Captain's Quarters -

Now, just when that goal seems within reach, the world has tired of their struggle.

It is not being tired at all. The Democrats figure power is their ball, and they want it back. They, and the drive-by media use the Iraq War to that end. The Democrats could give a rat's ass for the Iraqi people. They only care about their own rice bowl.

Yeah well I bet this guy is just another one of are puppet's. See the neocon arm coming out of his back? Yeha that one.

Wake up the Iraqis WANT US OUT OF THERE. This is ARAB LAND you guys. Maybe did you notice all the bombing's (market/mosque/ect)? That's because they WANT US OUT OF THERE. For crime out loud if they didn't want us out of there why would they be going though all that suffering with/on each other. Gees.

Iraqi people are already screwed thanks to Pelosi and rest of the hippies and peaceniks. The repeated lesson to friends and allies: Don't count on USA to help, or defend you, (even if you have oil). They are not very reliable and really only corrupted paper tigers. Thanks madam speaker and the gang (and I mean GANG)

"Maybe did you notice all the bombing's (market/mosque/ect)? That's because they WANT US OUT OF THERE. For crime out loud if they didn't want us out of there why would they be going though all that suffering with/on each other."---IWW

IWW, you are priceless. I kid you not. Too bad however,you even have to do this schtick. Too 'badder' that it is so ACCURATELY on-target that without a program you can't tell it from the 'normal' effusions. It tends to depress me immeasurably that the society I inhabit actually consists of many 'creatures' who believe in the exact things you so skillfully enunciate(caricature).

Beam me up, Scotty, there are few signs of intelligent life down here.

These small but significant snippets of normality are overshadowed by acts of gross violence, which fuel the opinion of some that Iraq is in a downward spiral.

Yep. When all you hear about something is bad, it's hard to have any support for it.

... there have been real results: Winning public confidence has led to a spike in intelligence, a disruption of terrorist networks and the capture of key leaders, as well as the discovery of weapons caches. In Anbar province, Sunni sheikhs and insurgents have turned against al-Qaeda and to the side of Iraqi security forces. This would have been unthinkable even six months ago.

What?? Progress is being made??? IMPOSSIBLE! Grand Admiral Reid has assured us that, based on his vast military experience and personal knowledge of Iraq, the war is lost. So how can ANYTHING be getting better???

/sarcasm

Cap'n Ed wrote:

The Iraqis have done most of the bleeding and dying over the last four years, but they have worked hard to create a secure nation and a sense of normalcy.

One of the many offenses committed by the Benedict Arnolds in their contempt for the Iraqis. In their twisted view, there are only two kinds of Iraqis: terrorists and victims. Iraqi soldiers don't fight; Iraqi policemen are corrupt, cowardly, or terrorists in disguise. What a way to treat out "allies".

Good thing that the democrats of today weren't around in '40 and '41 when we were supplying aid to Britain, else they'd have sold them out to Hitler faster than you can say "God Save the King".

IWW, you are really priceless. A few bombs and you gone. No thinking required.

One of the arguments the Democrats make is that after we cut and run from Iraq and see the throats of Iraqis who believed us cut in the streets, we can "rebuild" alliances?

With who exactly? The moderates who will see what happens to people who ally themselves with the gutless Americans?

The radicals? When they see that terrorist tactics get them what they want?

The Europeans? The ones with absolutely no military to speak of? The ones who couldn't help us defend against the Islamofascists, even if they wanted to?

So who will be left to "work" with? Useless UN bureaucrats?

Iraqwarwrong,

Ok, let me see if I get your argument right:

a) Some Iraqis want us out. It doesn't matter whether they are in the majority, or in the minority, they want us out and that's enough.

b) The Iraqis who want us out don't just express that by targeting Americans or other Coalition forces in Iraq, they express it by bombing their own religious structures, destroying their own utilities and schools, and by shooting and bombing their own people.

c) The contrary expression of a person elected to high office in a free and fair election (freeness and fairness determined not just by the US Government, but by many international election monitoring bodies) is merely the statement of an American stooge.

d) There are no others than Iraqis in Iraq seeking to destabilize society there (except for the Americans, of course -- Americans always seek to destabilize Iraq).

e) The expression of (b) by the Iraqis who want us out make it necessary for us to leave. By us leaving, we will stop the Iraqis and others who want us out from doing all these bad things to themselves, we will cease our own destabilization program, and we allow the restoration of peace and tranquility to the Iraqi people.

Wow. That is quite an interesting intellectual monument you have constructed here. I will have to think long and hard about it. Or maybe not.

A few bombs and you gone. No thinking required.

