Guys we are in big trouble -- an unabashed hawk's unvarnished warning

[CatWoman]

-snip-

President Bush’s bold Thanksgiving trip to Baghdad gave US troops a much-needed fillip and he said all the right things. But behind the scenes the war on terror is going badly wrong in its two main theatres. "In both places it is worse than you think," I was warned before arriving in the US capital for a series of off-the-record briefings. The warning was accurate.

Take Afghanistan first. You don’t read or see much about it these days. The reality is grim. The Taliban is resurgent; al-Qaeda is there too, but not as relevant as it was. Attacks on aid workers are soaring; many are refusing to leave the urban areas. The warlords are back in control of the countryside, where opium production is already above pre-invasion levels. "Afghanistan is a narco-economy once more," said one intelligence analyst.

-snip-

Yet despite the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, a huge amount of US military assets have been shifted to Iraq. The Germans now make up the biggest part of the coalition forces along with various other European contingents. Washington fears they will not stay for long when casualties start to mount. "The prognosis for Afghanistan is miserable," was how one US intelligence source concluded his briefing.

http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1317722003

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. The most telling paragraph in the whole story

Bush wants a substantial withdrawal of US forces before next November’s elections. Former Pentagon favourite, Ahmad Chalabi, is dismayed: "The whole thing was set up so President Bush could come to the airport in October <2004> for a ceremony to congratulate the new Iraqi government."

[joanski01]

2. Gosh, Cat, I believe this.

I was watching, I believe, a Democracy Now broadcast, and the guy said that in a year or two the USA and Europe will be awash with drugs from Afghanistan, and there won't be anything that anyone can do about it, because the warlords will be in charge over there in Afghanistan.

This dumbass administration thinks that they can just walk in and take over the world. Sorry, boys. Other people have other ideas. What a freaking mess!

[RainDog]

3. scotsman is exceptional, btw,

for its international news/investigative reports, or so I've heard from three or so independent/well establish investigative reporters.

when asked about this, the Scotsman replied: well, what do you think...we're located in Scotland...

:)

I'm with you, NSMA, Chalabi is either fucking over the Bush gang, or he's revealing that this was a Rove war.

...in which case I think we should parachute Karl into Baghdad and let him try to weasel his way out...sounds fair to me.

[pansypoo53219]

4. so we abandoned the place where they were showering us with flowers

to go to iWaq and help get retardicans elected.
what is the opposite of the midas touch?
fuck bush and the shits who brung him!

[Cleita]

5. So it's not like anyone who had a brain couldn't see

this the moment Dumbya started his big push to make war on Iraq. It's too bad that no one could stop this from happening.

[Terwilliger]

6. kick!

[Zomby Woof]

7. and a ZombyKick!

[CatWoman]

8. just so long as it's not in the seat of my pants

:D

[Zomby Woof]

9. hehe

Hey, at least you have your clothes on in here!