Iraq War

Great story by Doug Thompson.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_8401.shtml

Here's the story...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/04/28/national/a061248D00.DTL

The NY Times has a major story today in which it spells out the flawed internal decision-making process early in the Iraq War.

The story makes very clear that the problems we have in Iraq today are the result of decisions made by Bush's team very early on. 

Shorter version:  Franks and Rumsfeld didn't need any advice because they thought they already had all the answers.  

 Shorterst version: Disaster.
 

God Bless Our Troops!

In no way does my contempt for the Bush Administration taint my feelings for our nation's service men and women.  America's troops are the best of US.  I admire and respect their sacrifice.  I wish them nothing but success and God's Speed.

Jack Carter, who is running for the United States Senate against John Ensign in Nevada, is a man worth keeping an eye on.  Thus far the pundits aren't paying much attention, but I have a sneaking suspicion that as 2006 wears on, that is going to change.

Here's an op-ed Carter wrote recently that appeared in the Las Vegas Gleaner. (Be sure to scroll down past the polling data to read the full text) 

 Here's a snip:

There is no doubt that torturing people is un-American. There is no doubt that unfettered eavesdropping on Americans by the executive branch is un-American.  There is no doubt that holding prisoners without due process is un-American.

Via AmericaBlog, I read this morning that the NY Times is reporting on a study that:

A secret Pentagon study has found that as many as 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to the upper body could have survived if they had had extra body armor. Such armor has been available since 2003, but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.

Yesterday, President Bush met with some of the brightest minds in the U.S. foreign policy establishment in an attempt to bolster his credibility on the war in Iraq.

President Johnson tried the same thing.  I wonder how that turned out for him?

LBJ met with the "wise men" Nov. 1, 1967 - all supported continuation of the war, except George Ball.

March 26, 1968 - The "Wise Men" gather at the White House for lunch with the President. They now advocate U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, with only four of those present dissenting from that opinion.

The Miami Herald carries this thought provoking piece from Robert Steinback:

Bush would have us excuse his administration's excesses in deference to the ''war on terror'' -- a war, it should be pointed out, that can never end. Terrorism is a tactic, an eventuality, not an opposition army or rogue nation. If we caught every person guilty of a terrorist act, we still wouldn't know where tomorrow's first-time terrorist will strike. Fighting terrorism is a bit like fighting infection -- even when it's beaten, you must continue the fight or it will strike again.

Here's a comprehensive round-up of what happened in Iraq yesterday.

Does it come from the NY Times or the Washington Post?  Nope, it comes from blogger, Juan Cole. 

Hat tip to Slate's Today's Papers.