LIVE THREAD; Iraq Study Group Releases Report

December 6, 2006

[Howlin]

Live on cable now...

[justshutupandtakeit]

That could only happen after I started being one. Facts bother you I see.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

So sorry to hear that. Is he getting a headectomy? :)

[kingu]

I understand the Pentagon is also making a report. It will be very interesting to compare the two.

Eh. A report is a report - doesn't matter where it comes from, there will be enough CYA in it to ensure that some liberal will be pleased as punch.

In the interest of sanity, I offer the following report: On March 20th, United States and Coalition forces entered into Iraq with the set goal of removing any resistance by the Iraqi government. On April 9th, Baghdad fell into coalition hands, and it was accepted by the international community that the nation of Iraq, as it stood prior to March 20th, no longer existed as a viable political entity.

Casualties were light, most were deemed accidents, and indeed, the accident ratio is in line with most large scale training exercises. Actual fatalities inflicted by foreign forces were minimal. In all aspects, attention was made to minimize long term infrastructure damage, as well as an eye to maintaining health and human services. The shocking fall of any and all forms of government once Saddam lost control was unexpected, and no credible person could be brought forward to 'surrender' Iraq to the coalition forces.

Search and destroy missions were carried out during and after the invasion, finding a hundred thousand tons of munitions and supplies that were not declared by Iraq as required as a condition of the cessation of hostilities from nearly 12 years before. Mass graves were found, detailed records of a regime that was brutal and sadistic, as well as financial records exposing an international web of deceit and evasion.

There ya go. Iraq in a nutshell. Anything after April 9th that was not directly related to investigating crimes committed by the nation of Iraq is just sideshow stuff. I do not belittle the service of our troops, they are there offering assistance to what has become at least a tentative ally. But the war in Iraq ended for all intents and purposes on the 20th day. One can not have a war against a nation that stopped existing.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"No, if we wanted credibility we would be just as well off if we'd hired a room full of monkeys with typewriters to produce this report. At least we could have gotten the monkeys to get out of the Green Zone and actually check out the Iraq outside their hotel rooms."

You mean the AP isn't a room full of monkeys?

[txrangerette]

You have no faith in the President, now?

[Mo1]

When will the madness stop!!!!

This study group is a Cronkite moment

[Arizona Carolyn]

Yep! Our next party standardbearer. /s

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

I noticed the same thing. Just because a person is 80+ does not make him/her wise. Look at Jimmah Carter for example.

He would have been a natural fit for this commission.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Democrats on ISG

In addition to Hamilton, the panel's Democrats are:

Vernon Jordan, Jr., business executive
Leon E. Panetta, former White House Chief of Staff
William J. Perry, former US Secretary of Defense
Charles S. Robb, former Governor of Virginia and former U.S. Senator

[Howlin]

What was Baker talking about, "I'd have to put him on a couch?"

Was he talking about psychoanalyzing Bush?

[Jrabbit]

Thanks for the ping...

Was President Bush impeached overnight? Or did he die? This is surreal....

[sageb1]

Who said something about International Law? I missed that.

[JewishRighter]

Yes, how about that Social Security Blue Ribbon Panel or the 9/11 Commission or the Church Commission. They exposed the truth and solved all our problems. /sarcasm.

[LadyBuzz]

Dont ya want to wipe that smirk off his face - what a stupid old fart

[Diddle E. Squat]

I want to know why O'Connor's on the commission.

Because she has always been the swing enabler, the one the Dems count on to be rolled over in the spirit of 'compromise', 'bipartisanship', 'common ground', and 'meeting in the middle' (snort) so that evenly-split committees/groups will adopt the Dem stances and soundbites.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Why the hell is Sandra Day O'Connor and Vernon Jordon on this commitee???

[Mr. Mojo]

No surprise. Baker's the guy who advised Reagan to impose sanctions on Israel after their successful operation against Saddam's nuclear reactor in 1981. (Yes, he's always had his head up a camel's ass). Thankfully the Gipper ignored him; hopefully this President Bush will do the same.

[RegulatorCountry]

Eff Jim Baker. We didn't vote for him anyway.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Was President Bush impeached overnight? Or did he die? This is surreal....

I watching this with my mouth open in disbelief.

[Miss Marple]

He was saying he doesn't psychoanalyze any president that he has worked for.