LOOK WHAT YOUR OCCUPATION DID, AMERICA …
Baghdad is about to fall … again.
Except this time it’s not American troops doing the toppling, it’s the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – a group of radical Islamic militants inspired by al-Qaeda. ISIS soldiers have captured former dictator Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit and were within thirty miles of the Iraqi capital, according to the Associated Press. Earlier this week they captured Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, and the key oil refining outpost of Baiji.
The al-Qaeda loyalists are fighting alongside former military commanders of Hussein – who was overthrown in a 2003 U.S.-led invasion. They are targeting the regime of Nouri Kamal al-Maliki – a U.S.-supported puppet who was hand-picked by the CIA due to his opposition to Iran.
Al-Maliki has pleaded with the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama to provide airstrikes against the ISIS forces descending on his embattled government … a curious request seeing as reports from the front indicate Iraqi government forces (which were armed and trained by Americans) are handing over their weapons to the militants.
Talk about a preview of what’s about to take place in Afghanistan …
When it’s all said and done American taxpayers will have shelled out anywhere between $4-6 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a recent Harvard University study.
Obama’s White House said the president was monitoring the situation “very carefully” and that America’s commander-in-chief was concerned by the “different kind of threat” ISIS poses to American interests.
Really? Wonder how long before Obama and his warmongering “Republican” friends – including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham – call for another invasion?
You know … because the last one worked out so well.
Of interest, one of the former Hussein military commanders fighting with ISIS is Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri – a guy American forces tried for years to capture or kill.
Wonder how friendly he’ll be to U.S. interests when Baghdad falls to the militants?
139 comments
Who didn’t see this coming, the White House?
George Bush
I tend to agree with you but he’s not President any more.
The same people *run* our foreign policy, no matter who is POTUS.
So why the George Bush comment from Tom and your up vote for it?
So why the George Bush comment from Tom and your up vote for it?
TBG is not sure that “W” saw it coming.
Many of his supporters, as well as detractors paint him as well intentionally, though naively, trying to bring Democracy to the Middle East.
Though extremely cynical, TBG, at least entertains the theory, that they might be right.
I agree with you, also “W” did not envision an Administration that is 180 degrees from his. But that was then this is now.
Say it in English please.
So what you are saying is Bush left us with the worst recession in since the great depression, and two wars costing us trillions and no way to win, but he did not expect the public would not want a Bush clone? Boy, maybe I am overestimating him.
No, I’m not saying that, they are your words not mine.
Actually “W” did see the possibility of this happening and the deal he left for 0bama to sign allowed some US forces to remain to help prevent this.
They ARE right.
It is cynical, but one thing’s for sure: If Democracy comes to the Middle East, it isn’t going to be because America forced it on them.
That has nothing to do with your question. You asked a question and i answered, and for god sakes please don’t tell me you think we should sink another trillion dollars into saving the people who will welcome us as liberators and who will pay for the war with petrodollars.
Nope I’m not telling you that and Bush still isn’t President anymore.
Why is the fact Bush is not president relevant to the question of “who did not see this coming?”
I tend to agree with you but he’s not President any more.
There was never any chance America could make Iraq stable again. The same can be said of Afghanistan. We should’ve never gone.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Please tell TBG this has nothing to do with GT’s penis.
The only difference between a joke and two dicks is that GT can’t take a joke.
Please tell TBG this has nothing to do with GT’s penis.
I feel like I should be crossing the road with the chicken now.
Because Damned Tango couldn’t get his dick out of the chicken.
That part is probably true, in addition to the fact that it’s Bush’s fault and anyone that disagrees with Obama is a racist.
It’s nice to know there’s someone out there who actually believes that.
I feel more secure now. Thanks Fat boy.
Actually the Iraq war is the only thing I blame Bush and Cheney for, and if they had not lied to get us into that war I would not blame them. A lot of people voted for the war. So under normal circumstances I would not blame any one or two people. But in this case. It seems to me those two guys got us into the Iraq war.
Also, since Republicans blame Obama for everything, it certainly is not unreasonable to remind people how we got where we are and why we spent a couple of trillion dollars we did not need to spend, fighting a war we should never have been in.
You need to read more about the lead up to the Iraq war.
Don’t think so, I was there. This is not a war that is old enough for us to rewrite the history books. Cheney and Bush, in that order wanted this war, and got it by whatever means necessary.
They had bipartisan support.
Based on lies, ignored intelligence, and faulty intelligence.
They all lie, all the time.
I appreciate your concession.
Who did see this coming (and was only surprised that it took this long).
TBG.
