Dan Lyons
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~ Friday, February 29, 2008
Turks pull out after US demand—
ONE DAY after Gates was in Turkey,
They pulled out of Kurdish Iraq!
Kurds may be grateful, but they may also think that this shows that
US had power to PREVENT Turkish attack.
It’s admitted that Bushies HELPED Turks plan The attack.
So Kurds may back away from supporting US in Iraq.
IRAN WANTS UNITED IRAQ: Of course, united under Shia rule (as supermajority).
Iran President’s visit to Iraq will annoy US,
signify again the failure of Bushie attempt
to isolate Iran.
UnitedPress,29Feb
Can you imagine Shia controlling
Sunni Anbar province in a ‘united’ Iraq?
~ Thursday, February 28, 2008
After 6 yrs of US intervention,
Karzai runs only 30% of Afgh,
Says US intel honcho.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/28/world/main3885534.shtml
~ Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Shia leader calls for partition.
Monsters/Critics, 29Feb.
All Shia want is the same autonomy Kurdistan has now.
One way or another, they’ll get it.
Partitition means a one-time painful ethnic-cleansing
of mixed neighborhoods; but
After that, more chance for peace.
ROBOTS = REGRESS
Japanese invent new robots
that will replace more ordinary workers worldwide.
ChrSciMonitor27FEB
One LANDMARK measure vetoed
Iraq Parl. Passed pkg of 3 measures as compromise.
Bushies bragged of progress toward ‘landmarks’.
Then Pres.Council vetoed one landmark.
CBS27FEB
Russ SwitchingFrom $
US benefits (in mysterious way) from $ being internatl currency.
Some say that US hatred of Iran is based, not on nuke threat,
But on Iranian move to switch from $ for internatl trade in oil.
Now RUSSIA is slowly switching from $.
NYTIMES27Feb
$ keeps plunging—so oil prices spike.
64 Shia killed in 3 attacks during their pilgrimage to Karbala.
SeattlePI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107ap_iraq.html
Number of attacks count, not just casualties—
to block Shia concessions
that might pacify Sunni secular insurgents.
Gates tells Turks they MUST pull out of Iraq in 2 weeks.
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa11.cfm
Average Turk will be furious at ORDERS from US.
What’ll Gates do if they refuse?
~ Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Intel onTal.Wrong:
Dutch thought Southern region was peaceful,
ready for reconstruction.
But Tal is back, making Dutch fight, not build.
No wonder other NATO countries won’t send troopsInto SouthernAfgh.
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23346051/
ARMY WEAKENED by 6 years of 2 wars;
Volunteer-Force threatened.
Moveon will remind voters of wars’ threat
To their wallets.
YAHOO NEWS,28Feb
Pak:IslamistLossNOT US Gain:
The secular parties took Parliament,
but without backing for military action against Taliban in North;
instead, dialogue is is order
(which previously STRENGTHENED Taliban.)
LATIMES
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-islamists26feb26,1,5784757.story?ctrack=5&cset=true
NATIONALLY, DEMS WANT OBAMA:
51% TO 39% FOR Hillary !
SeattlePI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/352698_polls26.html
Why theTurkInvasion?
Leaders must know that the PKK guerillas will just shrink into the mountains,
to come back and attack Turkey later
(with more newly recruited than killed.)
But Turkey is now a democracy, and average Turk wants REVENGE against PKK.
~ Monday, February 25, 2008
US MAY LOSE KURDS:
The Turk attack enrages Iraqi Kurds;
US depends on Kurdish troops to fight Quaeda in No.Iraq.
If Kurds turn on US, that’s millions more available to recruit insurgents.
Gates says Turk attacks won’t help them
vs.PKK guerillas in Turkey.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080225/wl_csm/oinvade;_ylt=Ai.UDtfP5L6dn7BV3YICQ0qNe8UF
Afgh.a Bigger Threat Than Iraq?
So say Hillary & Obama & MANY EXPERTS !
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/weekinreview/24cooper.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
Congress Dems bring up wars again
(to embarrass GOP):
They’ll bring up Iraq and (in code ??!) Afghanistan [as MORE important !]
NYTIMES
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/iraq-returns-to-the-stage-in-congress/index.html?hp
~ Sunday, February 24, 2008
4 rocket attacks on GreenZone US HQ
in last week.
