Cheney: Iraq War to End by 2009:

[grandpa]

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
– Groucho Marx



Cheney: Iraq War to End by 2009:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/index.html

Basra Out of Control, Says Police Chief:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story...495800,00.html

Bush Blasts Amnesty Report on Guantanamo:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8046041/

Pakistan Mob Burns KFC Restaurant After Mosque Blast, 11 Killed:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8040422/

[RickSp]

One more to add to your list. It appears that the US is trying to start or perhaps fan the flames of a civil war.

US troops outraged Iraq's new government yesterday by arresting one of the country's foremost Sunni leaders only to release him later and call the whole episode a mistake. Firing stun grenades, American soldiers burst into the home of Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the largest Sunni Arab political party, shortly after dawn. They forced a hood over his head and dragged him away along with his three sons. A number of Sunni politicians and religious leaders have been accused of links to Iraq's insurgency - but never Mr Abdul-Hamid. A Sunni Kurd, he is widely considered a moderate and played a leading role in bringing Sunni Arabs who boycotted January's elections back into the political process. He was freed 10 hours later, but the US military offered no explanation for his detention and stopped short of apologising. "It was determined that he was detained by mistake and should be released," US central command said in a statement. "Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr Hamid's co-operation in resolving this matter."

Outrage as US troops arrest moderate Sunni leader

This is stupidity on a grand scale.

[Chalk]

2009 o_O wow..

[Dieval]

Quote by: grandpa Cheney: Iraq War to End by 2009: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/index.html

Just to clarify, it says -

The vice president said he expected the war would end during President Bush's second term, which ends in 2009.

He's expecting it to be finished sometime in the next 4 years, but I doubt he's psychic and knows for sure.

[RickSp]

Quote by: Dieval The vice president said he expected the war would end during President Bush's second term, which ends in 2009.

Or maybe he just plans of declaring himself Vice President for Life which might increase the odds of his being right. I'm joking, (I think.)

[grandpa]

Quote by: RickSp Or maybe he just plans of declaring himself Vice President for Life which might increase the odds of his being right. I'm joking, (I think.)

I saw a disgusting CNN soundbite where they talked of Laura Bush running for President in the near future. They actually even used the words "Bush dynasty" in a positive light, as if it's a good sign that a country has political dynasties. It's sad enough that Hillary Clinton will run, bringing back those tired old days of the Clinton/Tipper era...but having another Bush is just too much.

Grandpa h.

[asterix404]

Ha, I herd about the chieny thing saying that the amnisty international thing was a joke or something that was just funny and not to be believed. I just wonder what he considders a human rights voilation... since I am rather sure when russia kepted one the USs boys for 20 years or something we got rather anoyed...

[grandpa]

Quote by: asterix404 Ha, I herd about the chieny thing saying that the amnisty international thing was a joke or something that was just funny and not to be believed. I just wonder what he considders a human rights voilation... since I am rather sure when russia kepted one the USs boys for 20 years or something we got rather anoyed...

yeah, that kind of hypocrisy is rather obvious. If any non-allied country was doing what we've been doing with our foreign policies there's no doubt we'd criticize them in the harshest of terms. If they do it it's bad, if we do it it's good. That's how country's usually run and some people will always fall for it.

Grandpa h.

[rmnunez]

It doesn't seem a far-fetched prognostication, I'd expect the conflict to have settled down by then and the insurgency to be much more of a tolerable "background" problem. Within 3 years US forces in Iraq will number no more than are now have in South Korea. If the strategy against terrorism has any success, we will be wondering why even a quarter of the number now deployed in Iraq are still necessary 3 years from now.

[belverron]

What I wish to know is when the occupation ends. He was as vague as ever on that point. "I think we may well have some kind of presence there over a period of time." The war has been winding down ever since it started, if you ask me. I just want to know when, if ever, we can leave them completely.

[rmnunez]

Belverron, it depends on what you think "occupation" means. If by this you refer to military presence in a foreign country (as in Germany or South Korea) then its likely going to be a bit longer than until 2009.

[gr8fuldaniel]

This war wont be over until the occupation ends.

Or the oil dries up, whichever come first.

Impeachment of Bush (and his accomplices) could bring a conclusion sooner. If the illegality of the war is the cause for impeachment.