Is Haley and her staff running Foreign Policy, for Obama, or is Obama and his staff running Haley’s Governor’s office. They are all juvenile, immature, incompetent clowns.
Democrats backed Obama in part because of his pledge to end the war in Iraq.
In confirming his plans for troop withdrawal by the end of 2011, the president fulfilled the most memorable pledge he made in securing the nomination of president from his party.
At the height of U.S. involvement in 2006, there were 170,000 soldiers on the ground.
As of March 2011, the war had cost the U.S.$806 billion.
Under an agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in 2008, U.S. troops were due to end their mission in Iraq by the end of 2011.
“The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder”-Bush in televised speech.
A U.S.-led coalition begins bombing Baghdad on March 19, 2003.
More than 4,400 American military lives have been lost since the start of the war in March of 2003, and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed, according to Iraq Body Count, which cross-checks news reports with hospital and other official data.
1) The “deal” 0bama consummated with the Iraqis was not the “deal” Bush had negotiated.
2) 0bama deliberately scuttled “Bush’s deal”, which would have left some troops in Iraq to help avert the sort of thing presently happening, and replaced it with his total withdrawal deal.
And the point is ? More dead for ?
Do you really think this isn’t going to result in dead US service men and women?
You had too much cool-aid. Boots on the ground in a hostile country = dead people. Do you understand that ?
See how this plays out over time, then tell me the relatively few losses in the intervening years wouldn’t have been preferable to the larger losses coming.
IF, you were in the military. You would not live long. Your fellow countrymen would frag your ass, asap.
Every military campaign involves an assessment of possible losses of men and material, its part of the planning. All I was doing was comparing outcomes of two options in a similar manner.
No, I was not in the military but a good many of my family, relatives and friends were and are. I’ve not said anything here that would get me “fragged”, you are just holding a pissy argument and threw that out there because you ran out of words.
OK, Shot by a sniper. You wouldn’t be in my platoon.
???
Iraq: The gift to the MIC that keeps on giving.
Good thing we spent all that blood and treasure there, it seems to be paying back.
Sure is paying back-just another way for FITS/Obama/Democrat Party/Sheheen/Ervin/RINO’S to disparage those that serve and hate this country.
Don’t be a hater Sandinmytwat, there’s plenty more wars that will be fought before it’s over and plenty more of veterans that will get maimed, commit suicide, & watch their families fall apart so that you can wave a flag and tell them they are doing a good job over in Iraqistanikraine.
Hitler and Obama would be proud of you!
Veterans? Not so much.
It worked.muslim Obama turned the middle east over to the radical terrorists and now the lib/socialists like the SCDP and its candidates Sheheen and Ervin are apparently standing behind him.
Go figure.
” Iraqistanikraine”
Nice.
“Bombs over Baghdad” – AKA “Bush’s War”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/
“Kamal al-Maliki – a U.S.-supported puppet who was hand-picked by the CIA due to his opposition to Iran.”
fits has to return to his history books. You build a conspiracy at one mention by a CIA agent that says Maliki is independent of Iran. He lived in Iran for 8 years and was supported by Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran. Maliki was never a CIA puppet. You may be confusing him for Ahmed Chalabi or Ayad Allawi for whom conspiracy theorists can make a better case of being CIA puppets.
We both agree that Obama’s policy is a failure, and Bush should never have gone into Iraq. But are our current problems due to interference or lack of action in Syria. The Syrian war has spilled into Iraq.
We need an adult in the White House. I miss James Baker.
…our current problems…
Our?
[ For the inevitable “We broke it, We have a responsibility to fix it” response that is bound to show up…
….TBG will reply:
“We, who, Paleface?”]
*Pre-emptivism IS kinda fun.
“*Pre-emptivism IS kinda fun.”
That was Hitler’s argument.
I nominate Dick Cheney. Lets put him back in charge. He is an adult. He will show those AH what a real President does. Nuke them all.
But can we really trust the Republicans. Aren’t they the ones who warned Obama not to go into Syria? So maybe we need a general in the White House.
Pick Ali Babba who cares, when you attack a country, get your shit straight first.
The Middle East rested in a precarious state of political and social equilibrium until G.W. Bush’s needless invasion upset the balance. The status quo ante bellum may not have been to our liking, but it was roughly stable. Since then thousands of Iraqis have died and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced and now live in squalor as refugees. We have lost thousands of young Americans dead and maimed. We have spent over $1.0 trillion. The only winners are Iran, Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists. Bush wanted to bring democratic values to the region – and he did so, with the elections of Morsi in Egypt and Hamas candidates in Gaza. Was that what he had in mind? He told the Dallas Morning News: “I’m comfortable with what I did.” Now he’s painting pictures of himself in the shower and President Obama is stuck with this steaming pile of shit called Iraq. On, the dangers of unintended consequences.
