Posted on 06/01/2006 5:34:00 PM PDT by Calif Conservative
Evil in Our Government
Paul Craig Roberts Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Is the Bush regime a state sponsor of terrorism?
A powerful case can be made that it is.
In the past three years, the Bush regime has murdered tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and an unknown number of Afghan ones.
U.S. Marines, members of our finest and proudest military force, are under criminal investigation for breaking into Iraqi homes and murdering entire families. In an unprecedented event, Gen. Michael Hagee, the Marine Corps commandant, has found it necessary to fly to Iraq to tell our best-trained troops to stop murdering civilians.
Hagee told the U.S. Marines: "We do not employ force just for the sake of employing force. We use lethal force only when justified, proportional and, most importantly, lawful."
The war criminals in the Bush regime have dismissed the murders as "collateral damage," but they are in fact murders. Otherwise, there would be no criminal investigations and the Marine commandant would not be burdened with the embarrassment of having to fly to Iraq to lecture U.S. Marines on the lawful use of force.
The criminal Bush regime has now murdered more Iraqis than Saddam Hussein. The Bush regime is also responsible for 20,000 U.S. casualties (dead, maimed for life and wounded).
Bush damns the "axis of evil." But who has the "axis of evil" attacked? Iran has attacked no one. North Korea has attacked no country for more than a half-century. Iraq attacked Kuwait a decade and a half ago, apparently after securing permission from the U.S. ambassador.
Isn't the real axis of evil Bush-Blair-Olmert? George Bush and Tony Blair have attacked two countries, slaughtering their citizens. Israel's Ehud Olmert is urging them on to attack a third country, Iran.
Where does the danger to the world reside? In Iran, a small religious country where the family is intact and the government is constrained by religious authority and ancient traditions, or in the United States, where propaganda rules and the powerful executive branch has removed itself from accountability by breaking the constitutional restraints on its power?
Why is the U.S. superpower orchestrating fear of puny Iran?
The U.S. government has spent the past half-century interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, overthrowing or assassinating their chosen leaders and imposing its puppets on foreign peoples.
To what country has Iran done this, or Iraq, or North Korea?
Americans think that they are the salt of the earth. The hubris that comes from this self-righteous belief makes Americans blind to the evil of their leaders. How can American leaders be evil when Americans are so good and so wonderful?
How many Serbs were slaughtered by American bombs released from high above the clouds, and for what reason? Who even remembers the propagandistic lies that the Clinton administration told us about why we absolutely had to drop bombs on the Serbs?
Wasn't it evil for the United States to bomb Iraq for a decade and to embargo medicines for children? When U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was asked if she thought an embargo that resulted in the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children was justified, she replied, "Yes."
The former terrible tyrant ruler of Iraq, Hussein, is on trial for killing 150 people. The U.S. government murdered 500,000 Iraqi children prior to Bush's invasion. When the U.S. government murders people, whether Serbs, Branch Davidians at Waco, Texas, or Iraqi women and children, it is "collateral damage." But we put Hussein on trial for putting down rebellions.
Gentle reader, do you believe that the Bush regime will not shoot you down in the streets if you have a rebellion?
Killing and capturing tens of thousands of terrorists. The Islamic terrorists have chosen Iraq as the main front to fight us and it is in Iraq where we are annihilating them.
More non partisanship from the American left. :)
I bet this guy "Supports the Troops" too....
Carl, this is seditious. What is this crap doing on your website? Do you support this, or is this idiot on some kind of contract that you can't get out of?
I just sent a complaint to Newsmax and then unsubscribed from their e-mail News Alerts. If I want to read this kind of dishonest trash, I would go to the DU.
He's a bright man who probably agrees with you on most issues. His view is rectally impaired on this one though.
Funny... What Paul Craig Moonbat seems to forget is that America did NOT embargo "medicines for children." Actually, Iraq was able to sell lots of oil for "humanitarian uses." Of course, much of that oil was actually sold in the UN's "oil for food" scandal, where Hussien bought off the UN and many other countries, while enriching himself, and passing much, if not all of the remaining funds into his military. Actually, those "500,000 Iraqi children" that Mr. Moonbat mentions, if they really existed, which I doubt in those numbers, were victims of the UN, France, Germany, Russia, and of course, Hussien himself.