Attack on US base near airport caused 4 US casualties.
LATIMES, 24Feb
Afghan Stalemate: 100 GIs killed in ’07,
more than ever before.
NATO (mainly by clumsy aircraft) have killed
almost as many civilians as have Taliban..thus enraging other civilians
into siding with Taliban.
NYTIMES MAG
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/magazine/24afghanistan-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
~ Saturday, February 23, 2008
133 Shia pilgrim-casualties on Sunday;
CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/24
/iraq.main/?iref=mpstoryview
Qaeda strategy:
Even if such attacks don’t re-ignite civil war, they make less likely
real Shia concessions to Sunni
that might pacify the secular insurgents.
Childish McCain:
He hopes Castro will die.
Don't worry--Castro will die. So will McCain.
He's over 70,subject to death or dementia or disabling.
Why did GOP allow this loser to get their nomination?
Perhaps they know Dems will win this NOv, WhiteHouse & Congress.
Their strategy may be to set up Dems so they can't succeed next year;
then they could take over again in 2010,2012.
Israelis dropped 4 million cluster-bomblets on Lebanon; one million didn’t explode right away, remain as ‘cute’ devices picked up by children.Hillary Clinton voted AGAINST a ban on using cluster-bombs in CIVILIAN areas.http://uruknet.info/?p=m40705&s1=h1
Another source on Hillary & Cluster-bombshttp://mediabloodhound.typepad.com/weblog/2008/02/hillary-vs-obam.html
Tal.UpsAttacksVs.Canadians
Quarrel among NATOs makes Tal. Up attacks vs. Canadians,
to drive them out.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hpSab39orYup2wrhH7jUOSWVFZMwD8UVOENG0
War very unpopular among Canadians.
Blasts vs. GreenZone:
10 rocket or mortar blasts were heard in area of US HQ;
number of casualties not told.
4 Baghdad attacks vs. US this week,
6 people killed.
WashPost23Feb
~ Friday, February 22, 2008
Turks Invade Iraq: How many? For how long?
US caught between 2 warring US allies.
If Kurds turn against US, we’ll have millions of new enemies.NYTIMES, 22Feb
~ Thursday, February 21, 2008
Afgh.Vital to NATO says NATO honcho—
but allies won’t move troops to danger area,
Talk of a ‘failed state’ (ie..a state without a central govt.)
REUTERS
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSP9459120080221?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
Canada threatens to pull out if allies don’t contribute more troops
for actual fighting.
McCain & Special Interests:
He favored contributors to his campaign, and clients of a woman he was personally involved with--acc. to former aides--he denies romance.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1131ap_mccain_lobbyist.html?source=mypi
~ Wednesday, February 20, 2008
TURKEY TO INVADE IRAQ:
U S will side with Turkey,
thus losing its only ally (Kurds) in Iraq.
POST CHRONICLE
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_212131225.shtml
US attacks Sadrite neighborhoods—
Sadr may end cease-fire.
3 GIs killed, many wounded.
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23243671/
Having bought off many Sunni insurgents
(100,000 Sunnis at $10 a day)
Bushies may welcome war with Sadrites,
to blame it on Iran.
SEPT.TIMETABLE?~!
Top army honcho says they can maintain presurge troop-level for
'couple of months' after July.
rMtnNews20Feb
HUGE SURGE IN OPIUM since Taliban Fell:
800 tons in ’01 to 8200 tons now
(now funding Taliban !).
UnitedPress20Feb
2 WARS WEAKEN ARMY, says Pent.honcho.
Quality of recruits affected:
also, officer retention, desertions, suicide.
USATODAY 20FEB
What Worked? The few extra troops? Or the fact that we are paying nearly $1million per day to the Sunni ‘volunteers’, paying them not to attack GIs.InfoClear.House20FebThat’s actually good news:--fewer GI casualties is WORTH $1 million per day.--The fact that these Insurgents have ‘sold out’(for $10 a day),
shows the limits of their fervency.
Pak.WinnersSofterToTaliban:
One honcho says Musharef was secretly soft to Taliban (‘running with hares AND hounds”). In the past, NEGOTIATING with Taliban has left them stronger.NYTIMES.20FEB
~ Tuesday, February 19, 2008
7yrs MORE in Afgh. Says Norway honcho.