[grandpa]

Quote by: gr8fuldaniel This war wont be over until the occupation ends. Or the oil dries up, whichever come first. Impeachment of Bush (and his accomplices) could bring a conclusion sooner. If the illegality of the war is the cause for impeachment.

That's if America will ever admit its military could wage an illegal war in which politicians leading it can be punished.
That would be a dramatic step.

Grandpa h.

[asterix404]

That would also be polotical scuicide and since they are in the busness of polotics it will never evrer happen. Look at what Kerry did... he openly admited to voting for the war and then being agaist it. He lost a run of presedency becasue Bush and co. made him look like an unpatriotic stooge. Did you know we still have troops in germany? I have a funny fealing that nothing will get them out faster. 3 years for an insurgency? Perhaps... I am gussing till everyone who wants a war is dead. It's been hell over there for 2000 years... you seriosuly think that 3 years is going to fix it?

[rmnunez]

A critical lefty's wet dream; apologetic Bush telling the UN General Assembly how sorry he is for intervening in Iraq and begging them to take over the mess he created. Its not going to happen, the UN couldn't muster a credible force and force is needed to deal with the insurgency. Pullout now is impossible, they'll have to stick it out until things stabilize a bit more. Things will be stable enough when the retrained Iraqi military is capable of keeping insurgent activity down at a level that allows reconstruction efforts to proceed adequately.

[grandpa]

Quote by: rmnunez A critical lefty's wet dream; apologetic Bush telling the UN General Assembly how sorry he is for intervening in Iraq and begging them to take over the mess he created.

Someone should at least apologize for the days of old when we supported Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq. But whether anyone apologizes or not, the White House still acts sort of like a Mafia.

Quote by: rmnunez Its not going to happen, the UN couldn't muster a credible force and force is needed to deal with the insurgency.

Nor should it be the job of the UN to deal with the insurgency. My personaly view is that the UN should only exist as an international foum, if it is to exist at all.

Quote by: rmnunez Pullout now is impossible, they'll have to stick it out until things stabilize a bit more.

If things stabilize a bit more we'll probably stay there anyway.
That's the thing about the military...it really can't lose, even if it is still losing. If the insurgency gets worse, we'll stay to fight, if things get better, we'll stay there anyway and take as much credit as possible for when things improve.
It's really amazing, if you think about it. Go to a country, wreck it and then take credit for when some things start getting back to normal.

Quote by: rmnunez Things will be stable enough when the retrained Iraqi military is capable of keeping insurgent activity down at a level that allows reconstruction efforts to proceed adequately.

Pretending the movements are very likely to die down soon, what does it mean to "proceed adequately," in your view?

Grandpa h.

[RickSp]

Satire by Andy Borowitz.

In an appearance on CNN’S “Larry King Live,” former President George H. W. Bush unveiled ambitious plans to extend the Bush dynasty in the White House, indicating that if all goes as planned the Bushes will rule the U.S. until 2090. When asked if he hoped that his son, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, would run for president in 2008, the former president replied, “Yes, Larry, I think it’s the smart one’s turn.” Presidential historian Davis Logden of the University of Minnesota said he sees advantages in such an unprecedented White House dynasty: “It could provide useful continuity to have a Bush in the White House in 2090, because we will most likely still be in Iraq.”

BUSHES TO RULE U.S. UNTIL 2090

[iamhaneef]

Quote by: gr8fuldaniel This war wont be over until the occupation ends. Or the oil dries up, whichever come first. Impeachment of Bush (and his accomplices) could bring a conclusion sooner. If the illegality of the war is the cause for impeachment.

Or the war will end at the development of a new fuel. When we don't need oil, what good is the middle east?

[rmnunez]

Reconstruction will "proceed adequately" when it is undertaken at a rate sufficient to drain enough insurgency members as laborers and satisfactorily provide improvements or the expectation thereof for the general population.

[grandpa]

Quote by: rmnunez Reconstruction will "proceed adequately" when it is undertaken at a rate sufficient to drain enough insurgency members as laborers and satisfactorily provide improvements or the expectation thereof for the general population.

If the US stays in Iraq it will be a problem. If the US leaves, Iraq it will still be a problem.
Should we really expect things to improve or will it become just another theocracy?

Grandpa h.