Pipedreams and Righteous Wishing

What is more frightening than falling down into a pit filled with venomous snakes?  For me, its 5+ yrs of Bushco with 2+ years to go.  Those two things twist my innards and feel like metal spikes sticking through my eyes, especially when I have to watch their nonstop spin unfold before me on (u name the news network).

From the NY Times---

Mr. Cheney was challenged on "Face the Nation" about his statement three years ago that "we will be greeted as liberators" and his assertion 10 months ago that the insurgency was in its "last throes."

He insisted that in both cases his facts were right, but that the news media had created a different perception with vivid imagery of killing.

Yep, the Conservative media is responsible for the "vivid imagery of killing."  Not the fact that torture photos and videos show up from time to time.  Not the fact the fact that Allawi thinks Iraq is in civil war.  Not the fact that everyday of the week people are being killed in suicide bombings, roadside bombings, execution style murders, and by militant religious gangs who instigate or retaliate to violence depending on the day.

We've all seen Rumsfeld's odd take,

"Turning our backs on postwar Iraq today would be the modern equivalent of handing postwar Germany back to the Nazis."

Yea, giving Germany back to the instigators would not have made sense.  Giving Iraq back to Iraq would make sense, as we were the instigators of war and a continuing influence to those who view us as an occupation force (we call those evil bastards insurgents, we hate them for wanting the freedom to determine their national destiny.)

Intro to MTP

The war in Iraq begins with shock and awe. Exactly three years later, millions have voted in free elections and a parliament have been seated. But 2,300 Americans have been killed, more than 17,000 wounded and injured. The war is costing $150 million dollars a day and there are still 130,000 Americans on the ground. Where do we go from here? With us: the top American commander in Iraq, General George Casey.

One of the great press misconceptions is that it matters that there have been elections in Iraq and Afghanistan, that a "parliament" has been seated.  What matters, however, is that those bodies have no power and would likely disintegrate if the US military was not pointing a very big gun at the proverbial head of these countries.  Rep. Murtha helps illustrate my point,

"OK, Iraqis, this is your country, you got your elections, you didn't elect the people we like but you elected who you want. What--you've got to take over your country."

MORE FROM MEET THE PRESS

MR. RUSSERT: Time magazine is running an article written by a journalist over there in Iraq, and the headline is: "How operation Swarmer Fizzled. Not a shot was fired, or a leader nabbed, in a major offensive that failed to live up to its advance billing." Is that an accurate appraisal?

GEN. CASEY: I haven't seen the article, Tim. I don't think it's an accurate appraisal. They actually have picked up one or two of the high-value folks that they were, that they were looking for. But again, this will--this operation here will have a very disruptive effect on the terrorist and insurgent groups that were attempting to use that area there as a safe haven and base area from which to plan and operate.

"I don't think it's an accurate appraisal."  Well General, if I may so bold as to ask, "Are you not in command of Iraqi operations?  Is it not your job to know whether or not military actions in Iraq serve a purpuse other than to, as they say, 'wag the dog'?"

Murtha raises a great and undervalued, under reported point.

REP. MURTHA: Look, what, what happens if we stay there? Let, let me tell you, a year from now, just like I said when I got--when I came back from Vietnam. A month later--now imagine this--a month later they have an election and, and we lose 38,000 people seven years later. I mean, the six-year interim, interim period between 1967 and 1972 we lose 38,000 people. So a year from now, you can be sit--you've heard what they've said, over and over again, how well it's going. Incidents have increased, unemployment is 60 percent, oil production--all the things that I measure. When they say on, on the television or send us a letter telling us how well things are going, I said to the staff, go look at the economics statistics, tell me what the unemployment level, tell me the water production, tell me the oil production, tell me the electricity production, tell me the unemployment figures, and then we'll know whether we're making progress. Tell me the incidents. I mean, they--their measurement of the brigades is back and forth. They'll say the brigades one month is 90 people, now there's less than one brigade that can operate independently.

Let's take Operation Swarmer. Now, they said a lot of Iraqis, more than half of them were Iraqis. American helicopters, American planning, American logistics, American artillery, American medical evacuation--everything was American. I mean, they don't--the American people see it. They see these American helicopters. Do you think they fool the Americans when they say that? And one of the commanders said 75 percent of the country is going to be under control of the Iraqis and 75 percent of it is desert? I mean, give me a break. That's part of the problem.

I think its a great statement.  No one is talking about the infrastructure.  Bushco maintains that the success in Iraq should be based on holding elections and attempting to train Iraqi troops.  But the Iraqi people are never going to believe we were anything but a bully if we continue our failures towards reconstruction.  Our presence is helping to fuel some of the violence, but as it sinks into civil war, Iraqs economy is going to remain in the toilet as Sunni's fear of Shiite attacks as they go to work or are at work.  Likewise, the Shia's will fear the same from Sunni elements. What it comes down to is wishful thinking on Bushco's part that status quo is a good thing, that time will prove them right, that Iraq will not become another Viet-nam. I think they live in a world of pipedreams where reality doesn't require facts or reason. Take the opportunity to rant about the GOP Iraq spin below.

More topical reading via our fellows:Lolli's take; NonConservative's take; mcjoan