Sunday, September 19, 2004

Iraq Has Turned into a Disaster

From Sidney Blumenthal in The Guardian; "Far Graver Than Vietnam";

...according to the US military's leading strategists and prominent retired generals, Bush's war is already lost. Retired general William Odom, former head of the National Security Agency, told me: "Bush hasn't found the WMD. Al-Qaida, it's worse, he's lost on that front. That he's going to achieve a democracy there? That goal is lost, too. It's lost." He adds: "Right now, the course we're on, we're achieving Bin Laden's ends"...

...W Andrew Terrill, professor at the Army War College's strategic studies institute - and the top expert on Iraq there - said: "I don't think that you can kill the insurgency". According to Terrill, the anti-US insurgency, centred in the Sunni triangle, and holding several cities and towns - including Fallujah - is expanding and becoming more capable as a consequence of US policy...

...General Odom said: "This is far graver than Vietnam. There wasn't as much at stake strategically, though in both cases we mindlessly went ahead with the war that was not constructive for US aims. But now we're in a region far more volatile, and we're in much worse shape with our allies"...

...General Hoare believes from the information he has received that "a decision has been made" to attack Fallujah "after the first Tuesday in November. That's the cynical part of it - after the election. The signs are all there."
Over 12,000 civilians have died in Iraq because of the unnecessary invasion by the US. Of course the insurgency grows. The Bush solution? Once he has the election in the bag, start blowing up the whole country.

Is Nader the only one still advocating to get out now? Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean are looking better and better every day. But that's crying over spilled milk. If Kerry's new handlers are going to make a difference in time, they'd better teach him some short, clear statements about what his plans are to stop this pointless killing.

J.

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