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt, at a conference on Iraq, Iranian and American officials spoke very briefly. Has the ball of better relations ...
See all stories on this topic
Diplomacy is the best option
Gulf News - Dubai,United Arab EmiratesIt happened in 1990, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and in 2003, shortly before the US invaded Iraq. US officials claim Cheney wants to urge the allies ...
See all stories on this topic
8th Annual Save The Children Report Indicates Egypt's Progress ...
AHN - USAWestport, CT (AHN) - The saving of lives of children ages 5 and under have progressed in Egypt, while those in Iraq are rapidly declining, according to the ...
See all stories on this topic
VA Should Institute Better Claims Process for PTSD, Study Finds
Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USAThe 17-member advisory commission will be composed of veterans from the first Gulf War and veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to ...
See all stories on this topic
Labels: best, better, improved, improving, Iraq, Iraqi
Friday, April 13, 2007
Good News From "Over There" by DVIDS 04/13/07
"'Grey Wolf' Soldier Rescues Buddies From IED Blast"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9884
"Engineer Adds War Zone Experience to Life of Service"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9885
"U.S. Service Members Mentor Afghan National Air Corps "
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9886
"MASS-1 Marines Dedicate Command Post to Fallen Comrade"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9887
"Brothers Get Helping Hand to Spend Day Together in Iraq"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9889
"Paratroopers Rid Ad Dawr of Insurgents"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9891
"Reading Airspace in Ones and Zeros, One Marine Makes..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9897
"AED Holds Contractors' Open House"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9899
"Emergency Medical Technicians Perform Life-saving Job"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9900
"Leading the Way: ANA Graduates 86 From Pre-NCO Course"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9903
"'Grey Wolf' Entertained by Three Wild Comedians"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9907
"Former Special Forces Medic Trains Troops to Survive..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9910
"War Game Helps Equip Staff Academy Students for Comb..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9911
"Okinawa Staff Academy Marine Named Corps' Instructor..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9912
"MCBJ Firefighters Test Cliff Rescue Techniques"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9914
"Marines Prep for Afghanistan Deployment"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9916
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9884
"Engineer Adds War Zone Experience to Life of Service"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9885
"U.S. Service Members Mentor Afghan National Air Corps "
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9886
"MASS-1 Marines Dedicate Command Post to Fallen Comrade"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9887
"Brothers Get Helping Hand to Spend Day Together in Iraq"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9889
"Paratroopers Rid Ad Dawr of Insurgents"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9891
"Reading Airspace in Ones and Zeros, One Marine Makes..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9897
"AED Holds Contractors' Open House"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9899
"Emergency Medical Technicians Perform Life-saving Job"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9900
"Leading the Way: ANA Graduates 86 From Pre-NCO Course"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9903
"'Grey Wolf' Entertained by Three Wild Comedians"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9907
"Former Special Forces Medic Trains Troops to Survive..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9910
"War Game Helps Equip Staff Academy Students for Comb..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9911
"Okinawa Staff Academy Marine Named Corps' Instructor..."
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9912
"MCBJ Firefighters Test Cliff Rescue Techniques"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9914
"Marines Prep for Afghanistan Deployment"
Can be viewed at... http://www.dvidshub.net/index.php?script=news/news_show.php&id=9916
Labels: 27th Engineers, Ad Dawr, AED, Afghan Government, ANA, EMT's, Grey Wolf, IED, Iraq, Marines, MASS-1, MCBJ Firefighters, Okinawa
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Active-duty troops petition to end withdrawal plans
By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
European edition
Friday, March 2, 2007
WASHINGTON — A campaign by active-duty troops asking Congress to drop plans for a withdrawal from Iraq has collected more than 1,200 signatures in its first few weeks.
The “Appeal for Courage” — which reads as a response to the anti-war “Appeal for Redress” presented to Congress last month — has been circulating both at bases in Iraq and online though military blog sites.
Organizer Lt. Jason Nichols, a 33-year-old naval projects officer who has been in Baghdad since mid-January, said the goal is to keep lawmakers focused on letting the military finish its mission in Iraq, and not prematurely declare failure.
“The primary military lesson of Vietnam was that you could win a war on the battlefield, but lose it at home,” he said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes. “We feel that although there are still tough days ahead, we are going to win the war in Iraq as long as we are allowed to stay until our job is done.”
The appeal, available at www.appealforcourage.org, calls for Congress “to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat.” It calls the war in Iraq a necessary and just cause, and asks lawmakers to actively oppose “media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home.”
