Iraq Archives
April 8, 2008
WSJ: 'The Petraeus Effect'
A poignant question in a remarkable article at the WSJ:As General David Petraeus briefs Congress this week on Iraq, it's clear his surge has achieved remarkable results. The most crucial is that the U.S. can no longer be defeated militarily in Iraq, which could not be said a year ago. The question now is whether Washington will squander these gains by withdrawing so quickly that we could still lose politically.The take home message from the article is that "Americans are understandably impatient with the war, but we have sacrificed too much, and made too much progress in the last year,... ... more
Posted at 10:39 AM
March 29, 2008
More WaPo Shameful Shrills For The Enemy
One could easily believe that the WaPo's Sudarsan Raghavan is an aide to Muqtada al-Sadr!After reading Sudarsan Raghavan's article this morning titled "19 Tense Hours in Sadr City Alongside the Mahdi Army," I was left with the distinctly uncomfortable feeling that someone was trying to sell me a pig in a poke - what I was being sold was nothing less than enemy propaganda; in this case, an article presented from the side of terrorists', with intentionally slipped-in nuance to make Americans sound ineffective and weak while making terrorists sound like champions of liberty and simple family folk that only... ... morePosted at 8:51 AM | Comments (1)
March 6, 2008
Why No United States Outcry over the Kidnapping of Archbishop Rahho? (Updated)
On Friday February 29, 2008 the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Iraq, Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped at gunpoint. He had just left the Parish Church in Mosul, Iraq. Three men traveling with him were killed. While there's a growing outcry from heads of State and international leaders, why has there not been even one formal statement from the United States President or Administration? Hat tip - Spirit Daily Cross posted from Hyscience Update: Kidnappers of Iraqi Archbishop Demand "Impossible" Ransom... ... morePosted at 2:48 PM
March 3, 2008
Evidence That The Bush Doctrine Is Working - Via The New York Times
Who would believe such a thing could happen! The NYT has actually come out with a story that confirms the Bush doctrine has been right all along (albeit a few adjustments here and there and here and there along the way). As Abe Greenwald writes at Commentarymagazine.com:... The paper of record, which for the past few years could accurately be described as a body count with a styles section, is now acknowledging the realization of the most ambitious goal of the Iraq invasion: the de-radicalization of Muslim citizens. This is, in its way, more important than political reconciliation and even... ... morePosted at 11:02 PM
December 20, 2007
Example Of Torture For The Totally Confused
The AP is carrying the story of yet another torture center being found in Iraq. The details provide a striking reminder that while the U.S. is hampered by the Left and PC fools that don't really understand what constitutes torture, our enemy has no such hindrances and takes full advantage of the difference. Making someone physically uncomfortable can sometimes be necessary to save lives, which, for the benefit of our nutty friends on the far Left, is a vastly different purpose than that of radical Islamists, who not only go far beyond discomfort to beyond the point of extreme pain... ... morePosted at 7:25 AM | Comments (1)
November 12, 2007
Words I Thought We'd Never Here From Muslims And Christians In Baghdad: 'All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother.'
It's about time! The Church of St. John in Baghdad has been reopened and the cross on its dome has been replaced. Yes, faith in the end of violence is now alive in battle-scarred Baghdad, as Iraqi Muslims and Christians proclaim, "All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother." As Jules Crittenden says, "Faith and hope, brought to you by American fighting men and women." However, let's not be deluded into forgetting that hurdles remain, particularly with Iran working just as hard to create havoc in Iraq as America and most Iraqis are working to... ... morePosted at 3:31 PM
November 4, 2007
Iraqi Familes are Returning Home!
The AP Reports:In a dramatic turnaround, more than 3,000 Iraqi families driven out of their Baghdad neighborhoods have returned to their homes in the past three months as sectarian violence has dropped, the government said Saturday.The news is simply too good for the American MSM. Jules Crittenden comments:Anyone else notice that AP managed to report that with nary a yeah-but, or a too-early-to-say?... ... morePosted at 2:46 PM | Comments (1)
September 17, 2007
The Blackwater Incident In Iraq
Blackwater being banned from Iraq by Iraq's Interior Minister, the Islamist - Jawad Bulani, is all over the cable media today, with CNN International putting on what could only be described as an anti-Blackwater hit piece featuring the anti-blackwater, ultra-liberal, author and moonbat exraordinaire - Jeremy Scahill. Blackwater's position is that a State Department convoy protected by Blackwater was violently attacked by armed insurgents, not civilians, and the Blackwater security contractors did their job, as they damned well should have - they fired back to defend human life - their own and the lives of the people their job was... ... morePosted at 4:54 PM | Comments (10)
September 16, 2007
Greenspan Has It All Wrong
Surely, by now, you've heard "Greenspan's shocker," that the Iraq war is largely about oil. "Largely," about oil? The "old geezer," as Jules Crittenden puts it, "needs to have a chat with his researchers." It's not that the world's single most important strategic resource isn't worth fighting for, which it is, but then, as importantly, there's those other not-so-little issues such as "peace, truth, justice, the American way," and "slightly less abstract threats to U.S. national interests and security" such as "preventing a new training ground for future terrorist attacks against America, the evidence of Saddam's track record and ongoing... ... morePosted at 10:35 AM | Comments (1)
August 28, 2007
"Aznar for International Criminal Court"
I wrote some months ago about a platform whose objective is to send Aznar to the International Criminal Court because of "his support to the illegal Iraqi war". Another platform, called "Aznar for ICC" is preparing a "hot autumn", as United Left's MP from Andalucia's Autonomous Community Antonio Romero has said. He added: Neither Aznar, nor Bush nor Tony Blair can go away without punishment after causing an illegal and immoral war, which has produced the death to 700.000 Iraqis, the majority of which were civil, more than 2 million of people in exile, the complete destruction of the country's infraestructures, of its... ... morePosted at 1:26 PM
August 15, 2007
Totten Keeps Getting Better, MSM Still The Same
Roger Simon offers an interesting comparison between what he refers to as the honest transparent journalism (new media) vs. the MSM, and points to this latest report from Iraq by Michael Totten while suggesting we compare it with a Robin Wright WaPo article on which Roger has posted and commented on. Clearly, Roger's right, and "hands down Totten is the better writer, better reporter and all-around more interesting read," which is why I always double check with Totten's latest piece as a reality check on what I hear from the MSM on Iraq. Cross posted from Hyscience... ... morePosted at 11:33 AM
August 13, 2007
Hitchens On 'Foolish Myths' About al-Qaeda
After throwing out a few qualifiers to call attention to his recent rants against religion (all of them) in his piece at Slate today, Christopher Hitchens gets right down to the business of rebutting a few "foolish myths" about al-Qaeda that many of our friends on the Left and more than a few misinformed Republicans would do well to distance themselves from if they value reality. This is especially true for those who Hitchens calls "the hair-splitting secularists who cannot accept that al-Qaida in Mesopotamia is a branch of al-Qaida itself." Objections to this self-evident fact take one of two... ... morePosted at 5:59 PM
August 1, 2007
A Fair Assessment On Iraq Points To A Split In House Democrats On War
Powerline points to the assessments of the major progress we're making in Iraq by liberal analysts like Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack, and MSM reporters like John Burns, and offers that it's an excellent sign that, for a change, our top commander's assessment is no more optimistic, and indeed perhaps more cautious, than the assessment of commenators only the defeatist left considers biased in favor of the administration. As for what General Petraeus has to say, here's what he told Michael Yon via an NRO symposium. Interestingly, while Petraeus' assesment is indeed "no more optimistic, and indeed perhaps more cautious"... ... morePosted at 11:37 AM
July 18, 2007
Top Iraqi al-Qaida Leader In Iraq Captured
In some really good news out of Iraq - the figure behind Omar al-Baghdadi is no longer free to head the Islamic State of Iraq! The U.S. military captured the highest-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq in Mosul on July 4th. And apparently, Khalid Abdul Fatah Da'ud Mahmud Al Mashadani, aka, Abu Shahed, believed to be the most senior Iraqi in the al-Qaida in Iraq network, is singing like a canary; take, for example, this very interesting tidbit of information: ... the Islamic State of Iraq has identified its leader as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, with al-Masri as... ... morePosted at 11:45 AM | Comments (2)
July 16, 2007
Hunter - Killer 'Reaper' Drones Bound For Iraq
It's the size of a jet fighter, powered by a turboprop engine, able to fly at 300 mph and reach 50,000 feet, is outfitted with infrared, laser and radar targeting, carries a ton and a half of guided bombs and missiles, the pilot sits at a video console 7,000 miles away in Nevada, and they're bound for Afghanistan and Iraq. So, could their deployment have anything to do with Iran? Related coverage: The Trouble About Tehran Iranian rockets found near army base in Iraq... ... morePosted at 1:21 PM
July 15, 2007
WaPo Journalists: Kumbaya Awaits U.S From Al-Qaeda