Mark
Years ago, he was one of the original supply-siders. i think he caught the stupidity virus from Lugnut Rockwell.
And now back to the real world.
Not to mention changing the Arab world
Delusional Mr. Roberts bump!
Unfortunately I don't understand how the perspective of history can be lost on someone who seems to be bright in other areas.
He is looking at the moment rather than seeing the bigger picture.
Bump!
You must be letting your emotions get to you; have you bothered to read U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441? If you have, it's pretty clear that you've forgotten why we're there.
Resolution 1441 (2002)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 4644th meeting, on 8 November 2002The Security Council, Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular its resolutions 661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 678 (1990) of 29 November 1990, 686 (1991) of 2 March 1991, 687 (1991) of 3 April 1991, 688 (1991) of 5 April 1991, 707 (1991) of 15 August 1991, 715 (1991) of 11 October 1991, 986 (1995) of 14 April 1995, and 1284 (1999) of 17 December 1999, and all the relevant statements of its President,
Recalling also its resolution 1382 (2001) of 29 November 2001 and its intention to implement it fully,
Recognizing the threat Iraq's non-compliance with Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to international peace and security,
Recalling that its resolution 678 (1990) authorized Member States to use all necessary means to uphold and implement its resolution 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990 and all relevant resolutions subsequent to resolution 660 (1990) and to restore international peace and security in the area,
Further recalling that its resolution 687 (1991) imposed obligations on Iraq as a necessary step for achievement of its stated objective of restoring international peace and security in the area,
Deploring the fact that Iraq has not provided an accurate, full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by resolution 687 (1991), of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles with a range greater than one hundred and fifty kilometres, and of all holdings of such weapons, their components and production facilities and locations, as well as all other nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to nuclear-weapons-usable material,
Deploring further that Iraq repeatedly obstructed immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to sites designated by the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), failed to cooperate fully and unconditionally with UNSCOM and IAEA weapons inspectors, as required by resolution 687 (1991), and ultimately ceased all cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA in 1998,
Deploring the absence, since December 1998, in Iraq of international monitoring, inspection, and verification, as required by relevant resolutions, of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, in spite of the Council's repeated demands that Iraq provide immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), established in resolution 1284 (1999) as the successor organization to UNSCOM, and the IAEA, and regretting the consequent prolonging of the crisis in the region and the suffering of the Iraqi people,
Deploring also that the Government of Iraq has failed to comply with its commitments pursuant to resolution 687 (1991) with regard to terrorism, pursuant to resolution 688 (1991) to end repression of its civilian population and to provide access by international humanitarian organizations to all those in need of assistance in Iraq, and pursuant to resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991), and 1284 (1999) to return or cooperate in accounting for Kuwaiti and third country nationals wrongfully detained by Iraq, or to return Kuwaiti property wrongfully seized by Iraq,
Recalling that in its resolution 687 (1991) the Council declared that a ceasefire would be based on acceptance by Iraq of the provisions of that resolution, including the obligations on Iraq contained therein,
Determined to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions and recalling that the resolutions of the Council constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance,
Recalling that the effective operation of UNMOVIC, as the successor organization to the Special Commission, and the IAEA is essential for the implementation of resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions,
Noting that the letter dated 16 September 2002 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq addressed to the Secretary-General is a necessary first step toward rectifying Iraq's continued failure to comply with relevant Council resolutions,
Noting further the letter dated 8 October 2002 from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq laying out the practical arrangements, as a follow-up to their meeting in Vienna, that are prerequisites for the resumption of inspections in Iraq by UNMOVIC and the IAEA, and expressing the gravest concern at the continued failure by the Government of Iraq to provide confirmation of the arrangements as laid out in that letter,
Reaffirming the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Kuwait, and the neighbouring States,
Commending the Secretary-General and members of the League of Arab States and its Secretary-General for their efforts in this regard,
Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions, Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Decides that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions, including resolution 687 (1991), in particular through Iraq's failure to cooperate with United Nations inspectors and the IAEA, and to complete the actions required under paragraphs 8 to 13 of resolution 687 (1991);
2. Decides, while acknowledging paragraph 1 above, to afford Iraq, by this resolution, a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations under relevant resolutions of the Council; and accordingly decides to set up an enhanced inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified completion the disarmament process established by resolution 687 (1991) and subsequent resolutions of the Council;
3. Decides that, in order to begin to comply with its disarmament obligations, in addition to submitting the required biannual declarations, the Government of Iraq shall provide to UNMOVIC, the IAEA, and the Council, not later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles and dispersal systems designed for use on aircraft, including any holdings and precise locations of such weapons, components, subcomponents, stocks of agents, and related material and equipment, the locations and work of its research, development and production facilities, as well as all other chemical, biological, and nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to weapon production or material;