Nichols, who joined with Vietnam veteran Larry Vandergrif and Vets for Victory on the campaign, said not enough media attention has been paid to troops who support the fight in Iraq.
“The vast majority of fellow military members I communicate with feel we can win this war and that calls for withdrawal are premature,” he said.
Last year a group of active-duty troops collected more than 1,000 signatures calling for an end to operations in Iraq, saying that military operations “will not work.” The group said more than 60 percent of those who signed had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Nichols said so far around half of his signers have served downrange. Two-thirds are enlisted, and about one-quarter are E-5s and E-6s.
“I think a lot of servicemembers are greatly frustrated by how negatively they see their efforts portrayed and are relieved to have a means to communicate their support for completing the mission successfully,” he said.
Organizers of both appeals said that participating troops are protected from reprisals by commanders Defense Department regulations, which allow troops to submit any grievance directly to Congress.
Stars and Stripes
European edition
Friday, March 2, 2007
WASHINGTON — A campaign by active-duty troops asking Congress to drop plans for a withdrawal from Iraq has collected more than 1,200 signatures in its first few weeks.
The “Appeal for Courage” — which reads as a response to the anti-war “Appeal for Redress” presented to Congress last month — has been circulating both at bases in Iraq and online though military blog sites.
Organizer Lt. Jason Nichols, a 33-year-old naval projects officer who has been in Baghdad since mid-January, said the goal is to keep lawmakers focused on letting the military finish its mission in Iraq, and not prematurely declare failure.
“The primary military lesson of Vietnam was that you could win a war on the battlefield, but lose it at home,” he said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes. “We feel that although there are still tough days ahead, we are going to win the war in Iraq as long as we are allowed to stay until our job is done.”
The appeal, available at www.appealforcourage.org, calls for Congress “to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat.” It calls the war in Iraq a necessary and just cause, and asks lawmakers to actively oppose “media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home.”
Nichols, who joined with Vietnam veteran Larry Vandergrif and Vets for Victory on the campaign, said not enough media attention has been paid to troops who support the fight in Iraq.
“The vast majority of fellow military members I communicate with feel we can win this war and that calls for withdrawal are premature,” he said.
Last year a group of active-duty troops collected more than 1,000 signatures calling for an end to operations in Iraq, saying that military operations “will not work.” The group said more than 60 percent of those who signed had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Nichols said so far around half of his signers have served downrange. Two-thirds are enlisted, and about one-quarter are E-5s and E-6s.
“I think a lot of servicemembers are greatly frustrated by how negatively they see their efforts portrayed and are relieved to have a means to communicate their support for completing the mission successfully,” he said.
Organizers of both appeals said that participating troops are protected from reprisals by commanders Defense Department regulations, which allow troops to submit any grievance directly to Congress.
© 2006 Stars and Stripes. All Rights Reserved.
Labels: Appeal for Courage, Baghdad, Congress, Iraq, LT Jason Nichols USN, Stars and Stripes, withdrawal
Friday, February 23, 2007
Behind the Sunni-Shi'ite Divide
Behind the Sunni-Shi'ite Divide
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007
By BOBBY GHOSH / BAGHDAD
"...I. ORIGINS
ISLAM'S SCHISM BEGAN IN A.D. 632, immediately after the Prophet Muhammad died without naming a successor as leader of the new Muslim flock. Some of his followers believed the role of Caliph, or viceroy of God, should be passed down Muhammad's bloodline, starting with his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib. But the majority backed the Prophet's friend Abu Bakr, who duly became Caliph. Ali would eventually become the fourth Caliph before being murdered in A.D. 661 by a heretic near Kufa, now in Iraq. The succession was once again disputed, and this time it led to a formal split. The majority backed the claim of Mu'awiyah, Governor of Syria, and his son Yazid. Ali's supporters, who would eventually be known collectively as Shi'at Ali, or partisans of Ali, agitated for his son Hussein. When the two sides met on a battlefield near modern Karbala on Oct. 10, 680, Hussein was killed and decapitated. But rather than nipping the Shi'ite movement in the bud, his death gave it a martyr. In Shi'ite eyes, Hussein is a just and humane figure who stood up to a mighty oppressor. The annual mourning of Hussein's death, known as Ashura, is the most poignant and spectacular of Shi'ite ceremonies: the faithful march in the streets, beating their chests and crying in sorrow. The extremely devout flagellate themselves with swords and whips.