If we're to believe the WaPo's piece today titled, "Sunni Insurgent Leader Paints Iran as 'Real Enemy," (with the byline of "U.S. Strategy Described as Only Inflaming Iraqi Resistance" - a not-so-subtle hint of the intended message of the piece) the Sunni insurgents in Iraq "heart" the U.S. troops, hate George Bush (I have to admit that I'm no great fan of his), and gee if we'd only unleash the Sunnis to murder all the Shi'ites who are all Iranian puppets (of which many surely are), than the U.S. and the Sunnis can join hands in one big glorious Kumbaya,... ... morePosted at 8:23 AM | Comments (1)
July 8, 2007
The Gray Lady Has A Preference For Genocide
Jules at Forward Movement has a must read piece today, lambasting the NYT on their apparent preference for chaos and retreat, and their circular reasoning in arriving at what could best be described as a foolish, short sided, and far left, non-plan that would result in al-Qaeda getting ready to set up shop in Washington, convinced that the U.S. is ready to roll over to the Islamists:OK, let's review. Bloody chaos and genocide preferable to what's going on now. What's going on now not discussed in any inconvenient detail. NYT has retreat all figured out, will shares plans with Pentagon.... ... morePosted at 6:29 PM
July 2, 2007
Al-Qaeda Massacres Entire Iraqi Village - Including The Animals, And The MSM Remains Silent
"US and Iraqi forces had dug up 40 bodies of men, women and children, bound and shot (some of the children beheaded), who used to make up the now-empty village of Ferris, near Fallujah. Then, not content with murdering the people, AlQaeda's "Islamic activists" also shot villagers' donkeys by the side of the road." [... al Qaeda had cut the heads off the children.] Had there been anyway to blame U.S. forces, we would be hearing about it 24/7 from both the cable and the print media, and leftwing anti-war bloggers like the Daily Kos would be going nuts over... ... morePosted at 2:34 PM | Comments (1)
June 22, 2007
Battle Of Baqubah Heating Up - The 'Real Surge' Has Begun
(Cross posted from Hyscience) [A soldier assigned to the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, provides security and uses a smoke grenade for concealment during Operation Arrowhead Ripper, in Baqouba, Iraq, June 19, 2007. The operation is a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaeda terrorists and secure the city. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Armando Monroig)] Except for the real story coming from guys like Michael Yon and Bill Roggio, you'd almost think the media was blacking out Baquba. But as Hot Air notes, they're just downplaying it in order to focus on... ... morePosted at 11:15 AM
June 14, 2007
U.N. Says Yes To U.S Troops Staying in Iraq While Democrats Say Yes To Al-Qaeda (Updated)
While the Democratic leadership continues to support our enemy in Iraq, the Iraqis, and now the UN, support the U.S. - led multinational force remaining in Iraq and recognize that the role of our troops in Iraq is "vitally necessary." The big question is why the Democrats refuse to face up to the danger to the entire region and by extension, our own shores, of our not completing the job in Iraq. The answer, of course, is because they continue to put political agenda and power to the party over winning an important battle in the War on Terror. They... ... morePosted at 6:41 AM
June 1, 2007
Out Thought By The Enemy In Iraq
Ralph Peters has an informative read today at The NY Post, addressing our strategy verses that of our enemy in Iraq and beyond. Peters is critical of Washington's continuous arguing about the diagnosis when we should have already operated on the cancer killing Iraq, and says that while we've failed to develop a clear strategy and carry it out, the terrorists have proved more adaptable than we've been: We restrict ourselves to supposedly humane theories of counterinsurgency warfare that have failed us for 60 years; our enemies simply do whatever works - like manipulate the media:[...] The terrorists know where... ... morePosted at 3:21 PM
Baghdad Embassy Plans Turn Up Online
Just how did detailed plans for the new U.S. Embassy under construction in Baghdad appear online Thursday in a breach of the tight security surrounding the sensitive project? The idiots at Berger Devine Yaeger Inc., the Kansas City, Mo.-based architectural firm that was contracted to design the heavily fortified compound in the Iraqi capital. Fortunately, at the time of this writing, the entire site is down, likely after the company removed the images following being contacted by the State Department:The images were removed by Berger Devine Yaeger Inc. shortly after the company was contacted by the State Department. "We work... ... morePosted at 6:06 AM
May 30, 2007
al-Sadr's Militia Claims It Kidnapped Britons - Threatens Christian Women Who Don't Wear Veil
The Telegraph reports that Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army is suspected in the kidnapping of four British security guards and a British computer expert, in Iraq. The abductions are believed to have occurred a retribution for the death of Sadr's lieutenant in a gunfight earlier this month between the Mahdis and the British: [...] A cell commander in Sadr's Mahdi army, the militia suspected of orchestrating the kidnapping, told The Daily Telegraph that the five men were taken to the centre near Mudafra Square in Sadr City, the Iraqi capital's biggest Shia district. He claimed that the order to seize the... ... morePosted at 2:58 PM
May 29, 2007
Foreign Office To Hold Crisis Talks On Iraq Kidnapping Of 'Five' Britons - Attack Highlights Dangerous Duty Of Security In Iraq
The British Foreign Office is "urgently" looking into reports that four British security guards of the security firm and one British computer expert they were guarding, are among at least seven Westerners kidnapped from the Finance Ministry building in central Baghdad by gunmen dressed in Iraqi uniforms. The Foreign Office was today "urgently" looking into reports that four British security guards and one further Briton are among at least seven Westerners kidnapped by gunmen in Iraq. All seven, including three computer programmers, were reportedly taken from the Finance Ministry building in central Baghdad. Details are sketchy on the nationality and... ... morePosted at 11:32 AM | Comments (1)
May 27, 2007
16 Iraqis Captured Who Are 'Directly Related' To May 12 Attack On U.S. Soldiers
CNN reports that U.S. and Iraqi troops have detained 16 people they say are "directly related to the attack" on May 12 in which three U.S. soldiers were captured (hat tip - Ace of Spades): U.S. and Iraqi troops have detained 16 people they say are "directly related to the attack" on May 12 in which three U.S. soldiers were apparently captured, a U.S. military official said. The three men disappeared after insurgents attacked a U.S. military observation post in the Mahmoudiya area, in a stretch known as the Triangle of Death. Four American soldiers and an Iraqi soldier were... ... morePosted at 12:04 AM | Comments (2)
May 23, 2007
Body Of Missing US Soldier Found In Euphrates River
Police in Iraq say the half-naked body of one of three missing US soldiers has been found in the Euphrates River in the town of Mussayab, south of Baghdad, and the U.S. military is investigating: Thousands of US and Iraqi troops having been scouring farmlands through an area south of Baghdad known as the "triangle of death", since an ambush on May 12 in which four soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were killed.More coming ... No word on the other missing soldiers, and no further word so far regarding the unconfirmed and uncollaborated report on Arab websites reporting 2 soldiers... ... morePosted at 11:08 AM
May 22, 2007
Requiem For Lt. Andrew Bacivich
On another Jules post, he attended 1st Lt. Andrew Bacevich's funeral yesterday with three friends, Larry Gwin, Paul Clifford and John Nelson Ferrara, all combat veterans of Vietnam, the latter a friend of the elder Bacevich, and wrote this.... ... morePosted at 11:28 AM
May 21, 2007
The Media and Iraq
The Christian Science Monitor (hat tip - Wizbang) has an interesting interview with Bill Roggio about how the media is reporting Iraq and ways that al Qaeda and others manipulate the media to get the coverage they desire. Central to the take home message is the fact that whether the media recognize it or not and whether they like it or not, the media is a part of the battlefield and what they report, how they report it, the context they use, and when they report it - all affect the war and who wins it:Chinni: I know you weren't... ... morePosted at 11:07 PM
May 20, 2007
MEMRI Reporting Rumor on Islamist Websites That The Bodies of Two of the Kidnapped Soldiers Have Been Found in Iraq
As Abdul posted on extensively last night (in which one report mentions that police sources in the city of Mahmoudia told of the two bodies being found near one of their orchards in the city showing signs of "severe torture"), Jawa Report points today to The MEMRI blog which is carrying the report of rumors posted on Islamist websites that the American forces have discovered the headless bodies of two of the kidnapped American soldiers. The reports stated that the bodies were found on May 18, after six days of searching, and that the search for the third soldier, whose... ... morePosted at 7:54 PM
May 19, 2007
Arab Website Reports 2 Soldiers Found Beheaded (Updated)
Let me make it absolutely clear that I do NOT believe this to be credible, and am even reluctant to put it up. Nothing has been seen on any other news source, and Petraeus is saying otherwise. The only real news here may be that an Arab language site is reporting the soldiers decapitated remains having been found, not that it actually happened. This site could easily be just a propaganda site, although the agency appears to have access to local information that I have verified in better known media sources. However, HAQ News Agency, an Arab language site (with... ... morePosted at 9:39 PM
May 18, 2007
UPI's Pamela Hess On Iraq
With apparent deep emotion, Pamela says that Americans understand the incredible savagery and violence that American military officers are seeing every day over there.., and that is one of the reasons that is centrally the key to why they are so confident and so optimistic ..., as one officer put it, every day I wake up and feel like I'm pushing a little girl away from under the bus, I save the little girl ..., and every day that is exactly what's happening there ... An informative and touching video; if you haven't seen it before, it's surely worth watching.... ... morePosted at 3:47 PM
May 16, 2007
Anbar Repeating In Diyala?