Oh, I wouldn't say its a few bombs.

Also, I'd beware of giving any single writer to the Washington Post some special status as some legitimate Voice of the Iraqi people. If this war has shown us anything, Iraq is a fractured, diverse country of competing groups, most of whom -- this must be repeated often for CQ regulars -- don't want foreigners, including Americans, controlling their country.

Color be skeptical of this writer.

DU

"IWW, you are really priceless. A few bombs and you gone. No thinking required."

What's really unfortunate about this, is that the terrorists go with what works.

If car bombs and IEDs chase America from Iraq, why not use it in other places?

Congratulations Democrats. By attempting to hand the terrorists a huge success, by calling for the coddling of terrorist irregulars, you've given them a huge incentive to continue their jihad.

Remember, every truck bomb on CNN =s another few hundred votes for a Democrat.

Brainless, gutless, worthless Democrats. We cannot defeat the enemy overseas, when we have fifth column Democrats in Congress.

Here's a report that belies your optimism, Ed:

Beleaguered Iraqis now fear their own security forces more than the insurgents

"Be careful," warned a senior Iraqi government official living in the Green Zone in Baghdad, "be very careful and above all do not trust the police or the army."

He added that the level of insecurity in the Iraqi capital is as bad now as it was before the US drive to make the city safe came into operation in February.

The so-called "surge", the dispatch of 20,000 extra American troops to Iraq with the prime mission of getting control of Baghdad, is visibly failing.

There are army and police checkpoints everywhere but Iraqis are terrified because they do not know if the men in uniform they see there are, in reality, death squad members. ...

People in Baghdad are terrified of being killed by a bomb or bundled into the boot of a car and murdered. Less dramatic, but equally significant in forcing people to flee Iraq for Jordan or Syria is the sheer difficulty of maintaining a normal life. Much of the trade in the city used to take place in open-air markets. But because of repeated bombs attacks only one is now open. This is in Karada, but many people no longer go there because it has come under repeated attack.

So many areas are now sealed off in Baghdad that there are continuous traffic jams. This presents a problem for drivers. If they try to avoid the traffic jams by driving off the main road they may enter an area where militiamen rule who may kill them.

UK Independent?

Lies made up in London by drug addicted, far left, terrorist cheerleaders.

Not worth the electrons it took to transmit, SFD.

NoDonkey, Cockburn isn't the only one writing such reports about life in Baghdad outside the Green Zone. Zebari's account sounds far too good to be true, given how sectarian divides are deepening in Baghdad due to sectarian violence. Life does go on in Baghdad of course, but it's a life where fear is ever present.

posted by starfleet_quisling (May 4, 2007 01:09 PM):

People in Baghdad are terrified of being killed by a bomb or bundled into the boot of a car and murdered. Less dramatic, but equally significant in forcing people to flee Iraq for Jordan or Syria is the sheer difficulty of maintaining a normal life. Much of the trade in the city used to take place in open-air markets. But because of repeated bombs attacks only one is now open. This is in Karada, but many people no longer go there because it has come under repeated attack.

And the libs' best (and only) idea about how to improve this situation?

CUT 'N' RUN!

Perhaps this explains why cities with dem mayors and city councils are often such crime-infested s***holes.

"There's a lot of crime in that neighborhood. People are being murdered. People are afraid to go outside. Businesses are leaving. Therefore, we're pulling the police out. That should help."

(rolls eyes)

Other Baghdad stories:

Round-up of Iraqi bloggers

"I remember Baghdad before the war - one could live anywhere. We didn't know what our neighbours were. We didn't care. No-one asked about religion or sect. No-one bothered with what was considered a trivial topic: are you Sunni or Shia? You only asked something like that if you were uncouth and backward.

Our lives revolve around it now. Our existence depends on hiding it or highlighting it - depending on the group of masked men who stop you or raid your home in the middle of the night. "

...

"A friend of ours came into the shop and told me to go to my house, because I was wearing shorts.

We asked why? He explained that al-Qaeda is now in control of the neighbourhood.

He said a few minutes before he came to the shop, they killed a guy in front of him because he was smoking in the street, and that he heard that al-Qaeda shot the car of a bride and a groom because they were celebrating in the street and playing music.

"If they see you [wearing shorts] they will kill you," he said."

Well, we should have this kind of leadership in WWII. We lost something like 300,000 Americans when all we had to do was run away. And even more so for the Civil War and the Revotionary War. Heck, why should ever again stand firm or strong and lose lives, when losing wars can save so many more lives?
And if we can just change minds in the middle of a war, and have the oposition party actively work to help the other side win, then we can make this whole pesky defense and military stuff just memories of the past.
all it takes is our freedom, our treasure and ultimately our lives.
But for people with no care for freedom, no honor or integrity, and no care about the future - just like democraps.

docjim505, President Reagan wisely withdrew U.S. forces from Beirut in 1982 after a bomb killed over 200 troops there, because it was clear that the U.S. had no business being in the middle of a civil war in Lebanon.