Those loyal to Mu'awiyah and his successors as Caliph would eventually be known as Sunnis, meaning followers of the Sunnah, or Way, of the Prophet. Since the Caliph was often the political head of the Islamic empire as well as its religious leader, imperial patronage helped make Sunni Islam the dominant sect. Today about 90% of Muslims worldwide are Sunnis. But Shi'ism would always attract some of those who felt oppressed by the empire. Shi'ites continued to venerate the Imams, or the descendants of the Prophet, until the 12th Imam, Mohammed al-Mahdi (the Guided One), who disappeared in the 9th century at the location of the Samarra shrine in Iraq. Mainstream Shi'ites believe that al-Mahdi is mystically hidden and will emerge on an unspecified date to usher in a reign of justice.
Shi'ites soon formed the majority in the areas that would become the modern states of Iraq, Iran, Bahrain and Azerbaijan. There are also significant Shi'ite minorities in other Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Pakistan. Crucially, Shi'ites outnumber Sunnis in the Middle East's major oil-producing regions--not only Iran and Iraq but also eastern Saudi Arabia. But outside Iran, Sunnis have historically had a lock on political power, even where Shi'ites have the numerical advantage. (The one place where the opposite holds true is modern Syria, which is mostly Sunni but since 1970 has been ruled by a small Shi'ite subsect known as the Alawites.) Sunni rulers maintained their monopoly on power by excluding Shi'ites from the military and bureaucracy; for much of Islamic history, a ruling Sunni élite treated Shi'ites as an underclass, limited to manual labor and denied a fair share of state resources.
The rulers used religious arguments to justify oppression. Shi'ites, they said, were not genuine Muslims but heretics. Devised for political convenience, this view of Shi'ites solidified into institutionalized prejudice. Sunnis likened reverence for the Prophet's bloodline and the Shi'ites' fondness for portraits of some of the Imams to the sin of idolatry. Shi'ite rituals, especially the self-flagellation during Ashura, were derided as pagan. Many rulers forbade such ceremonies, fearing that large gatherings would quickly turn into political uprisings. (Ashura was banned during most of Saddam Hussein's rule and resumed only after his downfall in 2003.) "For Shi'ites, Sunni rule has been like living under apartheid," says Vali Nasr, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future.
But religious repression was uneven. Sunni Caliphs in Baghdad tolerated and sometimes contributed to the development of Najaf and Karbala as the most important centers of Shi'ite learning. Shi'ite ayatullahs, as long as they refrained from open defiance of the ruling élite, could run seminaries and collect tithes from their followers. The shrines of Shi'ite Imams in Najaf, Karbala, Samarra and Khadamiya were allowed to become magnets for pilgrimage.
Sectarian relations worsened in the 16th century. By then the seat of Sunni power had moved to Istanbul. When the Turkish Sunni Ottomans fought a series of wars with the Shi'ite Safavids of Persia, the Arabs caught in between were sometimes obliged to take sides. Sectarian suspicions planted then have never fully subsided, and Sunni Arabs still pejoratively label Shi'ites as "Persians" or "Safavis." The Ottomans eventually won control of the Arab territories and cemented Sunni dominance. The British, the next power in the Middle East, did nothing to change the equation. In the settlement after World War I, they handed the newly created states of Iraq and Bahrain, both with Shi'ite majorities, to Sunni monarchs...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above is an portion of an article in the March 5 issue of TIME.
Over the last few years, I have spent many hours trying to get my mind around the conflict between the Shi'ite and the Sunni. TIME has a very, very good article that is the best I have read. I highly recommend the article to each and everyone. The article is a long one, but packed with information that is critical to understanding the problems faced in creating a government formed by the two factions with the additional problems brought to the table by the Curds.
You really should get the magazine, and read the full article.
~G
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007
By BOBBY GHOSH / BAGHDAD
"...I. ORIGINS
ISLAM'S SCHISM BEGAN IN A.D. 632, immediately after the Prophet Muhammad died without naming a successor as leader of the new Muslim flock. Some of his followers believed the role of Caliph, or viceroy of God, should be passed down Muhammad's bloodline, starting with his cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib. But the majority backed the Prophet's friend Abu Bakr, who duly became Caliph. Ali would eventually become the fourth Caliph before being murdered in A.D. 661 by a heretic near Kufa, now in Iraq. The succession was once again disputed, and this time it led to a formal split. The majority backed the claim of Mu'awiyah, Governor of Syria, and his son Yazid. Ali's supporters, who would eventually be known collectively as Shi'at Ali, or partisans of Ali, agitated for his son Hussein. When the two sides met on a battlefield near modern Karbala on Oct. 10, 680, Hussein was killed and decapitated. But rather than nipping the Shi'ite movement in the bud, his death gave it a martyr. In Shi'ite eyes, Hussein is a just and humane figure who stood up to a mighty oppressor. The annual mourning of Hussein's death, known as Ashura, is the most poignant and spectacular of Shi'ite ceremonies: the faithful march in the streets, beating their chests and crying in sorrow. The extremely devout flagellate themselves with swords and whips.
