Iraq postwar insecurity began in Washington

[priller]

Wow, this article is quite revealing about how Rummy, for neocon-ish reasons, really screwed up the postwar efforts.


Franks and most of the Pentagon (news - web sites) were focused on winning the war, which they did. But, the newsweekly said, the occupation was a second thought.

One example is the Coalition Provisional Authority. "CPA stands for the Condescending and Patronizing Americans," a Baghdad diplomat told Newsweek. "So there they are, sitting in their palace: 800 people, 17 of whom speak Arabic. One is an expert on Iraq."

What happened to the Iraq experts? According to Newsweek, Rumsfeld ordered 16 of the 20 Pentagon staffers picked to go to Baghdad be cut because they were "Arab apologists," had positive opinions of the United Nations (news - web sites) or other opinions not acceptable to the neo-conservatives running the US government.

Rumsfeld's interference "got so bad that even doctors sent to restore medical services had to be anti-abortion," a member of the original team said.


Yeah, it's that bad. More at:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030928/pl_afp/us_iraq_security_030928213448

[KittyWampus]

1. Apparently They Only Listened To Chalabi's Group

The NYTimes had an editorial about an independant group who studied the situation in Iraq and suggested:

1.Leaving much of Iraq's army & law enforcement intact to operate under US supervision
2. Only prosecuting the highest up in chain of command

The US unfortunately listened to Chalabi and dismantled the army and law enforcement.

Big mistake!

[mike_c]

2. the incompetance of these people continues to amaze me....

And I thought I was beyond further amazement. Why wasn't Rumsfled strangled at birth?

[cally]

3. So, Bush's management style

that was so vaunted by the press, failed. He allowed warring camps, has an ineffective and illinformeed NSA who's only skill is lying, and a team that fails to plan or share information.

Rumsfeld set up a system that ignored and silenced anyone who questions. We will pay for generations for these idiots who stole our democracy.

[Rose Siding]

4. Here is the Newsweek article

that this piece summarizes:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/972362.asp?0cv=KB10

[dArKeR]

5. 'US to blame for Iraqi chaos' - News24

Washington - Iraq's stubborn guerrilla war, electrical blackouts, looting and chaos were born in Washington - as US officials missed cues and battled over ideology, said a report published on Sunday.

"What do we mean by "regime change"' anyway?" military commander Tommy Franks asked Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld - in the midst of the war, according to the issue of Newsweek that goes on sale on Monday.

Franks and most of the Pentagon were focused on winning the war, which they did. But, the news weekly said, the occupation was a second thought.

One example is the Coalition Provisional Authority.

"CPA stands for the Condescending and Patronising Americans," a Baghdad diplomat told Newsweek.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1422849,00.html

[snooper2]

6. They are all crazy....

If all this is true, which I have no reason to believe it isn't, our country is run by complete wackos.....

[underpants]

7. Weren't Armitage and Powell going to quit?

Now we will see how good of a team player Colin is. He can forward the Wilson/wife mess on to DoJ and there is nothing Asskkkroft can do to stop it. Time for some payback Colin.