The only winners are Iran, Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists…
You left out :
The US military industrial complex.
All who benefit from higher oil prices (Saudi’s, Gulf States (yes.) , Texans, Dakotans, Russians, oil companies, Halliburton et al, etc)
No unintended consequences, at all.
The benefits to those you mentioned may not have been unintended, but I was trying to be charitable to fine, upstanding and patriotic entities such as KBR, the oil megacorps, and our defense contractors. They only have America’s interests at heart. (Does sarcasm translate inline?)
(Does sarcasm translate inline?)
Came through loud and clear, Chief!
Kind of follows the fall of Saigon after the U.S. left Vietnam.
Then the boat people.
The Khmer Rouge and the killing feilds.
SPEED ROUND BONUS QUESTION OF THE DAY:
What [principled, caring, humanitarian,…] government finally stepped up to end the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge?
Answer: Vietnam
But it wasn’t principled, caring, humanitarian,…]
Did I beat the clock. Next question.
Negative sir, when the French left, we came in to halt communist aggression around the world. We are still doing this crap by the way, add Islam to the list. Add World domination, don’t mention Nazi’s.
Yep.
Something many people are ignorant of.
TBG was playing fast and loose with the “caring, humanitarian…”
How soon will it be before an aircraft carrier will be off the coast of Iraq sending helicopters back and forth to our Embassy, retrieving US personnel and Iraqi citizens who worked for us?
That being said, I think it’s time to reinstitute prohibition of alcohol, reintroduce slavery, take away women’s right to vote, and replace the Statue of Liberty with a big old smiling Jesus with a machine gun.
asap, there now, get with the program
You forgot gun rights for pets and child labor.
Foreign policy comes from the President and this one doesn’t have any nor does he care. He is all about politics, Democraps controlling the nation and pimping for money. What did HRC do besides rack up sky miles and put on more weight?
Are you married to an woman from Iraq ?
So tell us what should we do o gifted one. How many people should we send, how much money should we spend. How long should we occupy the desert we never should have been in and went into based on lies. We gave all our money to Halliburton, Mission Accomplished.
We did it in Bosnia without a soldier on the ground, with only 30 enemy dead in three weeks.
Did what, and how much did it cost?
Lifted Siege of Sarajevo, resulted in the Dayton Accord peace agreement. In December 1995, NATO dispatched a 60,000-strong peacekeeping force into Bosnia as part of the IFOR to enforce the Dayton Peace. Don’t have dollar amount but who can count costs of doing nothing, but it was a NATO exspense. (Do your own reasearch)
But when the dust settled I think Clinton was on the wrong side, wasn’t he ?
A DEM, say it ain’t so.
I don’t think NATO will help us in Iraq. They did not want us to go in the first place. This ones on our dime.
My fear is that in the WH all they are discussing is the politics of the Iraq problem. His constituents and Pauist don’t want any involvement, but republicans are accusing us of sitting on our hands. How will this effect the elections. There is no statesmanship.
From Congress you mean? I agree, Republicans will accuse Obama of making a mistake no matter what decision he makes. Just like they warned him not to go into Syria and now blame him for not be aggressive enough in Syria. Just like they are already blaming him for what was inevitable, from the day we entered that country. There are no ideas from the party of no. Only politics.
True. But only the POTUS can lead in foreign affairs. McCain and Graham can only cause confusion if the doesn’t President lead.
Agreed, and my guess is he will continue to try and lead us out of the quagmire another President led us into.
We can bomb the heck out of those people till the cows come home. We can send in wave after wave of drones. We can pick sides and send arms, flushing more money down the drain. We can even reverse course and send our troops back to kill more Iraqis. But all we will be doing is forestalling the inevitable.
Bet me the next Republican President will attack North Korea ?
I don’t know. Seems more likely we may consider an venture in Iraq. We have that down. We know where all the WMDs are. Should make it an easy and inexpensive invasion. Besides the Iraqis can pay for the war with petro dollars. It should not cost us anything. Halliburton is certainly willing to sacrifice for the country one more time.
There’s going to be a next republican president?
Sure, don’t know when. Whoever or however they have been supported will make a mass push / gamble ( with your money ) it’s just time. Why do you think republicans refuse to work with Obama ? They are buying time, ” the iron is not hot right now ” the beauty is, the puppeteer will be known.
FDR didn’t live long enough to make that a reality, but he was close.
The NORKS don’t have oil and the Chinese ain’ go put up wid dat sheet.