Only yesterday we posted on CNN's report that al-Qaeda was on the verge of collapse in al-Anbar Province. Today AJStrata has it that one of the last throes of al Qaeda in Anbar Province, right before the Sunni's switched allegiences en masse, was the use of Chlorine attacks: The attacks were a sign of al Qaeda desparation. The use of chemical weapons signaled a willingness to use chemical weapons on Muslims in order to try and regain control over a province in which they were rapidly losing their grip. Chlorine gas is an ugly killer. It is clearly a... ... morePosted at 10:56 AM
May 15, 2007
Andrew J. Bacevich. 1st Lt, 3/8 Cav, 1st Cav
Last night Jules made a phone call that no one ever wants to have to make, and no one ever wants to receive:I haven't had to make that kind of call much since I became an editor, but tonight when it needed to be done, I preferred to be the one to do it. Andy Bacevich answered the phone but was brusque, just said he couldn't talk about it right now. Later, he sent me an email. "He joined the Army to serve his country in time of need. We love him and mourn his loss." And a photo of... ... morePosted at 5:10 PM
Iraq Vs. Vietnam: A Perspective
Good Lt. has up a stark awakening for our friends - the Kool-Aid drinkers, and offers the following chart to point out the significant difference between the "constant hyperbole, years of willful distortion, a chronic lack of proportion, and ongoing inflated one-sided outrage in the mainstream media/Democrat Party," and the reality of the war in Iraq. Looking at the graph, and then comparing it to almost "any major daily newspaper or newscast," one would think that even the dimmest bulb among the moonbats that like to compare the two, can readily gain a better perspective on the difference between Iraq... ... morePosted at 4:17 PM
May 14, 2007
Al-Qaeda Promises To 'Work With The Democrats' For Maximum Political Impact
As though we needed further evidence that the Democratic leadership and al-Qaeda are operating from the same playbook, we have this from Ace of Spades via Cao's Blog - Al Qaeda knows who its friends are:Mohamad al-Janabi, a reputed al-Qaeda member in the nearby city of Salman Pak, said in a interview that he was unable to contact his comrades in Mahmudiyah to determine whether they were responsible for the attack. But he added: "I can assure you that we will start pressuring Bush in a new way at the same time he is facing pressures from the Democrats and... ... morePosted at 1:41 PM
May 9, 2007
It Just Doesn't Matter
I stumbled across Dan Gordon's entertaining and informative November 2006 piece at The American Thinker today. The title is what caught my eye: "No Viet Cong Followed Us Home, Al-Qaeda Will." I think what made it an eye catcher for me was that I see and hear so many people saying lately that like the VC in Vietnam, bringing the troops home from Iraq will have no effect on terrorism at home. Much of this is from the anti-Bush crowd, a fair amount of the rest is from those that are simply uninformed, naive to the ways the Islamists' goals... ... morePosted at 4:12 PM | Comments (1)
May 8, 2007
Al Qaeda's New Enemy In Iraq
Al-Qaeda has a new enemy in Iraq, and its not more Western coalition forces, its Iraqis themselves who want no part of a "soul-crushing fundamentalist Islamic dictatorship." An editorial at the Chicago Tribune begins with, "You want good news from Iraq? There it is, in flashing neon." And there it is indeed; Sunni tribesmen in Anbar Province, in the heart of the insurgency, are now backing coalition and Iraqi forces against the terrorists:[...] These Anbar leaders aren't just jawing. Thousands of Sunnis have rushed to join local police forces, with tribal leaders' encouragement. "The progress has inspired an optimism in... ... morePosted at 9:37 PM | Comments (2)
May 7, 2007
Remembering Them: It's About Time
Major Kleenex alert (hat tip - Forward Movement)! According to Jules, this is reportedly by a 15-year-old girl from Ohio; if you haven't seen it yet, you need to watch it now: Cross posted from Hyscience... ... morePosted at 11:45 AM
May 6, 2007
Al Qaeda's Al-Zawahiri Wants More U.S. Dead in Iraq
Barely able to contain himself over the non-stop deluge of free propaganda handed him by Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and their fellow Defeaticrats, al-Qaeda's number 2 Thug-in-Chief has issued a new video statement mocking the Dems bill and saying he wants to spill more U.S. blood before America withdraws:[...] Ayman al Zawahiri, mocks the bill passed by Congress setting a timetable for the pullout of U.S. troops in Iraq. "This bill will deprive us of the opportunity to destroy the American forces which we have caught in a historic trap," Zawahiri says in answer to a question posed to... ... morePosted at 12:16 PM
May 5, 2007
Fox Watching Henhouse 101: Newspaper Ties Iraqi PM To Revolutionary Guards
In a stunning but not surprising development, a new report claims to reveal documents confirming Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki held telephone conversations with anti-coalition leader Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the "Madhi's Army," and then ordered Iranian commanders to areas where they would not be "arrested or killed" by American troops. The "Mahdi Army" is the group of terrorists and fighters assembled by al-Sadr, who has preached Islam's "Madhi" soon is to return, and American forces invaded Iraq in order to capture and kill him. Al-Sadr has refused to disband the estimated 5,000-8,000 in his group because he claims it... ... morePosted at 6:44 AM
May 3, 2007
Tell Nancy Pelosi & Congress: America Won't Surrender!
When it came to defeating the Soviets, Ronald Reagan made it simple: "We win, they lose." Now more than ever, the defeatists in Congress must hear that same message. America will never surrender (hat tip - Gateway Pundit).To: Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House Harry Reid, U.S. Senate Democrat Leader Congress has passed and President Bush has vetoed H.R. 1591, the Iraq Surrender Act of 2007. This legislation, which you worked to pass, sets a timetable for surrender. It pulls the rug out from under our troops. That is shameful and wrong. Your actions have already emboldened the enemy. Violent... ... morePosted at 11:58 AM | Comments (2)
al-Qaeda Senior Member Of Information Killed By U.S. Military
Chalk up one less kidnapper/murderer/Islamothug on the planet, as the U.S. military reports that the first day of May was the last day of life for Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri (confirmed by DNA tests), the "senior minister of information" for al Qaeda in Iraq, and a key figure in the separate abductions of journalist Jill Carroll, Tom Fox, one of four men from the Chicago-based peace group Christian Peacemaker Teams who was found fatally shot in Baghdad in March of last year, and other foreigners. On the down side, still no word no information to support claims by Iraq's Interior... ... morePosted at 11:55 AM
May 1, 2007
Unconfirmed report: Red On Red Action Takes Down Leader Of al-Qaeda In Iraq
If this report turns out to be true, another murderous thug is now looking around down in hell for his non-existent 72 virgins, and more importantly, the manner in which the Islamist leader has been killed is a very promising sign - "red on red" fighting: Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader 'killed': The interior ministry in Iraq says it has received intelligence that the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq has been killed. Abu Ayyub al-Masri, believed to be an Egyptian, has led the group since June 2006 when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a US air strike. Al-Qaeda in Iraq... ... morePosted at 8:32 AM
April 30, 2007
Iraq's FM: al-Qaeda Exploiting U.S. Disunity Over War
What most conservatives have been trying to tell the Democrats for more than two years continues to be proven true on the battlefield; the Democrats' onslaught against every Bush administration attempt to adjust to the changing tactics and strategy of the enemy, albeit as in every war mistakes have been made, is being exploited by al Qaeda, which in turn steps up attacks to hasten a withdrawal. Simply put, the Democrats' plan to pull U.S. troops from Iraq is working less than the Bush administration's plan to keep them there. Clearly, al-Qaeda prefers the Democrats' plan, and that speaks loudly... ... morePosted at 8:27 AM
April 28, 2007
US Raids Capture AQI Terrorists And Iranian Weapons
Only one day after the Pentagon announced the capture of al-Qaeda mastermind Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, US forces in Iraq captured a number of AQI terrorists in a series of raids and discovered a cache of Iranian arms south of Baghdad. Captain Ed has more on the story and the link, along with an example of what happens when we abandon an area with a weak security apparatus in place: Now that the Brits and Danes have given the people of Basra a drop-dead date for their withdrawal, they have set in motion a fight for power that will only amplify... ... morePosted at 11:05 AM
April 26, 2007
The One Minute Speech Of The Day: Surrender Is Not Appropriate
In this video (hat tip - Wizbang), Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) gives the "One Minute Speech of the Day" on the House floor, taking Democratic leaders to task for skipping a critical briefing with General Petraeus. Of course we know now that his words fell on deaf ears - the Democratic leadership and two RINOS - Reps. Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland and Walter Jones of North Carolina: The Dems and the two RINOS have set October 1 as the date America will surrender to al-Qaeda and the insurgents in Iraq (and by doing so, also Ahmadinejad and the mullahs in... ... morePosted at 10:50 AM
March 30, 2007
Those Shi'ite militiamen - They're Baaaack ....
