Iraq's council chief: U.S. is at fault

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Tue, Apr. 27, 2004 | By Louis Meixler, Associated Press

[happygrl]

"If it were me, I wouldn't have allowed it to come to this by making earlier mistakes," he said.

If it were up to you, Saddam would still be in power, and you'd be under his boot.

Direct your dicomfort at those who are responsible for these outrages, YOUR FELLOW IRAQIS.

[goldstategop]

Massaoud Barzani is a Kurd and he's right, we made a lot of mistakes. We've turned from liberators into an army of occupation. But now that our prestige is engaged, he's also correct that we cannot afford to hand our enemies in Iraq a victory. Let's hope we're going to do a better job than we've done so far.

[onedoug]

We should have made made war on Iraq instead of on Saddam.

[jolie560]

..."...make sure civilians are not harmed."...

Any civilian with a brain would be way far away from the area of the fight.

[vbmoneyspender]

What were all of these mistakes that were made?

[rj45mis]

Don't you just love these arm chair quarterbacks. My God, if I'd have known Microsoft would have become the world leader in software, I'd have mortgaged everything I own and bought its stock. It's easy to sit back in judgment after the fact, but the truth be told, we couldn't trust the former regime elements to take charge. That would have been a worse option. We need to take out some large population centers to let them know we aren't messing around and let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, we are in for a long haul over there.

[KellyAdmirer]

Barzani's lips move, and he says nothing. "I would have done it better," "distinguish between the civilians and the fighters," "don't negotiate with terrorists" - are these cliches supposed to be sage or something?

[mrustow]

This guy is so full of it, it's coming out of his ears. He is Mr. Perfect, who is justifiably upset that we are not as perfect as he is. He would have instituted Iraqi sovereignty the day after Saddam was toppled, and would thereby have avoided all the problems we're facing? He would not have engaged in any military de-Baathification? He says we must storm Falluja, but without killing a single civilian? Whatever he's smoking, I want some.

[Smartass]

I don't care if Massoud Barzani is a Kurd, a Byrd, or a
turd. When he goes public and picked up by the Anti
U.S. media AP, he then needs to be dumped!

[mrustow]

Don't you just love these arm chair quarterbacks. My God, if I'd have known Microsoft would have become the world leader in software, I'd have mortgaged everything I own and bought its stock.

In another interview, Massoud Barzani said, "If I had been an American 20 years ago and had any money, I would have mortgaged my home and invested every penny I had in Microsoft stock."

I hear Barzani is also able to retroactively predict yesterday's weather, with 100 percent accuracy.

[a_Turk]

Like I said in March 2003: The governing council should have been lined up and shot.

[happygrl]

What was it that gave you this insight at that time ?

Seriously, you saw this coming ?

[a_Turk]

Anyone over there who jumps at the chance to run the place, who sneaks around "advising" the big dog, who acts all tough when under the protection of some heavy cannot be trusted for he has no honor and should be shot.

You've been conned. Used and abused, like some young kid..

[happygrl]

he has no honor

I think you've hit on something there.

Who knows ?
There may be some such shooting in the future. There may be a lot of it. I think Daniel Pipes may be onto where this is heading: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1125177/posts

[a_Turk]

Last fall the Turks were ready with parliamentary vote, mobilized and all to send 10,000 of their finest into the triangle. Barzani protested it. So here you are. I'm gonna agree that you screwed the pooch dealing with horse thieves.

[caisson71]

When we're the only ones doing ANYTHING, it's easy to be accused of making mistakes. Barzani needs to take up a rifle and show us how to acheive democracy in Iraq "peacefully", without supporting him for the rest of his life. He needs a trip to the shed.

[happygrl]

Turks were ready with parliamentary vote, mobilized and all to send 10,000 of their finest into the triangle.

The Turks live in the neighborhood.

They have an interest in seeing that the local scum are irradicated. We should have let them do the honors.

[Warlord David]

"What were all of these mistakes that were made?"

Geeeeeezzzzzz. Let count a few of them.

1. Putting a lawyer in charge is one big mistake. They make fine negotiators but are terrible leaders with NO sense at all.

2. Not bombing a hand full of mosques when we first roll in, and especially since the terrorist have made it their home, refusing to bomb those mosque.

3. Putting Islamic leaders in charge of the temporary government. The idiots that though this one up should be shot in the head. It bet it had to be a lawyer, right?

4.Not going thru, in breaking the Islamic clergy hold on the people of Iraq. The clergy threaten retaliation and the US leaders(lawyers) run for cover. What a bunch of idiots, whips, who are sleeping with muslim leaders who are traitors. And taking advantage. And the US leaders(lawyers) leading this bag of mix nuts and bolts, can not see it.

There more, alot more!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Bush fails in Iraq. The whole muslim middle east nations will laugh themselves in to the night. The US may have the technology but are to stupid to know how to us it. And to stupid to know how to create a democracy.

5. The UN is another case of idiots who's own interest in this is money only.

[vbmoneyspender]

And your prescriptions completely contradict what Barzani is saying, which is that we have acted too harshly as occupiers. Seems we have a set of people saying we have acted too harshly and another set of people saying the exact opposite. Sounds to me like there is a bunch of people out there who have caught the 20/20 hindsight flu.