Dahr Jamail blog: media deception over election

[theresistance]

See an important blog from Jahr Jamail in Iraq: http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/dispatches/000193.php#more

(snip)

The gamble of using the polling day in Iraq to justify the ongoing failed occupation of Iraq has apparently paid off, if you watch only mainstream media.

...

In fact, they were voting for precisely the opposite reason. Every Iraqi I have spoken with who voted explained that they believe the National Assembly which will be formed soon will signal an end to the occupation.

And they expect the call for a withdrawing of foreign forces in their country to come sooner rather than later.

This causes one to view the footage of cheering, jubilant Iraqis in a different light now, doesn’t it?

(snip)

[ClintonTyree]

1. We're NEVER leaving.................

at least if the neo-cons get their way, and it seems they've been getting everything their way lately.
The backlash cometh. Sooner, rather than later, the Iraqis are going to strike back like never before to get the U.S out of their country. Then, they'll find out the truth. Then, the shit will really hit the fan. The last two years will look like a day at the beach compared to what's coming.

[theresistance]

2. Yep, it all depends on the Shiites and al-Sistani

Up to now he's been an American collaborator, but we'll see. People also don't realise that the national assembly that has just been voted won't meet until December to elect a new government. That's another year of occupation and killing...

[Old and In the Way]

4. What's to keep them from constituting their government sooner?

If the Iraqi Parliment decides to meet and become active in their affairs, how can we stop them? Why would we stop them?(Other than the obvious reasons to keep our bases and the oil).

If this administration is serious about democracy, why wouldn't they want to see democracy take hold sooner, rather than later?

[Old and In the Way]

3. Well, it does present an interesting problem for the PNAC club.

How does our media spin it when the Iraqi Congress says, "Thanks, we appreciate your help in removing Saddam and giving us our democracy. We are all set. You can go home now."?

What will the justification be for maintaining military bases in Iraq after the Iraqi people decide we are no longer welcome? How will the world and Americans perceive our occupation then?

I don't think the neocons can wait....they'll need to attack someone else immediately. They'll have to distract the world away from Iraq and force it to pay attention to our next conquest.

[ClintonTyree]

5. We'll be invading right next door.............

in Iran at that precise moment. Hey, we need a jumping off point somewhere! The bush juggernaut must keep rolling and destroying!

[theresistance]

6. It's interesting also that a blog by Juan Cole on another thread

pointed out that America didn't want free and fair elections in Iraq. They wanted to hand power to Chalabi and a "soft" dictatorship. It was Sistani that demanded popular elections in May 2004. Now they've engineered this sham national assembly were opposition candidates were disqualified and mostly pro-American groupings were selected. The Kurds are certainly pro-American and the main Shiite leadership have tolerated occupation...

[kohodog]

7. Don't forget the 16(?) Bases we have built in Iraq.

We're not leaving anytime soon. We will keep a small force of 45,000 or so (my guess) troops in the region indefinately. We're still in Korea, Germany, Bosina, Japan, etc. The number will be reduced, but KBR, et al will need help to keep control of the economy. If we never leave they will never have true self determination. Multinationals will suck them dry. Then maybe we'll leave (when Iraq is a wasteland).

[htuttle]

8. He's got an interesting report from a few days ago, too

Actually, almost all of them are interesting. This is the one I was talking about.

He's quoting a conversation he had with a friend who just got back from a week in Fallujah. It sounds like they dispatched a bunch of troops to create a Potemkin street scene soley for the benefit of CNN's cameras:

“I’d been in Fallujah for a week and all I’d seen was tough military tactics,” he tells me, “They are arresting people and putting them in these trucks, blindfolded and tied up. Everywhere I looked all I saw was utter devastation.”

He spoke with many families who told him one horror story after another, death after death after death.

“Then today, the military brings in a dozen Humvees and ground troops to basically seal off a small area near a market,” he continues, “In the middle of them is a CNN camera crew filming troops throwing candy to kids and these guys in orange vests start cleaning the streets around them.”

He laughs while holding up his arms and says, “I’d never seen those guys anywhere in the city before. I don’t know where they came from.”

After a pause to take a drink of soda he adds, “I’d never seen any boots on the ground at all, and all of the sudden there are all these marines standing around like everything was ok. It was the first time I’d seen any soldier not in a Humvee or a Bradley. I was really surprised.”

http://dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/dispatches/000186.php

CNN has become state run media, as far as I'm concerned.

on edit: added link