Iran's dirty hands are all over the violence in Iraq and the killing of American troops. Now we learn that Shi'ite militiamen, who melted away from Baghdad when U.S. and Iraqi troops began their security crackdown seven weeks ago, are rolling back into the city with fresh Iranian training: It is not clear whether the radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is in control of the newly trained group, which some Iraqis describe as a "secret army" trained and equipped by Iran. U.S. forces are concerned that, despite Shi'ite leaders' assurances that they have pulled their fighters off the streets, uncooperative... ... morePosted at 10:27 AM
March 26, 2007
What We Should Learn About 'Iraq 2007' From 'Algiers 1957'
"Act quickly," Petraeus wrote in January 2006, "because every army of liberation has a half-life." This is true not only in the field but at home. James Thurber once said that the saddest two words in the English language are "too late." Terrible as it is to think that our surge may have come too late, it is much more terrible to think that feckless politicians, out of whatever calculation, may pull the plug before the new approach is fully tested. - "How to Win in Iraq--and How to Lose"Arthur Herman, who has taught history at George Mason University and... ... morePosted at 6:10 AM
March 23, 2007
The Seven Pillars and the Cultural Divide in Iraq
Stormwarning's Counterterrorism has a post up on a matter that I've long considered to be one of the most important constraints on our winning in Iraq: Our demonstrated inability to understand the cultural construct of the people there, especially our lack of understanding of the pre-eminence of the tribes and warlords of Afghanistan, and certainly, the desert culture of the Bedoiuns in Iraq (as in much of the Muslim world). As SC points out, "It is written that the Bedouin follows a strict order of life in which he pledges his total allegiance to his family, clan, and the tribe:... ... morePosted at 11:11 AM
General Threatens Michael Yon With Expulsion
I've never had much respect for PAO officers, myself, they've always seemed to me a bit detached from the realities of combat and being under fire. Now I hear that one of these guys is threatening to kick out Michael Yon, the best damned milblogger in Iraq. Austin Bay has the story and the link. Confederate Yankee has info on the PAO, U.S. Army General Vincent K. Brooks. Someone on high needs to look into this.... ... morePosted at 10:32 AM
March 21, 2007
Children Used In Iraq Homicide Bombing Attack
It seems that absolutely nothing is beneath the radical Islamists in their quest for more ways to create death, destruction, and mayhem. They've adopted a new tactic since the start of the security crackdown in Baghdad, and this time they used children to conceal their murderous intent: [...] a vehicle was waved through a U.S. military checkpoint because two children were visible in the back seat. "Children in the back seat lowered suspicion, (so) we let it move through, they parked the vehicle, the adults run out and detonate it with the children in the back," Barbero said. "The brutality... ... morePosted at 9:20 AM
March 18, 2007
Signs Of Hope In Iraq
Although there are signs of hope in Iraq, one can't help but notice how truth is so often clouded by agendas and world views. In Tigerhawk's , "The Paradox of Iraqi Optimism," (hat tip PJM) there's an interesting link on the true feelings of Iraqis. A Times of London article on a recent poll taken in Iraq found that the a clear majority of Iraqis believe things are better now than they were under Saddam Hussein, and they're optimistic, despite the fact that one in four Iraqis has had a family member murdered; only 27% think there is a civil... ... morePosted at 11:30 AM
March 17, 2007
Iran TV Antiwar "News" (Iraq)
Broadcast 17 March on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN) This reminds me of the Pelosi plan. Neither Iran nor the Pelosi Democrats is saying what will happen in Iraq after the US leaves. I don't think the Democrats even have a clear idea, but I can't help thinking the Iranians do. (crossposted from Satellite News)... ... morePosted at 11:05 PM
March 12, 2007
Ted Koppel On The Shocking Truth About Iraq and War on Terror
You won't believe what former "Nightline" anchor Ted Koppel said on Sunday's "Meet the Press," where he made several of what NewsBusters refers to as "truly shocking and compelling statements about the Iraq war and the war on terror that virtually no Democrat or media member is willing to accept or report." As for the "shocking truth," it's shocking only to the liberals and the media that refuse to recognize the facts.... ... morePosted at 2:40 PM
March 11, 2007
Message To Journalists: 'Report What's Happening In Iraq' And Let The Surge Succeed
Robert Kagan has a message for American journalists - they don't have to start emphasizing the "good" news. All they have to do is report what is occurring, though it may conflict with their previous judgments. Leading journalists have been reporting for some time that the war was hopeless, a fiasco that could not be salvaged by more troops and a new counterinsurgency strategy. And apparently some are still selling books based on the premise that the war is lost, end of story, which offers more than a little evidence of their bias. As Kagan suggests, it's time they begin... ... morePosted at 6:17 PM
March 6, 2007
Coalition Aircraft Destroys Enemy Anti-Aircraft Gun And The Terrorists That Used It
... As seen on Fox News: Ht - Jawa Report... ... morePosted at 11:31 PM
The Iraq War Could Go Much Better
... if only the Elephants and the Donkeys would join in singing Kumbaya together ... Not a bad idea, there's much to be said about getting on the same page and winning!... ... morePosted at 2:05 PM
February 28, 2007
Surge Surging Ahead In Sadr City
Were there any semblance of balance in the media's reporting on Iraq, the immediate effect of the new strategy would be better-known to the American public by now.
... morePosted at 12:48 PM
February 21, 2007
'I Love The Smell Of Napalm In The Morning': It Smells Like Victory!
Watch a minute and a half of this classic war film footage from Apocolypse Now ... Hmmmm...., I'm thinking Sadr City ...., Naaww, that's insensitive! ... then click on over to the Victory Caucus.With the nonsensical dance of nonbinding resolutions in the House and Senate over (for now), it is time to focus on more productive activities. Namely: looking forward to 2008, and beginning the task of idenitfying opportunities for victory-oriented candidates to unseat White Flag incumbents.Hat tip to Dan Riehl for the clip and the link.... ... morePosted at 1:03 PM
February 20, 2007
Arab Newswire Reports al-Sadr's Office Stormed By Coalition Troops
In a developing story, Kuwait News Agency is claiming that the Baghdad offices of Shi'a political leader Muqtada al-Sadr has been raided by US military and Iraqi security forces. While Jules Crittenden says that hoping al-Sadr is there instead of Iran is to much to hope for, I'm more optimistic, and hope the bastard gets whacked while hiding in the compound.... ... morePosted at 11:28 AM
Justin Raimondo Of Antiwar.com Smears U.S. Troops
... and you thought Arkin was bad! "Support our troops? Hell no. Anyone who "supports the troops" is an accomplice to their deeds. The evidence shows clearly that these are not innocent babes in the woods: they are wolves, predators, killers, deeply, profoundly implicated in what will go down in history as a horrific war of aggression."Full article here... These people really do live in their own little twilight zone! Hat tip - Tommy... ... morePosted at 9:41 AM
Are We Winning In Iraq?