If the only argument for staying in Iraq is that the U.S. shouldn't "cut and run", it's time for the U.S. to go.

"Be careful," warned a senior Iraqi government official living in the Green Zone in Baghdad, "be very careful and above all do not trust the police or the army."
Is this the same army/police that seems to have large desertions (with weapons) right before they go into battle? I'm thinking these are just insurgents who were taking advantage of a way to get weapons and training from the Americans, better known as stealing supplies and gaining intelligence. If so, then they are right to tell anyone who comes not to trust them. So what?

"He added that the level of insecurity in the Iraqi capital is as bad now as it was before the US drive to make the city safe came into operation in February."
Uh, I thought the surge wasn't working? Isn't this a contradiction of that? Sounds like he's saying it worked for a bit, then got worse, almost as bad as it was before the surge started, so it's STILL slightly better than before. And what did you expect? It's a WAR. Do we have to keep reminding you of that? The surge starts, the enemy adapts, we adapt, sooner or later, one doesn't adapt enough, and they're dead. So far, the odds of the dead ones being American are pretty damn slim. That's called doing one hell of a job.

"The so-called "surge", the dispatch of 20,000 extra American troops to Iraq with the prime mission of getting control of Baghdad, is visibly failing."
It's not the "so-called" surge, it's the Surge. It is a surge of troops by definition. What other part of the English language does he have trouble with, the words? Apparently, because he has an "opposite day" definition of failing. Or perhaps that's just like those rumors of my death, merely wishful thinking.

"There are army and police checkpoints everywhere but Iraqis are terrified because they do not know if the men in uniform they see there are, in reality, death squad members."
Gee, which is really a LOT worse than knowing that ALL of them are, in reality, death squad members.

"People in Baghdad are terrified of being killed by a bomb or bundled into the boot of a car and murdered. Less dramatic, but equally significant in forcing people to flee Iraq for Jordan or Syria is the sheer difficulty of maintaining a normal life."
He says this like it was ever normal under Saddam, and for that matter, EVER, in that country. All of those things he said were NORMAL, EVERYDAY happenings, business as usual, under Saddam. But not under us. And, while you're complaining about it, tell me who's doing it, and WHICH OF US IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND WHICH OF US IS TRYING TO SURRENDER AS FAST AS HE CAN.

"Much of the trade in the city used to take place in open-air markets."
And your evidence of it NOT happening now is? Because I've seen pictures from ALL OVER BAGHDAD, and they seem to have open air markets, sporting events, and, like this guy said, for the first time in a long time (if ever), stuff like amusement parks and entertainment facilities.

"But because of repeated bombs attacks only one is now open. This is in Karada, but many people no longer go there because it has come under repeated attack."
Link, please. Let me guess, some lefty website that doesn't have an imbed in Baghdad, right? And you're complaining about OPEN AIR MARKETS, I notice, which means there are probably many CLOSED AIRE markets open. Something you might expect as a defense against, oh, I don't know, SUICIDE BOMBERS, maybe?

"So many areas are now sealed off in Baghdad that there are continuous traffic jams."
So, did you notice that there is now fuel in the cars, enough cars in people's hands, and enough reason to be on the road to HAVE a traffic jam? Geez, the things you think are trivial, I don't understand. My apologies to Steely Dan.

"This presents a problem for drivers. If they try to avoid the traffic jams by driving off the main road they may enter an area where militiamen rule who may kill them."
So, what do you want us to do? Go and kill the militiamen? Working on it, fast as we can, could use a little support from the Quisling party. Go play traffic cop? You're having coniptions NOW because we aren't supposed to be the worlds policemen. It's okay to die clearing an Iraqi traffic jam, but not clearing a building full of "militiamen'?

And Reagan withdrew the troops because of exactly the same problem today...the Rules of Engagement. They were actually worse then, we weren't allowed to fire back at all, ever, no matter what. What the guys in that truck didn't know was that they could have slowly driven it up to the door and unloaded it block by block, the marines were so hamstrung in their actions. He pulled them because he realized that a Democrat controlled congress would never allow him the ROE needed to actually accomplish anything. It had nothing to do with not needing to be there.