Read between the lines, grasshopper. 1 threat gone, 1 Korea, many US bases close to China.
Really? Wonder how long before Obama and his warmongering “Republican” friends – including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham – call for another invasion?
——
arguably, that’s what Boner just did.
“arguably, that’s what Boner just did.”
Seems like a waste to not put your Boner in something when you’ve got it, no?
If only someone could have predicted this in 2011. Well there is a good show on the Worm Channel, time to stick my head back in the sand.
If only someone could have predicted this in 2003. Oh, wait. A lot of people did.
Strangely reminiscinant of the helicopters lifting of the U.S. embassy in Saigon. Another generation of American military heros sold out by the left.
Yep, the Bush dynasty clearly had this nder control.
“Mission accomplished!”
Yep. Once again the Republican bleeds, dies and wins, then the Dims say “that’s all folks” and the Republican gets blamed for the Dim’s lack of backbone. Works every time.
yep, Obama really screwed up Iraq.
It’s never too late for you to grab up a rifle and a recliner and go do the right thing.
He reads about it, a rouge !!!
Some rich guy should charter a plane that leaves every week to Iraq for those who want to join the Iraqi military.
Me thinks I can speak for the majority of Americans here when I say – “Who gives a crap.” Haji killing Haji – ain’t kille Willie – I don’t care. This is why in 1991 Bush Sr said “stop right there, before you go any further, let’s get out.” But I guess George Jr. new better and Dick Cheney got to live up to his first name. Well, at least Cheney got rich.
Somebody got the money. Sent from China is the fun part. If I lived in a perfect world, everyone would be shot that was involved in the Iraq boondoggle.
You gots that right!
After all this country has done for us, what’s a few of our tax dollars, sons and daughters for Iraq?
Republican call to arms. Iraq is in trouble, US forces must be sent. Rally all possible troops to settle the problem.
JUST IN, Governor NIKKI HALEY, has found a answer, A NEW MOVEMENT, all politicians from SC need to be fitted with arms to battle Iraq opposition. Tango will lead as General of all troops.
Problem solved!
http://motivational-ish.com/files/2012/02/There-I-Fixed-It-Motivational-ish.jpg
Of course, it could be the plan is to back the Sunni’s, then pit them against the Iranians.
BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB !!!!!!L!!!
Appropriate BILLIONS to SAVE IRAQ!!!
Increase the military budget by BILLIONS
Cut Taxes for BIllioaires
And,oh yes Vote for me!
I am a fiscal conservative!
Thanks Obama…Classic F*#k up, after you and Biden claimed the only true Victory of your miserable terms in Iraq.
And FITS: Typical liberal, Blame America First…I just wish we’d re-institute the draft, and send FITS Dope-Smoking, Gravy-train ridin’ @$$ to Iraq…
There would be a raffle to see who got light up his Muslim-lovin @$$ w/ friendly fire, first time his back was turned.,..
Was a Aircraft Carrier involved in this, I must of missed that ?
GT, your wishful thinking is wasted. FITS, using his professional skills and network of collaborators and supporters, would end up in the Pentagon wreaking havoc with press releases searching for moles, and emceeing a midnight to 4:00am one way talk show.
Only problem: FITS and Boz , after all their expert “sleuthing” and Rev. Jim Jones type talk show, would find out they are the moles…LMAO…
Has good ole Barry Soetoro chastised them with his hashtag foreign policy yet to deal with this crisis? Has Kerry issued a sternly worded State Dept memo yet? Has the FLOTUS told them what to do about their school lunches? Is Hilly (I’m broke) Clinton still out to lunch?
#PleaseDon’tInvadeBaghdad
#IsaidYouWereOnTheRun
#IwantMyMommy
#SendInTheClowns
Just overheard Biden whispering into Kerry’s left ear —– ‘it’s NOT a big fucking deal…it’s all baloney!’
Let’s just conserve that.
Tango, due to launch in 2 weeks, ” The Barrack Obama ” a unique sub that can seek Conservative faggots without regulations.
— carrying what armaments?
Heavy Torpedoes
Is GT prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and ride one on the waves and waving a straw hat and yelling ‘woopee kiy yiy aaaaay?’
I will pay for that, as long as he strikes home.
Victory in Iraq ! and then some, stupid people
What was it ? Mission done ? or Money accepted ?
We paid off the war lords in Anbar province.