We're not only the judge of whether or not we're winning, we are also the reason for winning or loosing there. It's up to us, not the enemy.
... morePosted at 9:30 AM
February 16, 2007
If Iran Isn't Involved In The Iraq Fighting ....
Then how is it that [Iran] has during the past few weeks taken away from Baghdad the first and second-tier military leaders of the Mahdi army? "The strategy is to lie low until the storm passes, and then let them return and fill the vacuum," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Tehran authorities were "playing a waiting game" until the commanders could return to Baghdad and resume their activities. "All indications are that Moqtada is in Iran, but that is not really the point," ..."Inquiring minds want to know"! Related: Iran's stealth force - Iran's secretive... ... morePosted at 7:48 AM | Comments (1)
Intel Officer: Al-Masri Still At Large. 'No DNA Match'
PJM has it that we shouldn't believe the media reports that the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq was captured yesterday, at least not yet: Based on his appearance alone, Iraqi officials at the scene became convinced that they had the al Qaeda leader. The officials at the Interior Ministry phoned Arab news outlets, which trumpeted the news. English-language wire services, such as Reuters, regularly monitor foreign broadcasts for news items. Within hours of the firefight at a desolate concrete house near Baghdad, the "news" had traveled the world. Meanwhile, the truth was trying to get its boots on. Apparently... ... morePosted at 7:39 AM
February 13, 2007
Al-Sadr Likely To Have Fled Iraq For Iran
ABC News (along with virtually all media and a sizable portion of the right side of the blogosphere) reports that Moqtada al Sadr and members of his Mahdi army have boogied out of Iraq for sanctuary in Iran. According to senior military officials, al Sadr left Baghdad two to three weeks ago and fled to Tehran, Iran, where he has family. ... Sources believe al Sadr is worried about an increase of 20,000 U.S. troops in the Iraqi capital. One official told ABC News' Martha Raddatz, "He is scared he will get a JDAM [bomb] dropped on his house." Sources... ... morePosted at 11:19 PM
February 12, 2007
From 'Getting It' In Iraq To The 'Just Don't Get It' In The U.S.
[ Mortar fragments ... A handout prepared by the US to back claims of "a growing body" of evidence that Iranian weapons are being used to kill American soldiers in Iraq / Reuters / Reuters As the media is learning more about Iranian weapons 'used in Iraq'... While we are really getting it in Iraq:[...] The armor-piercing bombs have killed at least 170 American and allied troops in Iraq, defense officials told reporters in Baghdad, where the report was released. "More than 170 U.S. and coalition troops have been killed by these things, and 620 wounded. There was a... ... morePosted at 7:07 AM
February 7, 2007
Is The U.S. Playing Harball In The Abduction Of An Iranian Diplomat?
Stratfor suggests the US is playing a bit of a game in the abduction of that Iranian diplomat ... who, Stratfor suggests, is an Iranian intelligence operative. Jules Crittenden considers this and other options such as the Sunnis, and reminds us that Teheran doesn't respect our diplomatic immunity or sovereignty of our embassy - so what obligation do we have to respect theirs? Along the same lines of thought, George Friedman and Kamran Bokhari point to two plausible options:... Given the tactical details of the operation and the geopolitical backdrop, there are two possible explanations for the incident. One is... ... morePosted at 9:57 AM
February 4, 2007
Iraqi Government Says 50% Of Homicide Bombers Come Through Syria
According to the Iraqi government, half the Sunni Muslim militants (read suicidal radical Islamic terrorists) behind the bombings that are destroying the chances for peace among the plethora of tribes and sects throughout the country, come through Syria into Iraq: The United States and Iraqi officials have long accused Iraq's neighbours, particularly Syria and Iran, of failing to stop Islamic militants from crossing into Iraq to carry out attacks. U.S. and Iraqi officials say many of the insurgents responsible for the violence are not Iraqis. "We have confirmation that 50 percent of these takfiris and killers who call themselves Arab... ... morePosted at 9:30 AM
February 2, 2007
Iraq Not A Religious War - Integral Part Of WOT
Iranian-born journalist Amil Taheri says at the NY Post today that what's happening in Iraq is neither a civil nor a sectarian war, rather a political one - between those who wish Iraq to succeed as a new democracy and those who want it to fail:Those who want the new Iraq to succeed represent the overwhelming majority of Iraqis of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. Those who want it to fail are made up of Saddamite bitter-enders, some misguided pan-Arab nationalists, death squads financed by Tehran - and a variety of non-Iraqi terrorist outfits who have come to Iraq to... ... morePosted at 8:11 AM
February 1, 2007
Breaking: 2 Iraqi Generals Suspected Of Involvement Of Kidnapping And Murder Of U.S. Soldiers At Karbala (Updated)
Two Iraqi generals are suspected of involvement in the kidnapping and murder of 4 U.S. soldiers at Karbala.
... morePosted at 11:50 AM
January 29, 2007
Debunking The Top 10 Myths Of The Iraq War
Strategy Page does a good job of debunking 10 myths of the Iraq war, and notes that there are more but ten is a manageable number: 10- The War in Iraq is Lost. By what measure? Saddam and his Baath party are out of power. There is a democratically elected government. Part of the Sunni Arab minority continues to support terror attacks, in an attempt to restore the Sunni Arab dictatorship. In response, extremist Shia Arabs formed vigilante death squads to expel all Sunni Arabs. Given the history of democracy in the Middle East, Iraq is working through its problems.... ... morePosted at 3:29 PM
Surge Plan Doomed To Failure - To Have Split Command Structure
Apparently buried in the Bush escalation plan is a "who's-in-charge nightmare" that violates U.S. military doctrine, and now even Senator John McCain and American Enterprise Institute's Frederick Kagan are balking over what amounts to a clear violation of basic military doctrine:[...] The Baghdad surge plan, announced by the president on Jan. 10, calls for the new U.S. soldiers to be embedded with Iraqi forces, who will take the lead. But while the U.S. troops would report to American officers, their Iraqi counterparts, in an apparent sop to national sovereignty, would report to Iraqi officers. The potentially disastrous result: two separate... ... morePosted at 3:24 PM
January 26, 2007
Autopsy Confirms Downed Blackwater Helicopter Crews In Iraq Were Not Killed By 'Shot To The Head'
The fourth man to die in the second bird survived the hard landing, and fought to the death.
... morePosted at 9:20 PM
January 25, 2007
Has The Turnaround in Baghdad Already Begun?
Let me state the lesson of this turnabout clearly lest it be obscured amidst the euphoria: Never mind who takes credit, kill or capture more of the killers to ensure victory.
... morePosted at 9:05 AM
January 24, 2007
New Iraq Commander: Mission Is 'Hard, Not Hopeless'
From the mouth of Lt. General Petraeus, one of our best military leaders and the man that has been chosen by the president to be the new coalition commander in Iraq: "The situation in Iraq is "dire," and the job he has been given is "hard" but "not hopeless." ... Lieutenant General David Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee the plan can restore order in Baghdad and give the Iraqi government a chance to establish its authority and provide economic development. But he said success will require more than the additional U.S. troops President Bush is sending, and the... ... morePosted at 12:47 PM
January 23, 2007
On 'Resting Iraq's Future On The Flip Of A Coin'
Mohammed Fadhil seems to have a better understanding of what's really going on in Iraq - and what to do about it, then many of our political leaders in Washington: I think people who use this "last chance" idea are not helping Iraq or America or they are of the type of people who do not want to deal with the challenges seriously. This term has a tone of defeatism, it's as if Iraq was a totally lost case while in fact the huge change that's been happening in the form of replacing a totalitarian regime with a democratic one... ... morePosted at 7:40 AM
January 22, 2007
The Vietnam History You Haven't Heard But Need To Know Before You Swallow The Dems' Analogy To Iraq
Americans are increasingly being told by agenda-driven Democrats and the left wing agenda-driven media that Iraq is another Vietnam, "usually by those accusing the Bush administration of miring the United States in a hopeless war." But what many think they know about the Vietnam war, and what the Democrats and the left want you to think about the Vietnam war, was handed down by works of three journalists . The first two, David Halberstam's "The Best and the Brightest" (1972) and Stanley Karnow's "Vietnam: A History," (1983) each sold more than 1 million copies, while the third, Neil Sheehan's "A... ... morePosted at 12:25 PM
Maliki 'Turn Around' Good Sign For Iraq - Maybe
A few days ago we posted on an AP report on what we said just might be a 'for real' offensive against Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army when we learned U.S. and Iraqi forces had arrested Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, Muqtada al-Sadr's media director in Baghdad. On Sunday we learned from the AP that Iraq's prime minister has now done more than allowed an offensive against the Mahdi Army and has supposedly dropped his protection of al-Sadr's Shiite militia after "U.S. intelligence convinced him the group was infiltrated by death squads." As promising as these events are, as suggested by... ... morePosted at 11:32 AM
January 21, 2007
'The President Shall Be The Commander In Chief
.... and other issues of law and history the Democratic majority may want to consider as Congress prepares its attempt to hamstring a president in a time of war. Interestingly, the Democrat's obstructionism against the war on terror has been a consistent and never-changing theme, and they've never offered a reasonable alternative except surrender - as is exemplified by this November 1, 2003 commentary:[...] As Democratic presidential hopefuls escalate their criticism of President Bush's policy on Iraq, we should recognize the constant theme amid their calamitous clamor: obstructionism in the war on terror. No sooner had they joined with the... ... morePosted at 12:08 PM
January 19, 2007
Muqtada al-Sadr's Mouthpiece Arrested In Baghdad: Are We Finally Getting Real About Winning In Iraq?