"docjim505, President Reagan wisely withdrew U.S. forces from Beirut in 1982 after a bomb killed over 200 troops there, because it was clear that the U.S. had no business being in the middle of a civil war in Lebanon."--FD

You do realise do you not that many people point to this decision as being the beginning of true Iranian supported terror groups in the ME. Reagan is actually not one of my saints and I think he made several serious policy mistakes one of which was his cut&run from Lebanon(after going there in the first place), and another might be the Iran-Contra debacle. So Lebanon counts for TWO mistakes in fact. Going and then running. Both decisions sent entirely the wrong messages, but the running part has turned out to be disastrous over the course of time. Running usually is at best a temporary solution when what you run from is intent on pursuit.

Once again you simply point out the problems of a situation and offer no solutions other than RUNNING and HIDING. If you think that the less fortunate but more 'motivated' segments of the World are likely to allow you to live forever in isolated 'infidel' luxury while you demonstrate no will to defend your interests ,or to follow through on your promises, when things get hard, then I have lots of bridges you might be interested in purchasing.

The 'progressive' mindset---- I think it ; therefore it is. All you need is Tattoo and your Island would be complete.

starfleet_dude said:

"Other Baghdad stories:

Round-up of Iraqi bloggers"

I notice you didn't provide a quote from another one of the Irai bloggers mentioned in that article-namely this one:

"IraqTheModel.blogspot.com

Iraq the Model is written by brothers in Baghdad, who support the American military presence in Iraq. Here, they despair of the political manoeuvring by Democrats in Congress to pull the troops out.

Friday, 27 April 2007:

I am Iraqi and to me the possible consequences of this vote are terrifying.

Just as we began to see signs of progress in my country the Democrats come and say: "Well, it's not worth it, so it's time to leave."

Evidently to them my life and the lives of 25 million Iraqis are not worth trying for and they shouldn't expect us to be grateful for this.

For four years everybody made mistakes; the administration made mistakes and admitted them and my people and leaders made mistakes as well and we regret them.

But now we have a fresh start; a new strategy with new ideas and tactics reached after studying previous mistakes and designed to reverse the setbacks we witnessed in the course of this war.

This strategy, although its tools are not fully deployed yet, is showing promising signs of progress. "

dougf, Israel occupied Lebanon for years and what did they have to show for it? Not much. Occupation is no panacea, and in fact it can be counterproductive.

Del Dolemonte, if there's anything to be learned after four years of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, it's that lines like "Just as we begin to see signs of progress..." are anything but.

5/3 - Cnn: No safe way for U.S. to leave Iraq, experts warn
- LaTimes: Trainers say Iraqi forces would collapse without U.S. support
- American Thinker: Europe (finally!) gets the War on Terror

5/4 - UPI: Russia: Don't pull troops from Iraq
- al-Reuter's: France's Royal warns of violence if Sarkozy wins

dougf and Doc Neaves,

Thanks for dealing with starfleet_quisling and his inanities about Lebanon. His remarks are what passes for deep thinking on the left. "Hey, REAGAN cut 'n' run once, so it's OK to do it now."

As dougf points out, starfleet_quisling, like all lefties, is long on complaints and absolutely devoid of any ideas... except US surrender and humiliation. During World War II, we would have had to tune in to Lord Haw Haw or Tokyo Rose to hear this kind of thing. Sad to say, we now see enemy propoganda echoing in the halls of Congress, throughout the media, and right here on this blog. At least Tokyo Rose played popular music to go along with her "you've lost; surrender to the invincible Imperial Japanese forces right away" schtick.

The libs hate Bush so much that they'll sell out the country simply to make him look bad. What does this say about them?

docjim505,

And Iva Toguri, aka Tokyo Rose, shortly before she died, received the The Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award from the World War II Veterans Committee (hosts of Washington D.C.'s Veterans' Day Parade).

Her "schtick" was deliberately undermining the propaganda value of the Japanese broadcasts to our troops, and, in her off time, securing medical supplies and blankets for our POWs held in Tokyo. She was convicted of treason by the testimony of two Japanese Americans who had given up their US citizenship at the outset of the war, and who were threatened with prosecution by the FBI as traitors themselves. It turns out that the FBI lied to the two men -- only Toguri, a Republican who had refused to give up her US Citizenship even when repeatedly pressured by the Japanese secret police and her relatives in Japan, could be tried, since the other two men, by virtue of having officially renounced their citizenship and having taken Japanese citizenship, were actually immune from a treason prosecution.

She was pardoned by Gerald Ford on his last day in office; contrast that belated pardon with the ones bestowed by Bill on his last day in office.

unclesmrgol,

I didn't know that. Thanks.

starfleet dud, your goalposts are moving again.

Heh