CHINA NEWS,18FEB
A given Afghan GI has about the same chance to be killed/maimed
as one in Iraq.
End of NATO? Possible over split on Afgh., says Singapore Honcho.
Only Britain, Canada & US
will send troops to areas of real fighting.
(Canada: real threats to pull out of Afgh.)
UnitedPress,20Feb
‘Unless Airforce gets billions more,
our planes won’t dominate skies.”
So what?
Our sky-dominance is pretty useless vs. our PRESENT THREATS
from individual, faceless terrorists.
~ Monday, February 18, 2008
DemsDespair of QuickWithdrawal;
However, 6 in 10 Americans still think
the war was a mistake.
And only 43% think the Surge helped.
40 GIs were killed in Jan’08; (probably 160 seriously wounded.)
USATODAY,19Feb
As I’ve said before,
lower RATE of GI casualties
may enable hawks to lengthen the war,
causing more TOTAL casualties.
‘Tribes vs. Qaeda’ is top US achievement;
but it’s threatened by
--rivalries among tribal leaders;
--vicious Qaeda attacks on new Sunni forces;
--refusal of central govt. to accept many of new Sunni forces into actual govt. forces (so US has to continue paying their wages--making obvious that they are mercenaries for US).
CSMONITOR18Feb
NO END TO OIL IMPASSE:
Insurgents will certainly NOT BE APPEASED
until Sunnis are GUARANTEED a ‘fair’ share of oil.
But that presupposes agreement between central govt. and Kurdistan over oil…
’no solution in sight’.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1630227020080218
NewTal.Attacks from ‘our success’ says Bushie general.
UPI18Feb
Mark Twain again: “I thrust my nose firmly between his teeth,
and threw him to the ground on top of me.”
65 casualties in newAfghan bombing Sunday, aimed at Canadian soldiers (3 wounded).
Saturday’s bombing also was not completely irrational; it killed a Karzai official.
Taleban claim control of much of Afgh.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7250501.stm
'Forgotten war' will be noticed. Americans will be furious when Canadians pull out and full extent of Bushie failure is realized.
~ Sunday, February 17, 2008
IRANIAN WEAPONS CACHES for Shia guerilla attacks on US, govt. troops?
Right after Iran seems to have cancelled
US/Iran talks,
Bushie generals announce evidence
of these caches.
REUTERS
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1880448320080217
If all these weapons are available,
why far fewer attacks claimed?
New US ‘allies’ fire on copter, are killed by US.
It’s thought their fire was a mistake, not fire by infiltrating Qaedites—
but it’s admitted that there is some infiltration.
LATIMES, 17Feb
(How could US 'vet' Sunni voluntters,
when US troops can't understand Arabic ?)
130 Afghan casualties from one bomb;
BLOOMBERG
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZIF2Rz0O8B0&refer=home
I pass on these horror-stories
to illustrate my contention that
a conventional US army and airforce
cannot effectively counter this type of guerillas.
We should pull out of both Afghan & Iraq.
~ Saturday, February 16, 2008
’Karzai a puppet’ says paper of his own govt !
reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSP166820080216
700MarinesNeedlesslyKilled because
marine top honchos refused to order enough MRAPS
to replace death-trap Humvees.
USATODAY16Feb
~ Thursday, February 14, 2008
‘POISON-PILL WORRIES” Iraq Parliament passed a package of 3 laws,
seeming to satisfy US demands:
a budget law giving Kurds the 17% they demanded,
the provincial powers law giving Shia strong local powers vs. central govt.,
and an amnesty bill for many Sunni prisoners.
But a Sunni representative said, “What’s needed are not laws, but political will for reconciliation, which I believe is not there.”
A previous ‘reconciliation’ bill,supposedly accepting former Saddamites
into government, turned out to exclude more than it admitted.
Nytimes http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/world/middleeast/14iraq.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
~ Wednesday, February 13, 2008
IRAQ WON’T EXTEND UN MANDATE for US occupation.
So US is negotiating to ‘normalize’ relations.