In what just may be a 'for real' offensive against Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army, the AP reports that U.S. and Iraqi forces arrested Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, Muqtada al-Sadr's media director in Baghdad. BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces arrested one of Muqtada al-Sadr's top aides Friday in Baghdad, his office said, as pressure increases on the radical Shiite cleric's militia ahead of a planned security sweep aimed at stemming the sectarian violence ransacking the capital. Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, al-Sadr's media director in Baghdad, was captured Friday and his personal guard was killed, according to another senior al-Sadr... ... morePosted at 7:41 AM
January 18, 2007
Iraq's Shi'ite-led Government: 'Give Us More Guns Now And We'll Wipe Out Our Opposition Sooner So You Infidels Can Go Home'!
Well, maybe not in those exact words, but essentially - isn't that what he's saying here: ... America's refusal to give Baghdad's security forces sufficient guns and equipment has cost a great number of lives, the Iraqi Prime Minister said yesterday. ... Nouri al-Maliki said the insurgency had been bloodier and prolonged because Washington had refused to part with equipment. If it released the necessary arms, US forces could "dramatically" cut their numbers in three to six months, he told The Times. ... Although Mr al-Maliki's tone was measured throughout, he is clearly irritated at US criticism that he has... ... morePosted at 2:03 PM
January 17, 2007
Iraqi Cop: You Stop The Insurgents By Fighting Them and Killing Them
Bill Ardolino's interview with an Iraqi cop in Fallujah, and more.... ... morePosted at 12:04 PM
Iraq Edges Ever Closer To Iran
We cannot achieve our goals in Iraq as long as it's Iran-aligned Shi'ite pseudo-government is allowed to continue to act as a proxy for Iran! Here's more on the burgeoning Shi'ite client state of Iran that the democracy project in Iraq has unwittingly helped create (HT - Robert Spencer). Cross posted by Hyscience... ... morePosted at 7:02 AM
January 16, 2007
Blowing Our Last Chance In Iraq
A must read, worthy of pointing to - Christopher Hitchens on how Bush may be blowing our last chance in Iraq through "calamitous mismanagement" and being identified with the Shi'ites:A few months ago, I wrote here that the coalition potentially acted as a militia for those who didn't have a militia. I got quite good feedback for that formulation from American soldiers and from Iraqis, too. In large parts of Iraq, still, there are people who dread what might happen in the event of our withdrawal--people to whom in some sense we remain pledged. A surge of any size will... ... morePosted at 8:55 PM
January 15, 2007
Hussein's Half-brother And Co-defendant Hanged
Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam's half brother and former intelligence chief, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court, were found guilty along with Saddam in the killing of 148 Shiite Muslims after a 1982 assassination attempt on the former leader in the town of Dujail north of Baghdad. They've now joined Saddam in hell. From Foxnews: Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh confirmed the executions, saying those attending the hangings included a prosecutor, a judge and a physician. He also said Ibrahim's head was severed from his body during his hanging.The official video actually shows Barzan Ibrahim lying headless below the gallows... ... morePosted at 1:03 PM
So, What Happens If We Walk Away?
Noting the fundamental tenet of journalism that you have to examine all sides of an issue, Jules Crittenden calls attention to the question that only "gets lip service and brief mentions as a nod to fairness to the hated administration and its supporters," and he points to "What happens if we lose?" (video):... Had we not invaded Iraq, the sanctions regime would have collapsed by now, and Saddam, like the Iranians, would have an active nuclear weapons program. We would be looking at two murderous regimes in an arms race, not one. ... we would have little ability to control... ... morePosted at 6:52 AM | Comments (1)
January 10, 2007
Quote Of The Day On The Difference Between War And Defeat
From Joe Lieberman: "In war, there are two exit strategies. One is called victory. The other is called defeat." Let's face it. "What is lacking in Iraq is not winnability but will"!... ... morePosted at 9:39 AM | Comments (2)
January 1, 2007
U.S. Tried To Delay Saddam Hanging
A CBS/AP report says that US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad tried to delay Saddam's execution for 15 days but Iraq's prime minister insisted on carrying out the sentence. As The Big Pharoah notes, this proves that the decision to execute Saddam on the first day of the Muslim holy feast was taken by the Iraqi government - alone. Chants heard in the leaked cell phone video clip sheds light on the fact that Saddam's executioners were followers of Muqtada Sadr - the anti-America Shia cleric in Iraq, yet Monday's Al Ahram paper published a cartoon depicting Uncle Sam handing a hanging... ... morePosted at 11:37 PM | Comments (1)
Iraqi Blogosphere Reactions to Saddam's Execution (Updated)
... can be found at IraqSlogger. As do several of the commenters, I believe that hanging Saddam on Eid was a bad idea, and seems to indicate that a Shia-dominated Iraqi government intends to operate in the face of and counter to the interests of, the minority Sunnis. So, is the real winner here Muqtada al-Sadr and Iran? Update: The Big Pharaoh offers an answer to the question as to who the real winner here is - Muqtada al-Sadr (and by extrapolation, Iran):"Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada," shouted the hooded executioners before the trapdoor opened sinking Saddam to the afterlife. That was... ... morePosted at 4:39 PM | Comments (1)
More On Saddam
... a roundup of information on Saddam Hussein's murderous life and legacy, with a plethora of links on the pitiful excuse of a human being's evil deeds.
... morePosted at 3:55 PM
December 31, 2006
Full Video Of Saddam Hussein's Execution
Here is the full video of Saddam's execution, including the moment when the floor under his feet opened up and he fell. You won't find this in the mainstream media
... morePosted at 8:43 AM | Comments (3)
December 30, 2006
Saddam Is Now With 72 Virgins
And surely, given his history here on earth, all of Saddam's virgins look like Helen Thomas (images).
... morePosted at 10:03 AM | Comments (5)
December 23, 2006
U.S. Commanders In Iraq Set for 'Surge' In Forces?
Dan Riehl posts that US commanders on the ground in Iraq, including General Casey, are apparently prepared to go with a "surg"e in forces as part of any new strategy. The article Dan links to points out that some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff remain skeptical of a surge, and are unconvinced that it will yield more positive results than other recent military operations to secure Baghdad or Iraq. So, more troops and "surge" on, or not? We've never had enough troops in Iraq and we've never seriously engaged the enemy - the real enemy - Iran, Syria,... ... morePosted at 10:30 AM
December 21, 2006
Freedom Journal Iraq #547
Soldiers Find Weapons Cache; Police, Kids Interact: Hat tip: Jawa Report Related and promising: Iraq the Model - Together we succeeded in reducing the threat posed by al-Qaeda when it was identified as the biggest threat to Iraq's stability and security and now together we can do the same with Sadr and other thugs--we understand the question and we have a diagnosis that seems sound; it's time to proceed with the treatment. Cross posted from Hyscience... ... morePosted at 11:00 AM
December 13, 2006
Iraq: 'A Paradigm Shift of 1,000 Years To A New Order'
How interesting that the Iraqi national security adviser, Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie, displays far more common sense and offers a much more reasonable strategy than our own Iraq "non-Study" Group report (remember - they never actually left the Green Zone), in saying that Iraq needs more "strategic patience" from Washington to defeat terrorist violence that threatens to swarm the region if the U.S. pulls out too soon. Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie also asked Washington and regional leaders to back his plans to give general amnesty to insurgents and militias, but warned of more violence if Al Qaeda is able to gain more power in... ... morePosted at 9:06 AM | Comments (1)
December 11, 2006
Iraqi Baker Study Group Ignores All Facts
It's this "ground-level realism" that's completely missing in the Baker-Hamilton-Chamberlain Report.