4. Decides that false statements or omissions in the declarations submitted by Iraq pursuant to this resolution and failure by Iraq at any time to comply with, and cooperate fully in the implementation of, this resolution shall constitute a further material breach of Iraq's obligations and will be reported to the Council for assessment in accordance with paragraphs 11 and 12 below;
5. Decides that Iraq shall provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any and all, including underground, areas, facilities, buildings, equipment, records, and means of transport which they wish to inspect, as well as immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC's or the IAEA's choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates; further decides that UNMOVIC and the IAEA may at their discretion conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq, may facilitate the travel of those interviewed and family members outside of Iraq, and that, at the sole discretion of UNMOVIC and the IAEA, such interviews may occur without the presence of observers from the Iraqi Government; and instructs UNMOVIC and requests the IAEA to resume inspections no later than 45 days following adoption of this resolution and to update the Council 60 days thereafter;
6. Endorses the 8 October 2002 letter from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq, which is annexed hereto, and decides that the contents of the letter shall be binding upon Iraq;
7. Decides further that, in view of the prolonged interruption by Iraq of the presence of UNMOVIC and the IAEA and in order for them to accomplish the tasks set forth in this resolution and all previous relevant resolutions and notwithstanding prior understandings, the Council hereby establishes the following revised or additional authorities, which shall be binding upon Iraq, to facilitate their work in Iraq:
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall determine the composition of their inspection teams and ensure that these teams are composed of the most qualified and experienced experts available;
- All UNMOVIC and IAEA personnel shall enjoy the privileges and immunities, corresponding to those of experts on mission, provided in the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the IAEA;
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have unrestricted rights of entry into and out of Iraq, the right to free, unrestricted, and immediate movement to and from inspection sites, and the right to inspect any sites and buildings, including immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to Presidential Sites equal to that at other sites, notwithstanding the provisions of resolution 1154 (1998) of 2 March 1998;
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to be provided by Iraq the names of all personnel currently and formerly associated with Iraq's chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic missile programmes and the associated research, development, and production facilities;
- Security of UNMOVIC and IAEA facilities shall be ensured by sufficient United Nations security guards;
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to declare, for the purposes of freezing a site to be inspected, exclusion zones, including surrounding areas and transit corridors, in which Iraq will suspend ground and aerial movement so that nothing is changed in or taken out of a site being inspected;
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the free and unrestricted use and landing of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, including manned and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles;
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right at their sole discretion verifiably to remove, destroy, or render harmless all prohibited weapons, subsystems, components, records, materials, and other related items, and the right to impound or close any facilities or equipment for the production thereof; and
- UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to free import and use of equipment or materials for inspections and to seize and export any equipment, materials, or documents taken during inspections, without search of UNMOVIC or IAEA personnel or official or personal baggage;8. Decides further that Iraq shall not take or threaten hostile acts directed against any representative or personnel of the United Nations or the IAEA or of any Member State taking action to uphold any Council resolution;
9. Requests the Secretary-General immediately to notify Iraq of this resolution, which is binding on Iraq; demands that Iraq confirm within seven days of that notification its intention to comply fully with this resolution; and demands further that Iraq cooperate immediately, unconditionally, and actively with UNMOVIC and the IAEA;
10. Requests all Member States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in the discharge of their mandates, including by providing any information related to prohibited programmes or other aspects of their mandates, including on Iraqi attempts since 1998 to acquire prohibited items, and by recommending sites to be inspected, persons to be interviewed, conditions of such interviews, and data to be collected, the results of which shall be reported to the Council by UNMOVIC and the IAEA;
11. Directs the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspection activities, as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations, including its obligations regarding inspections under this resolution;
12. Decides to convene immediately upon receipt of a report in accordance with paragraphs 4 or 11 above, in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance with all of the relevant Council resolutions in order to secure international peace and security;
13. Recalls, in that context, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations;
14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Should we have gone to war the first time (August 1990 through to March 1991) or should we have just let Iraq take Kuwait without any response? This an an important question to ask because the broken promises that resulted from that war -- and our lack of appropriate enforcement for those broken promises -- has led us here today. It's also important to note that our lack of enforcement and our soft stances were probably a catalyst for terrorist groups in the region to [correctly?] conclude that America was a paper tiger with no stomach to deal with deplorable behaviors; that being sucker punched would lead to appeasement and payoffs rather than military force. They were probably more than half right, too. Which [larger?] half do you fit into?