UnitedPress
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/02/13/us_to_normalize_relations_with_iraq/6126/
3 needed laws passed by Iraq parliament.
One apparently gave Sunni provinces some of the autonomy they want,
for their coming de-facto secession.
NYTIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/world/middleeast/14iraq.html?hp
~ Tuesday, February 12, 2008
IRAQ SABOTAGE, SLAUGHTER 11FEB
Pipeline, Generator blown up;
power cut for No.Iraq;
repairs not for a month.
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23110883/
WHY NOW? After years of stalling, why bring the six ‘9/11 bad guys’ to trial
just now?
Bushies face looming Afghan failure, staggering Iraq costs,
miserable preparation for a possible attack on our Homeland.
They desperately need the distraction that this trial will provide.
PAK.DEAL WITH TALIBAN:
Previous such deals have helped Tal. Regroup.
US, Pak.analysts warn of
danger from such deals.
NYTIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/world/asia/12pakistan.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
~ Monday, February 11, 2008
REMINDER: Lyons now has a 2d, less gloomy blog: HORSESHOOF.BLOGSPOT.COM
featuring (mainly clan, Irish) stories.
If you want to CONTRIBUTE a story,send it to dlyons@lamar.colostate.edu and I'll publish it, giving you credit.
GI DRAWDOWN ‘PAUSE’ OK’D
We might have hoped that Gates would oppose Petraeus
in stopping Iraq drawdown at 135K—but now he seems to have surrendered.
SEATTLEPI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107ap_gates.html
~ Sunday, February 10, 2008
65 Iraq casualties today.
NYTIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?hp
Iraqi wounded may be worse off than those killed.
over 6000 posts here from Lyons since '02.
This many bits of bad news for Bushie wars,
usually supported by citations of mainlline media.
NATO A USELESS US PUPPET:
What good is a puppet with strings broken?
(‘Allies’ won’t send troops to FIGHT in Afgh.)
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4268780
QuaedaPopularityDownInPak
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23094334/
Still near 20% said to be enough generally
to support terrorists.
Quaeda is crazily slaughtering fellow-Sunnis,
not just Shia or Westerners.
BAD-NEWS LYONS:I emphasize abundant bad news,
to try to balance
the huge Bushie propaganda machine
trumpeting the scarce good news about Iraq.
US CAN’T REPLACE Sunni troops,
now starting to go on strike
In Dyala.
LATIMES
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq10feb10,1,3132219.story
~ Saturday, February 09, 2008
RECRUITS BALK: In crucial Diyala province,
our new Sunni ‘allies’ won’t help out
until Shia police-chief is ousted.
http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=565241718175563994
IRAQ PROJECT HURTS AFGHAN PROJECT
Gates says Eur. Dislike for Iraq war
undermines their support for our Afghan. War. Surprise !
nytimes 9feb
Seems that Pent will pressure Bush/GOP
to pull out of Iraq.
Econ,Iraq linked: 2 in 3 say that getting out of Iraq would help us struggle out of the Recession.
SeattlePI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/350678_stimulus09.html
GOP plan to distract us from recession by frothing about security.
But it turns out voters think 2 issues are closely related.
~ Friday, February 08, 2008
NOT JUST PETRAEUS: GATES SAYS
OTHER PENTAGON VIEWS WILL BE VOICED.
MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23031321/
(Bush has long claimed he goes by ‘informed military opinion’.
But suppose some Pent. Voices say we MUST pull out many GIs from Iraq,
lest general army collapses?
MALIKI REALLY THREATENED?
Kurds, Sunnis, & some Shia in Partliament
want to replace him with a US favorite.
But during US election year,
the chaos possibly resultimg might not be to Bushies’ taste.
LATIMES
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-maliki8feb08,0,7977348.story?page=1
OCCUPATION = in importance to CONQUERING
in new Army Doctrine.
Of course Airforce objects, since their planes can’t really help in counterinsurgency.
One airforce general said,
“I’d hope we’ve learned NOT to try to occupy hostile countries !”
nytimes
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/washington/08strategy.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
SISTANI FADES: The aged top Shia ayatollah
has been a stabilizing influence;
no plausible successor is in view.
