Less Green More Red in Baghdad
I wonder what take would be on the latest violence in the capital?He did say he would have gone into the market without an escort.
marketplace today killing 160 (so far) andwounding 137. This came at a time when the administration (and I am sure FOXnews) was about to do the happy dance for the hand-off of Maysan province fromthe British to the Iraqis.
The blasts overshadowed a key development for Iraq in which the country'sforces took over the security control of an oil-rich southern province from theBritish forces.
The British military, as part of its plan to withdraw its forces from Iraq,yesterday handed over the security control of the southern Maysan province at a colorfuloutdoor ceremony and military parade.
The spokespeople mustcringe when they speak, or at least when they are around friends and family andare asked "do you really believe that crap you said today?"
We've seen both inspiring progress and too much evidence we still face manygrave challenges," US military spokesman William Caldwell said last night."We've always said securing Baghdad would not be easy."
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that failure in Iraq would unleashsectarian strife and extremism and would be felt across the Middle East.
Speaking to a US Chamber of Commerce lunch in Cairo on the third day of hisMiddle East tour, Mr Gates urged Arab countries to use their influence tocounter the insurgency and encourage political reconciliation.
"Whatever disagreements we might have over how we got to this point inIraq, the consequences of a failed state in Iraq - of chaos there - willadversely impact the security and prosperity of every nation in the Middle Eastand Gulf region," he said. Mr Gates warned that while some who disagreedwith the war might be cheering for US failure in Iraq, "these sentimentsare dangerously shortsighted and self-destructive".
The initial effects of failure in the Iraq conflict, he said, would first befelt in Middle East capitals and communities "well before they are felt inWashington or New York".
Is Gates telling us that if welose, it would be because of the people cheering for a US loss? ( I'll assumethe democrats and liberals are in that mix) I think the administration knowsthey are in quite a jam and are positioning themselves to start tossing theblame around. Let them know while pointing a finger at someone, there are threepointing back
With the twisted thinking of this administration, I wouldn't be surprised if they say "we've got 'em right where we want 'em"
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