This may be a stupid question, but do you now see why some of us in this country can actually answer your question, "What are we doing in Iraq?" to our own edification?
I fought in the first war from October '90 and stayed until April of '91. The battalion I was with lost 13 men in battle and in spite of it because of it, we were more than willing to march to Baghdad and 'finish the job' until we were told that diplomacy was going to be tried. But over the next 12 years, diplomacy was no longer working and our soft image was growing softer. I'm sure that those 13 Marines that I served with wouldn't have embraced the new 'development'.
Do you see why I can answer the question you posed?
This ping will accomplish two things: first, it'll serve as a way for me to quickly find this piece when the Paleocons quote PC Roberts and find a way to incorporate its link into a reply for discrediting purposes. Secondly, if you haven't see this thread yet -- and Rudeboy, I see that you already have -- it is one not to miss just for the utter meltdown PC Roberts has acted out on stage for us to see.
This guy is firmly into the Left's camp and any FReeper who glums onto what this clown writes or says should have their membership privileges reevaluated. I know some people who are opposed to what we're doing in Iraq -- and that's okay -- but the level to which PC Roberts has stooped to to persuade his audience of his views has completely, and permanently, marginalized himself in forums in the political direction such as this one.
Be interesting to know if the poster was ok with going into Iraq to depose Saddam.
LCJ, your reasons for being there go back to that. But the complaint against being in Iraq COULD BE made because the Saddamists and the Terrorists have been blowing up Iraq on a daily basis, and most of our own casualities come from IEDs. Therefore, is the poster asking "why are we STILL there?"
My question to the poster: Is it really nation building you oppose so much, or is it the fact that the BOMBERS in Iraq have convinced you that we should cut and run?
If I were you, I'd be careful in answering that question. We're at war with the people, in whatever country, who blow up everything and everyone around them as their weapon of choice. And we are not immune from the same thing happening here.
You can run, but you cannot hide.
No matter what the Democrat's current pre-election spin is, you just know that, should they capture the House in Nov., this is the reasoning they will give to impeach the President next year. They just "cain't hep it", as Ann Richards used to say.
Funny... What Paul Craig Moonbat seems to forget is that America did NOT embargo "medicines for children." Actually, Iraq was able to sell lots of oil for "humanitarian uses." Of course, much of that oil was actually sold in the UN's "oil for food" scandal, where Hussien bought off the UN and many other countries, while enriching himself, and passing much, if not all of the remaining funds into his military. Actually, those "500,000 Iraqi children" that Mr. Moonbat mentions, if they really existed, which I doubt in those numbers, were victims of the UN, France, Germany, Russia, and of course, Hussien himself.
True, but the Sanctions were a US led effort...There is data that suggests reinvading Iraq has actually saved lives.
Of course, the libs absolutely refuse to blame the insurgents for the civilians they intentionally kill.
I can agree with his oppostion to the "free trade" agreements" and Bush's illegal invaders policies - but as for the rest, this guy is totally wacky.
The reasons for invading Iraq were numerous, manifest and legitimate.
The NECESSITY for a war against the lunatics running Iran is increasingly self-evident.
And Syria must eventually be delt with - as will have to be North Korea, although possibly through alternate channels.
But the ONLY way we can resolve the Iranian problem is through military action, preferably in support of a popular revolt.
This Roberts guy is totally crazy. He must be senile.
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