Those loyal to Mu'awiyah and his successors as Caliph would eventually be known as Sunnis, meaning followers of the Sunnah, or Way, of the Prophet. Since the Caliph was often the political head of the Islamic empire as well as its religious leader, imperial patronage helped make Sunni Islam the dominant sect. Today about 90% of Muslims worldwide are Sunnis. But Shi'ism would always attract some of those who felt oppressed by the empire. Shi'ites continued to venerate the Imams, or the descendants of the Prophet, until the 12th Imam, Mohammed al-Mahdi (the Guided One), who disappeared in the 9th century at the location of the Samarra shrine in Iraq. Mainstream Shi'ites believe that al-Mahdi is mystically hidden and will emerge on an unspecified date to usher in a reign of justice.
Shi'ites soon formed the majority in the areas that would become the modern states of Iraq, Iran, Bahrain and Azerbaijan. There are also significant Shi'ite minorities in other Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Pakistan. Crucially, Shi'ites outnumber Sunnis in the Middle East's major oil-producing regions--not only Iran and Iraq but also eastern Saudi Arabia. But outside Iran, Sunnis have historically had a lock on political power, even where Shi'ites have the numerical advantage. (The one place where the opposite holds true is modern Syria, which is mostly Sunni but since 1970 has been ruled by a small Shi'ite subsect known as the Alawites.) Sunni rulers maintained their monopoly on power by excluding Shi'ites from the military and bureaucracy; for much of Islamic history, a ruling Sunni élite treated Shi'ites as an underclass, limited to manual labor and denied a fair share of state resources.
The rulers used religious arguments to justify oppression. Shi'ites, they said, were not genuine Muslims but heretics. Devised for political convenience, this view of Shi'ites solidified into institutionalized prejudice. Sunnis likened reverence for the Prophet's bloodline and the Shi'ites' fondness for portraits of some of the Imams to the sin of idolatry. Shi'ite rituals, especially the self-flagellation during Ashura, were derided as pagan. Many rulers forbade such ceremonies, fearing that large gatherings would quickly turn into political uprisings. (Ashura was banned during most of Saddam Hussein's rule and resumed only after his downfall in 2003.) "For Shi'ites, Sunni rule has been like living under apartheid," says Vali Nasr, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future.
But religious repression was uneven. Sunni Caliphs in Baghdad tolerated and sometimes contributed to the development of Najaf and Karbala as the most important centers of Shi'ite learning. Shi'ite ayatullahs, as long as they refrained from open defiance of the ruling élite, could run seminaries and collect tithes from their followers. The shrines of Shi'ite Imams in Najaf, Karbala, Samarra and Khadamiya were allowed to become magnets for pilgrimage.
Sectarian relations worsened in the 16th century. By then the seat of Sunni power had moved to Istanbul. When the Turkish Sunni Ottomans fought a series of wars with the Shi'ite Safavids of Persia, the Arabs caught in between were sometimes obliged to take sides. Sectarian suspicions planted then have never fully subsided, and Sunni Arabs still pejoratively label Shi'ites as "Persians" or "Safavis." The Ottomans eventually won control of the Arab territories and cemented Sunni dominance. The British, the next power in the Middle East, did nothing to change the equation. In the settlement after World War I, they handed the newly created states of Iraq and Bahrain, both with Shi'ite majorities, to Sunni monarchs...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above is an portion of an article in the March 5 issue of TIME.
Over the last few years, I have spent many hours trying to get my mind around the conflict between the Shi'ite and the Sunni. TIME has a very, very good article that is the best I have read. I highly recommend the article to each and everyone. The article is a long one, but packed with information that is critical to understanding the problems faced in creating a government formed by the two factions with the additional problems brought to the table by the Curds.
You really should get the magazine, and read the full article.
~G
Labels: Caliph, Iraq, Muslim, Shi'ite, Sunni, Time Magazine
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