Posted on 12/14/2006 11:20:04 PM PST by Zakeet
Iraq Study Group Chairmen Jim Baker and Lee Hamilton have spent the past week defending their report against withering criticism here in the U.S. But the more revealing reaction has been from Iraq itself: "Unrealistic," "inappropriate" and "very dangerous" are among the kinder words used by Iraq's leaders to describe the ISG's work.
Consider Jalal Talabani. A secular-minded Kurd who has probably done more than any other leader to reach out across the country's sectarian divides, Iraq's President is no doubt sympathetic to the report's calls for "national reconciliation." But he reacted strongly to the ISG's suggestion that American support for his democratically elected government be conditioned on its meeting U.S.-determined "milestones" toward that goal. That, he said, was an "insult to the people of Iraq."
Mr. Talabani was also critical of the ISG's specific ideas for achieving reconciliation. Having helped bring such Sunni leaders as Adnan Dulaimi into the political process, he clearly understands the importance of giving the Sunnis a fair deal. But he bristled at the report's idea that reconciliation should be achieved through concessions to members of Saddam's Baath Party and other Sunni rejectionists. Fellow Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani echoed that criticism, saying the ISG wanted to reward "those who are against the political process and have conducted acts of violence."
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
The response to and aftershocks of the report have been a great surprise to the enemies of our great President Bush.
The elections don't appear to be a mandate against
President Bush and the Iraq war.
The Baker-Hamiton report has been received with less
than enthusiastic support. It's fallen flat on it's face.
Baker is an embarrasemnt to our country. Another cut'n'run
fool.
You could have taken 10 members from any bowling league
and created a better strategy than this blue ribbon elitist commission.
The elections don't appear to be a mandate against
President Bush and the Iraq war.
The Baker-Hamiton report has been received with less
than enthusiastic support. It's fallen flat on it's face.
Baker is an embarrasemnt to our country. Another cut'n'run
fool.
You could have taken 10 members from any bowling league
and created a better strategy than this blue ribbon elitist commission.
Can't win a debate against a rock....
I know that feeling & it is one of the reasons I FReep.
Much of the American left fears "permanent state of war", listen to them cite Orwell's "1984" and "the military industrial complex", as they're mentally stuck in the anti-American mentality of decades past. While the Cold War has ended, we're dealing with some of the blowback from it. The left never meant for the US to be on the winning side of the Cold War, which is one of the main reasons the left faults the US for everything the US did to fight it. It's like, the US still has some karma to work off, before the left feels they can support the US again. Maybe the next big strike against the homeland will bring them around. Sad that I feel it will take that for them, but there it is.
Damn... sorry this is so late for a response..... but I agree 100% with what you said... but it also makes think of "Animal Farm", by the same author...
I have no problem with 'loss of privacy', meaning cameras everywhere (even if it is similar to George Orwell's "1984")... If you are not guilty of anything... then what have you got to hide? But, then again, I'm not saying more government. I think everyone here understands what FREEDOM means.... and the cost of it.
Oh, and thanks for the welcome (belated :/)
Not a problem. One of these days I should scroll back through all of the stuff in "My Comments" & pick up "conversations" that scrolled without responses from me. LOL I know there are a ton of them. :(
I have no problem with 'loss of privacy', meaning cameras everywhere (even if it is similar to George Orwell's "1984")... If you are not guilty of anything... then what have you got to hide? But, then again, I'm not saying more government.
My take on the cameras has to do with dealing with information overload. Unless I start seeing a huge increase in the number of people hired to actually *do* something with all of the information accumulated, I'm perfectly safe hiding out here in plain sight. "Big Brother" was interactive, not just an observer. "Subject Holly GoLightly observed picking her nose at 3:48, Jan 5, 2007." "Sent reminder to carry Kleenex, Jan 5, 2007."
Face it, most of us aren't all that interesting, much as we'd like to think otherwise. So, it's not even a matter of whether or not we're guilty of anything. There are too few government agents to pay attention anyway, unless we give them a good reason to pay attention.
I think everyone here understands what FREEDOM means.... and the cost of it.
I agree, though I'd say most do, not all.
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