... morePosted at 3:28 PM
Nothing Like Being There
Jules Crittenden has a post pointing to Mike Fumento's piece on how readers are served when reporters actually go to the places they are reporting on, like Ramadi for example: In a Nov. 29 blog, "Will the real Ramadi please stand up?" I observed that three articles on conditions in Ramadi and al Anbar Province had appeared within a week of each other giving entirely different points of view. Mine and one in the Times of London said we're winning the war in Ramadi; a Washington Post A1 story co-authored by "Fiasco" author Thomas Ricks claimed exactly the opposite. The... ... morePosted at 3:20 PM
December 7, 2006
ISG Report Seen By Arab World As Evidence Of American Weakness
If we fail to act far more forcefully than we have up to now - let's just say that we have no guarantees that our grandchildren will grow up in a free society, or even in a civilization that we'd recognize.
... morePosted at 11:41 AM
December 6, 2006
The Iraq Study Group Report - How Much Help Did It Get From Iran?
As we mentioned in our previous post, The Iraq Study Group's report is out, and as expected, it's all about defeat and retreat, and naively "advocates "dialog" with our worst enemies, including the madman who, with exquisite timing, just told the West to convert or die." You can read the entire report here. A couple of little nuggets of information to keep in mind when reading the ISG report is that Gateway Pundit has reported that there are concerns that a group of highly placed Iranian Regime lobbyist/agents, so called "Iranian experts", have peddled bad information into the Iraq Study... ... morePosted at 1:22 PM | Comments (3)
November 25, 2006
Archaic Tribal Warfare In Iraq Is Nothing New
The tribal paradigm should be added to the network and other prevailing paradigms to help figure out the best policies and strategies for countering these violent actors.
... morePosted at 10:11 AM
November 20, 2006
The Last Man That Died From A Mistake
... just might not be dead yet. Think: John Kerry on exit strategies. HT: Mudville Gazette... ... morePosted at 8:50 AM
November 17, 2006
America's War Zone Contractors and the Occupation of Iraq
With the news that 14 security contractors, including four Americans, have been abducted in an ambush on a convoy in southern Iraq, our attention should be focused on the sacrifices and contributions these men make in the war against Islamofascism. Cao's blog does so today, and points to a piece at Frontpage magazine by David Forsmark, in which he talks about the book - A Bloody Business: America's War Zone Contractors and the Occupation of Iraq by Colonel Gerald Schumacher, United States Army Special Forces (ret.) (Zenith Press, 24.95, 304 pp.). In an excerpt from Cao's you learn more on... ... morePosted at 8:01 AM
November 15, 2006
Generals Call Democrats in Congress "Naive"
... which in my mind is putting it rather mildly. From Wake Up America: "Once again the politicians seem to think they know more about the Iraq war than the experts and the Generals are saying that congressional Democrats are "naive" in their thinking. Could this be the politically correct way of calling them "stupid"? You decide."Unfortunately, the party of George McGovern - the anti-war icon of the Vietnam era, Jimmy "the dhimmi" Carter, John "the Marines are guilty" Murtha, and John "they raped and pilaged women and children" Kerry, are now in power and America is out of luck.... ... morePosted at 1:04 PM | Comments (1)
On 'Swimming With Anvils' Amidst A Tainted ISG Report
Amidst the backdrop of concerns that a group of highly placed Iranian Regime lobbyist/agents, so called "Iranian experts", have peddled bad information into the Iraq Study Group hoping to shape the upcoming recommendations by that group, comes news that Tony Blair was to meet with the Iraq Study Group via video conference today, and shares the group's reported enthusiasm for talks with Iran and Syria. In the light of talks on what appears now to be a tainted study, Jules Crittenden's piece entitled "Swimming with Anvil's" that discusses problems inherent to such an exercise in futility does indeed seem most... ... morePosted at 12:07 AM
November 3, 2006
NYT: Saddam Was One Year Away From Having An Atomic Bomb
Bush was right and the Democratic spin machine had it all wrong, all along. Yet, even now, the Left still won't get it and still won't admit to being wrong. They'll simply spin it according to their own world view.
... morePosted at 10:45 AM
November 2, 2006
Terrorists In Iraq Using Children For Suicide Bombings
Where do they come from, these young Muslim men shouting "God is great" as they detonate a bomb killing hundreds of people, among their fellow Muslims?
... morePosted at 3:23 PM
November 1, 2006
On Iraq's Version of 'Playing Chicken'
Iran and its proxies must be shown they cannot call the tune in Iraq. Iraqi politicians, as veteran survivors, must be shown that pandering to murderers is not a viable route to securing their own futures.
... morePosted at 9:45 AM | Comments (1)
October 30, 2006
Pakistani Army Helicopter Attack Depletes Supply Of 72 Virgins
... color this madrassa as gone, and Allah is short 5,760 virgins
... morePosted at 12:54 PM
Iraq - 'The Battle for the Middle East'
Loosing is not an option.
... morePosted at 12:34 PM
October 28, 2006
Video: Glenn Beck On The Real Story In Iraq
This is a must see. The real story in Iraq involves a lot more than what cable wants you to see.... ... morePosted at 12:09 AM | Comments (2)
October 27, 2006
Muqtada al Sadr in the Crosshairs
BlackFive apparently agrees with many of the rest of us that think al Sadr should have been sent to jihadi heaven the first day he and his Shiite jihadi bastard followers voiced their Islamofascist voices and picked up their first AKs. As BlackFive suggests, if there ever was a candidate for the proverbial bullet between the eyes and his 72 goat reward, it's Muqtada al Sadr - "the idiot son of a family that can trace its lineage directly to Mohammed but has failed to distinguish himself at any religious scholarship." His expertise seems to be limited to "gathering groups... ... morePosted at 5:21 PM | Comments (1)
October 26, 2006
'Killed By Wishful Thinking'
There are few platitudes more cringe-inducing than hearing yet another American political leader or general claim that "the only answer in Iraq is a political solution." That's just plain nonsense - it's reality-avoidance as a strategy. It may be too late for any good solution in Iraq, but political dialogue doesn't have a prayer. (Ralph Peters)Ralph Peters is a guy I don't always agree with, but in his piece at the NY Post yesterday titled, "Terror Rules Streets", he has some comments that make a lot of sense to me. For example, he says that "the get-Bush-at-any-cost Americans who encouraged... ... morePosted at 9:20 AM
October 25, 2006
Isn't It Long Past Time To Take Sadr Out?
United States and Iraqi forces raided a compound of militia leaders linked to radical Shia clerica Muqtada al Sadr. You'll recall that the Mehdi Army is blamed for a good portion of the sectarian violence in and around Baghdad, but it's control also extends to the southern port of Basra. Time Magazine reports a leather bound book that details what the U.S. military is calling the Mehdi Army's book on ethnic cleansing was found in the compound: Sadr's militia, the document suggests, are systematically driving Sunni families from their homes around Washash, which some U.S. troops who patrol there have... ... morePosted at 5:48 PM
October 19, 2006
George W. Bush's 'Tet Comparison' And The Media's Distorted Promotion Of It
Yes indeed, "the President obviously knows more history than his interviewer," and our friends on the Left that remain so quick to applaud a defeat of their country have simply made "Much Ado About Nothing," and what they wished to hear but in fact, have not.
... morePosted at 9:35 AM | Comments (3)
October 16, 2006
Threat Letters From Iraq
... after all, it is the Koran that is quoted word for word by radical Muslim clerics around the world now inflaming their followers to follow violent jihad, conversion by the sword, suicide bombings of innocent "infidels", shooting nuns in the back who work in hospitals, kidnappings, beheadings, ad nauseam.
... morePosted at 11:08 AM
October 12, 2006
From Green To Yellow: Is It Time To Reconsider Iraq?
It is our interests to fight the terrorists in Iraq instead of the streets of America, where they will surely follow if we cut and run. But if the Iraqis think the U.S will remain forever, while Iraqi Muslims continue to murder each other, and Iraqis continue to let chaos reign, it's time for them to think again
... morePosted at 4:47 PM
October 6, 2006
America's Sin Is One Of Hesitation.
... it should be clear that unless we put the plug the holes in the dike, specifically the flow of the support terrorists and insurgents by Iran and Syria, we're doing little more than treading water.
