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04/23/2004 Archived Entry: "Stumbling, badly"
Stumbling, badly
Is anyone talking to anyone at the White House? First we learn that some of those 'dead-enders' may get their old jobs back.
"The remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime know they have no future in a free Iraq," U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday, restating the U.S. stance even as coalition officials in Baghdad confirmed that some of Saddam's former Baath Party loyalists may be allowed to take back their old jobs.It's seen as a potentially significant change in postwar strategy.
Civilian administrator Paul Bremer now wants to allow former Baath Party members to serve in the Iraqi military and government establishment.
"I think Ambassador Bremer has probably heard from thousands of Iraqis since he has been here on the issue of 'de-Baathification'," coalition spokesman Dan Senor said Thursday.
Then we learn that the new Iraqi government won't even be in charge of their own country.
The Bush administration's plans for a new caretaker government in Iraq would place severe limits on its sovereignty, including only partial command over its armed forces and no authority to enact new laws, administration officials said Thursday.These restrictions to the plan negotiated with Lakhdar Brahimi, the special United Nations envoy, were presented in detail for the first time by top administration officials at Congressional hearings this week, culminating in long and intense questioning on Thursday at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's hearing on the goal of returning Iraq to self-rule on June 30.
Only 10 weeks from the scheduled transfer of sovereignty, the administration is still not sure exactly who will govern in Baghdad, or precisely how they will be selected. A week ago, President Bush agreed to a recommendation by Mr. Brahimi to dismantle the existing Iraqi Governing Council, which was handpicked by the United States, and to replace it with a caretaker government whose makeup is to be decided next month.
That government would stay in power until elections could be held, beginning next year.
The administration's plans seem likely to face objections on several fronts. Several European and United Nations diplomats have said in interviews that they do not think the United Nations will approve a Security Council resolution sought by Washington that handcuffs the new Iraq government in its authority over its own armed forces, let alone foreign forces on its soil.
And the military seems intent upon keeping their date with disaster.
U.S. Marines warned guerrillas in this violence-wracked city Thursday that they have only days to hand over their heavy weapons or face a possible American attack. So far the insurgents have turned in mainly dud rockets, rusty mortar shells and grenades labeled "inert."Lt. Gen. James Conway said the battle could be "costly" if Marines launch a new assault to uproot insurgents from Fallujah, saying foreign fighters in the city have been reinforcing their positions and have no interest in surrendering.
The stark warning came two days after city leaders called on insurgents to hand over their heavy weapons in return for a U.S. pledge to hold back on plans to storm Fallujah and allow the return of families that fled the city.
Now Marines have halted the return of families because of the failure to disarm and the desire to have fewer civilians in the city if fighting resumes. More than a third of Fallujah's 200,000 people fled to Baghdad and elsewhere during the fighting that began April 5.
And last but not least - John McCain says we need 10,000 more soldiers in Iraq, on top of everyone who is supposed to be there and the 20,000 who got stop-lossed by Rummy.
The United States needs at least 10,000 more troops in Iraq and must curb domestic spending to pay for the war, John McCain, a Republican senator and former rival of George W. Bush, said on Thursday.[...]
In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, he called Iraq's deteriorating security situation a "wake-up call" for Washington and said policymakers must show bipartisan resolve to prevail.
Bush has promised to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30, formally ending an occupation which began after President Saddam Hussein's fall last April, although a big U.S. force will stay on to try to keep order. A surge in bloodshed has clouded the run-up to the transition.
In what critics said was a reflection of Republican desperation, McCain spent a good portion of his speech justifying the war.
Later, answering questions, he acknowledged the United States had made mistakes -- such as deploying too few troops to the battle zone -- and said he feared American public support for the war and rebuilding effort was eroding.
[...]
Bush must be "perfectly frank," making clear to the American people that bringing peace and democracy to Iraq "will be very expensive, difficult and long," McCain said.
[...]
McCain called for more troops on top of 135,000 already in Iraq. "At least another full division and probably more" is needed, he said. A division is roughly 10,000 troops.
He criticized the administration for not having a political strategy for transferring sovereignty to Iraqis on June 30.
Who's running the show here? Is anyone driving this bus, and don't they see that cliff looming ahead?
Replies: 7 people speak up
Now, now, stranger.
That cliff is an opportunity. An opportunity to make a new, peaceful, democratic Iraq.
No, wait a minute, it's simply a point in time. There will be other points in time. Some will be good, some will be bad.
No, wait a minute. We don't know we're headed over that cliff. After all, there are known knowns, and unknown knowns, and known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. That cliff, you nattering nabob of negativism, is a known unknown. Or was it an unknown known?
No, wait a minute. The schools dammit, the schools! Saddam had rape rooms! I suppose you would prefer having Saddam back in charge again, you terrorist-loving cappucino-swilling elitist appeaser?
Posted by renato @ 04/23/2004 02:47 AM NY
thats actually a brilliant idea. we have obviously failed at ruling iraq, and we seem to be all out of ideas. what if we just put saddam back in charge? its not like we've killed him or anything... hes not very buisy at the moment... he was really good at his job, after all, we are trying to use his iron fist tactics, but we just dont have, as colonel Kurts might have put it, the "moral clarity" to commit such acts. no one ruled iraq as efficiently as saddam, and we are looking for a moustachioud strong man to take over for us over there, why not go with the original moustache of steel? after all, he used to work for us... im sure if we pay him enough he will work for us again...
i know what you are thinking, the amercan public won't buy it, i think you are wrong... americans believe whatever they are told, and besides, they cant tell one arab from another. just give saddam a face lift, and a different name, and no one's the wiser. maybe if we call him "JUSTICE MAN" or something and put him in a costume...
just a modest proposal (although i wouldnt really be surprised by it)
Posted by justin @ 04/23/2004 10:59 AM NY
Sadly, it is going according to plan. The "new and improved" Iraqi constitution allows them to sell oil producing land to foreigners while the old one didn't. Those auctions can't begin while the US is an occupying power so they have to wait until an "Iraqi" government is in place.
Due to the security situation, IRaqi oil lands will probably go for pennies on the million dollars but the only people allowed to bid are Cheney's friends.
Posted by George Johnston @ 04/23/2004 11:13 AM NY
sounds fair, after all, those people hate freedom, and most of em aint even christians.... sorry, i just found out my apartment is going condo, and i have to move, so im in a very bitter sarcastic mood today
Posted by justin @ 04/23/2004 11:23 AM NY
Excellent idea, Justin.
Saddam Hussein... he's tanned, rested and ready.
Posted by renato @ 04/23/2004 12:41 PM NY
it would be perfect, i smell a movie deal here, just picture it, saddam as bush's ethnic stereotype sidekick. Captain Freedom and Justice Man. almost brings a tear to my eye
Posted by justin @ 04/23/2004 12:51 PM NY
rove and wolfowitz are calling the shots and the republican campaign pencilnecks in the CPA.
they don't see the cliff coming, how could they?
they have been steadily drinking all that administration koolaid and getting stoned on their collective intestinal gas fumes accumulated inside the green bubble. guess there is no oxygen in there.
and the situation won't improve after they can only eat mre's (served under glass, naturally).
very bad for the digestion. ask any poor grunt camping in the iraqi dirt.
Posted by Kimmett the frog @ 04/23/2004 01:13 PM NY