There are two troubling aspects to this story. One, is the band of rabble is bitzkreiging across Iraq in Toyota pick up trucks carrying rifles and rpg’s? Food, water, gasoline is plentiful? Are their supplies following on camels? Do they stop at HoJo’s to use the facilities? The other aspect is the fed, watered, trained, well armed Iraqi troops are outgunned, out manned? I find the entire premise incredulous. If these militants have anything it is contempt and gonorrhea. There can not be the sweeping military takeover as described. You would have to leave men and supplies behind to hold the “captured” buildings and cities. Are we talking a 100 pickup truck convoy?
— and the US trained Iraqi Army ran away? Just what does this tell us selection, training and loyalty? (I could go on and on but……)
Really…thank goodness we have the “international community” to save Iraq and Ukraine and Syria and Libya.
The Iraqis don’t want freedom. Not the kind we forced down their throats. They want their own country, their own leaders – their own culture. And voting for it wasn’t the magical potion we promised them.
And if we leave them to their own devices, they will enter a civil war – the Sunni in the minority supported by the Saudis fighting the Shia aided by Iran and Syria… and I don’t think they have an Abraham Lincoln to bring them back together.
500 pound bombs wouldn’t have stopped the Northern War of Aggression. Only an idiot believes you can end a regional belief system by bombing a wedding or two. You need a monster.
And you knew who you were then,
Girls were girls and men were men,
Mister we could use a man
Like William Sherman again.
Who. Is. Funding. ISIS.? ….the US perhaps? There is a method to the madness for the CFR and Trilateral types. “What we need is another terrorist attack on US territory to fan revenge for another war (Iran) and take away more liberties” is what that crowd is thinking. They do get their way. Ever notice?
I heard a shitload of Republicans cheering the removal of liberties – in the interest of “security” – a lot more than liberal voices… I thought conservatives cared about liberty.
We do…that crowd in D.C. under the GOP brand are not party loyalists (Buckley/Reagan Conservatives) nor are they looking out for liberty. The crowd up their now are loyal to the NWO. Democrats in D.C. are smitten with the money trappings, and do have a few NWO backers, however, the Republican Party clearly was taken over after Nixon by the Bush NWO crowd. Reagan was not one of them and took a bullet for it. 20 years of Bush destroyed the GOP and made it into the Mitchell/Boehnor/Graham/Roberts cesspool it is today.
So who are all these “conservatives” online?
I would venture a guess most the “conservatives” online are in the 35-60 age group. They did not face the military draft, never participated in a GOP Convention, have no clue who their delegates are or how they are elected, and for the most part are well educated. They elect home folks in November only to see their representative’s votes rounded up and corralled for the “big picture” from the CFR and the Trilateralists. Most of them never understood it was William Buckley inspired Reagan and it is William Buckley who ushered in Modern Conservatism. These people online are learning fast they have been snookered out of a Heritage built by the blood of their Father’s. These “conservatives” online do not read books about their cause but have a fire in their belly to exact concessions from those who are the establishment yet stupid enough to not know what it is they want and how to get it.
I’d venture to guess they’re ignorant animals without the sophistication of a brick… but hey, what do I know.. it could very well be that these Gomers have masters degrees in Engineering, Meteorology, and Economics.. not unemployed sump pump operators shoveling shit and building outhouses to make ends meet.
Another Obama victory. After all he wanted higher gas prices.
It’s not unlike wishing your children would play less on the xbox… thinking it would be better if the price of games went up, so he’d have to make hard choices about how he would spend his allowance. Thinking more of his future, rather than his current comfort. If you allow things to “run their course” and let your children stay home instead of go to school, play games all day.. there will come a day when they will find they are ill equipped to meet the challenges of everyday life.
The good of the nation depends on a wake-up call to arrive in time to modify instant gratification before consequences become truly grave.
That’s the message.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of Operation Iraqi Freedom: It is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130318230424-waldman-media-iraq-story-top.jpg
Bush has loosed the fateful lightening Of His terrible swift sword His truth is marching on
http://www.patrickandrade.com/gallery/large/Andrade_Iraq1045.jpg
I have seen him in the watch-fires Of a hundred circling camps They have builded him an altar In the evening dews and damps
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS50C2UMh9Ad0lK0jhvEol4H-ZnpdrA4m5k77DskDbnC96f-c-Q
Although Bush announced “mission accomplished” and the end of combat operations on May 1, 2003, Iraq continued to experience ongoing deadly attacks by insurgents while U.S. and coalition troops and civilian contractors attempted to establish an Iraqi army and police force and establish a freely elected government. In the first four years of the war, American casualities stood at more than 3,000 with more than 23,000 wounded, while Iraqi civilian casualties were estimated at more than 50,000.
I just wonder how long it’s going to take the FBHO administration to decide to vacate the Iraqi embassy. Or will they just sit back and say, “there’s no way something like Benghazi will ever happen again”.