SeattlePI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107ap_iraq_sistanis_twilight.html
~ Thursday, February 07, 2008
NO HOSTILE IRAN ACTS
says US general quoted in French journal.
TehranTimes, cited by INFOCLEARINGHOUSE
HUMPTY-DUMPTY: sat on a wall, had a great fall;
All king’s horses/men couldn’t put that egg together again.
Males tend to admire DESTRUCTIVE power—but the truth is,
it’s easy to destroy, hard or impossible
to put together parts in an organized way.
A brute bragged to St.Augustine,
“I can kill a man without needing any weapons!”
Aug. retorted, “So can a bad mushroom;
You’re no stronger than a bad mushroom.”
Bushies had little trouble destroying Afghan and Iraqi govts,
but have found it impossible to reconstruct them.
DESPERATE CANADA PM says vote vs. Afghan mission
would trigger new election.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080206/wl_canada_nm/canada_afghan_liberals_col;_ylt=AlHQdSqMVtRNK5g6M7N6yt5vaA8F
NATO ALLIES WON’T COME ACROSS
With more FIGHTING troops,says Gates.
He fears split between fighting and mere
‘reconstruction’ countries.
Except for Brits & US, majorities in every Nato nation
oppose Afghan project.
LATIMES7FEB
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-rice7feb07,1,1795082.story
BUSHES ATTACK SADRITES : Sadr called a cease-fire, but he might call that off.
It’s alleged that Sadrite renegades have used lethal ‘molten metal’ mortars vs. US—but why then so few US casualties?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?category=1107&slug=Iraq
SADR SAYS continue cease-fire--but won't say it will be extended.
Reuters, 7 Feb
~ Wednesday, February 06, 2008
ISRAELIS SERIOUS? About attacking Iran?
One remembers the movie line
“The situation is critical, but not serious.”
After 7 yrs,Tal.NOT BEATEN, admits Rice.
This admission,
from this optimistic liar,
really means WE’RE damn near beaten.
CBS
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/06/world/main3796793.shtml
UN predicts more opium poppies in '08,
helping fund Taliban.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHs3dINwNt522g8udMhvLAIl84ggD8UKPIHO0
~ Tuesday, February 05, 2008
AirpowerFailsAgain:
kills our Sunni allies,
not Quaeda.
More evidence that airpower backfires
vs. guerillas,
recruits enraged survivors into insurgency.
SEATTLEPI
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/350032_iraq05.html
~ Monday, February 04, 2008
~ Sunday, February 03, 2008
BaathToleranceLawPassed but without approval
by the SUNNI rep.on Pres.Council.
seattlepi/3Feb
How will that serve to pacify Sunni insurgents?
The pensions offered may just FINANCE insurgents!
---
SUNNIS say new law does more harm than good.
NYTIMES3fEB
~ Saturday, February 02, 2008
WAR NOTICED AGAIN:
GOP doesn’t want us to think about GOP’s 2 unwinnable wars;
but EVEN LESS about looming RECESSION.
So they’re talking again about Iraq.
SendNatl.Guard Home !
Some Vt.pols say Iraq does not threaten US security,
so Vt.Natl.Guard GIs should be returned,
needed at home.
CBS 2FEB
‘MakeNice’Bill Won’t Pass
A bill passed in Parl.
To let SunniSaddamites into govt. posts
will likely not be Okd by Pres.Council.
Reuters,2Feb
FISTS CAUGHT IN 2 HORNET JARS:
MARINE SHORTAGE:
Tensions between Iraq generals (they say we need to stop withdrawals,
leaving 135 k in Iraq)
and Pentagon generals,worried about general forces.
Marine commander especially says
after diverting 3K marines to Afgh., Iraq shortage will be urgent.
LATIMES2FEB
~ Friday, February 01, 2008
ShiaWomanBlocksReconciliation? !
She’s in charge of ‘reconciliation measures’,
and blocks Sunnis from army.
Bushie generals afraid angry Sunnis will revert to insurgents,
using our training!
She says US is not vetting recruits properly—
(after all, they don’t know the language !)—
may be recruiting infiltrators.
USATODAY1Feb
Why Insane bombings?
Quaeda may be out to enrage Shia
so that govt. doesn’t dare
make nice to Sunnis,
TO Appease secular insurgents.