... morePosted at 4:10 PM
October 1, 2006
More Good News From Iraq - 'Iraqis hate al-Qaeda, too'
A new recruiting video by the emir of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, brags of the loss of 4,000 foreign fighters in Iraq. He assures budding martyrs their ardent wish for death in righteous battle will be achieved.
... morePosted at 10:09 PM
September 29, 2006
Is The ID Of Current Al-Qaeda Leader In Iraq A Hoax?
The voice could not be independently identified, but it was thought to be al-Masri's.
... morePosted at 11:32 PM
A tearful tribute to a 'genuine American hero'
On Thursday, hundreds filled St. John the Evangelist Church and thousands lined Swampscott streets as legions of police officers and firefighters guided U.S. Army Spc. Jared John Raymond's flag-draped coffin on a procession to the town cemetery to say good-bye. He had been killed in the line of duty Sept. 19 in Balad, Iraq, when the tank he was driving struck an explosive.
... morePosted at 3:17 PM
September 28, 2006
Iraq Al-Qaeda Leader Recruiting Scientists For Unconventional Weapons, 'Whether Biological Or Dirty'
As debated as the war is now, the heated debate about the origins of our drive into Iraq would surely pale by comparison to the debate that would erupt - here and elsewhere, should we abandon Iraq to the likes of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, which would clearly be seen by Islamists everywhere - as an open invitation to attack with open abandon, the home of the paper tiger that ran out of Iraq.
... morePosted at 1:18 PM
On 'Infidel Documents, Intelligence, jihadists and the Iraq war debate'
what the Democrats are using as yet another "canonical" document - is not a finding: It is an assessment of Islamic terrorism and its perceived links to Iraq. In short, the NIE report is not worthy of being a "cononical" document ...
... morePosted at 10:24 AM
September 14, 2006
Disparaging Remarks About Plight of Iraqi Kurds Under Saddam Hussein By Arianna Huffington
She added that in her belief, "The Kurdistan -- the position -- the position of the Kurds has not changed one iota since we invaded Iraq. What has changed is the position of Americans, who are less safe because we invaded Iraq."
... morePosted at 8:21 PM | Comments (2)
September 8, 2006
Iraqi Government Closes Al Aribiya - A Symptom?
... how does such an ideologically-biased government govern fairly in a society with several different faiths? As we can see so far, apparently not very well!
... morePosted at 1:52 PM
July 25, 2006
Oil-for-food: It just keeps getting worse
During the seven years of the United Nation's oil-for-food debacle, $64.2 billion of Iraqi oil was exported while Saddam Hussein skimmed billions. He circumvented sanctions by smuggling oil to neighbors, including Turkey, Jordan and Syria and used the program to "buy influence" by rewarding supporters around the world with contracts to buy cheap Iraqi oil or supply Iraq with goods at inflated prices. A new report from Sweden (HT: CaptainsQuarters) shows that the UN had full knowledge and evidence of the Oil-For-Food program's corruption, but chose to do nothing about it:An unidentified Swedish company informed the country's embassy in Amman,... ... morePosted at 12:58 PM
June 26, 2006
More On Saddam's WMD's
Dave Gaubatz knows where they are... And last Friday, the treasonous New York Times ran a story on Mr. Gaubatz. Some politicians are outspoken allies in Mr. Gaubatz's cause. He is just one of a vocal and disparate collection of Americans, mostly on the political right, whose search for Saddam Hussein's unconventional weapons continues. NYTimes Does that mean that the NYT and the left DON'T want to find the WMD's? You bet it does. States Gaubatz, "After the war, President Bush was briefed that WMD's were not in Iraq and all suspected WMD's sites were searched." "All sites have not... ... morePosted at 7:10 PM
June 25, 2006
Islamic Jihadists Butcher Russian Hostages
Islam is the only major world religion today that is cited by both state and non-state actors to legitimize beheadings. And two major aspects of decapitation in an Islamic context should be noted: first, the practice has both Qur'anic and historical sanction. It is not the product of a fabricated tradition.
... morePosted at 9:00 PM
June 24, 2006
On The Incredible Barbaric Murder Of U.S. Soldiers - 'Where's The Outrage'?
Fox & Friends morning host E.D. Hill "goes off" on the brutal torture, murder, and mutilation of two American soldiers by inhuman murdering radical Islamic terrorist dogs in Iraq
... morePosted at 8:05 PM | Comments (3)
June 12, 2006
US "Occupation" of Iraq ?
I don't normally read the Contra-Costa Times, but this weekend I happened to pick one up. It featured an article by Robert Conger titled "U.S. must end occupaton to truly free Iraq," which appears to be nothing more than a poorly thought out argument agains our forces. The article starts off discussing the shortcomings of military investigations, particularly in regards to the "apparent massacre in Haditha." Just as investigations carried out by police on their own have ensured the continuing travesty of police brutality, the "investigation" of military excesses, being carried out only by the military itself, has ensured the... ... morePosted at 12:59 AM | Comments (1)
May 5, 2006
Zarqawi's video: what we haven't seen!
Al-Zarqawi is not a capable military leader. The showing yesterday of the "outtakes"* of the latest Al-Zarqawi's video prompted surprise and laughter among the Coalition Forces. In one, Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, has trouble trying to operate an automatic weapon. An associate has to show him how to do it. Later in the same shot, an associate takes the weapon from Zarqawi by the barrel and burns his hand. In another, the feared terrorist is shown in a black uniform and bright blue "tenny pumps." Coalition troops found the tape during a raid on a hideout... ... morePosted at 5:06 AM
April 11, 2006
Saudis plan to fence off border with Iraq
Do you have a problem with illegal immigrants? Here comes the solution! Saudi Arabia has invited bids for the construction of a security fence along the entire length of its 900km (560mile) desert border with Iraq in a multimillion-pound project that will attract interest from British defence companies. The barrier is part of a package to secure the Kingdom's 6,500km of borders in an attempt to improve internal security and bolster its defences against external threats. Saudi Arabia is concerned that the chaos in Iraq could cause an overspill of sectarian violence and terrorism. The kingdom claims to be winning... ... morePosted at 5:02 AM | Comments (2)
April 7, 2006
Training to kill
ARBIL, (Southern Kurdistan), April 4, 2006 (AFP) "A court in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region Tuesday sentenced to death 12 members of militant group Ansar Al-Islam for numerous killings and explosions" an Arbil judiciary official said. On July 13, 2005, the Kurdistan Democratic Party-run television had aired confessions of the accused. "We used to attract people to my house and then slit their throats. The killings were part of training to the group members on how to kill people". continues here... ... morePosted at 8:12 AM | Comments (1)
April 4, 2006
The Ignored Iron Triangle of Power
It was a prime strategic concept during the Cold War and helped carry us to victory. Once America was fully engaged in the Vietnam War, it became the prime justification for fighting to win. It is at the heart of peacekeeping. And it was ignored during the senior Bush and Clinton Administrations, with the predictable result that we ended up in a war against Iraq. Now, opponents of this war and democratization are destroying it, with dire consequences for the future. It is one of the elements in an Iron Triangle of Power and is so important in itself as... ... morePosted at 9:35 PM
March 29, 2006
Exporting Democracy? No, Unchaining a People
When President Bush calls for "fostering democracy," one should read this phrase as "helping a people cast off the chains that bind and the fear that paralyzes them." The difference between tyranny and liberal democracy is that in the former people are in chains, in effect prisoners of the whims and desires of the thugs that rule, and in fear over what might happen or be done to them - metaphorically, the 3am knock on the door. One should keep this firmly in mind when coming across the assertion that we should not "export democracy." It's like saying that we... ... morePosted at 9:10 PM
March 28, 2006
Again--Incomplete Democratization DOES NOT Risk War
Perhaps you have come across this argument about promoting democracy: "Yes, maybe once countries achieve a liberal (mature, well-established) democracy, they don't make war on each other, BUT in the process of democratization, they make more war than do other nations, even more than dictators against each other." Therefore, it is sometimes concluded, fostering democracy is a dangerous project. And this argument is used against our involvement in Iraq. A major source for this assertion is the published research by Jack Snyder and Edward Mansfield in their book, Electing To Fight: Why Emerging Democracies Go To War (2005). I'm increasingly... ... morePosted at 9:06 PM
March 20, 2006
Iraq Update - The Real Story
Why can't we all work together to expedite the victory instead of having some, for their own political purposes, continue to attempt to steal defeat out of the hands of a certain victory were we all to work together?
... morePosted at 3:35 PM
