War in Iraq is Over: We won. This is nasty. You need to know about this

[Faygo Kid]

I will leave it to my esteemed and well respected colleagues here to respond appropriately. Forgive me one comment: Vehicle accidents, natural causes and "those that killed themselves" are somehow less dead, according to this journalist. So, really, we have not reached 2,000 dead. I do not think you or the American people will accept this argument, but it is very favorably received at Free Republic (you can find it; they are accepting it), and I just thought I ought to share it, in case we all get too smug and comfortable. I don't like dismissing this stuff without your awareness of it. It's not long, but I took out two paragraphs anyway to comply scrupulously here with the rules. http://www.pittsburghherald.com/

The War in Iraq is Over

You heard it here first; the war in Iraq is over. Icasualties.org, a website that tracks casualties in Iraq, shows that the daily American military death toll has been steadily dropping for the past six months. March, 2006 had the second lowest KIA rate since the war began. Of course the numbers are misleading. It will come as a surprise to some that the widely proclaimed milestone of two thousand military deaths in the Iraq war included soldiers and marines killed in vehicle accidents, those that died of natural causes, and those that killed themselves. At the time of reporting there has still not been two thousand American troops killed in action in Iraq. Of course, one fallen hero is one too many. . .

. . .This is a good thing.

Without Big Media focus, there will be less incentive for grand acts of destruction in Iraq. Without publicity, the thugs will have no reason to kill themselves and others. The war is over; the troops have won. The silence of the press will be the final proof.

[Swamp Rat]

1. Well, I wish all freeptards had to serve in Iraq and elsewhere in the ME

until the "War on Terrorism" is over. :(

[niyad]

2. are you sure this wasn't supposed to have been published yesterday??

[elehhhhna]

3. P.S. The massive headwounds and loss of limbs? No biggie.

[MadisonProgressive]

4. Whoa! That dude is seriously in denial!

[DrDebug]

5. If the war is over then why aren't there holiday tours to Baghdad

After all it's already hot there. You have beautiful deserts which is basically the same as a beach but without the water. The city has a history of 1000s of years. So where are the cheap package holidays to Baghdad if the war is over?

[niyad]

6. hey, you moran--if the war is over--when the HELL are our troops coming

home--and I DON'T mean in bodybags!!

[Orangepeel]

7. Excellent! That means we can bring the troops home now, right?

They aren't ever going to admit that the whole thing was a huge mistake, so, realistically, the best outcome to hope for is that the administration decides to declare victory and pull out. Bring the troops home, throw them a damn parade and pretend we won.

[VP505]

8. I read this

"Now that Iraq has joined Afghanistan as perhaps the greatest triumph of foreign policy in recent American history." I have heard a lot of BS from the right, but for someone to say this is just unbelievable.

[Faygo Kid]

14. That's why I posted. That, and I checked FR. They buy it.

Underestimate the argument? Go right ahead. This could be a heads up: Declare victory, those who died through injuries like Max Cleland really didn't die for their country. I think dismissing this as stupid is just as shortsighted as dismissing Bush for citing Saddam and not Osama was stupid. It could be a sign of where we are going: Withdraw the troops from Iraq by a year from now; then go after Iran in 2007, with no election in 2008.

[tocqueville]

9. the number of casualties decreased sharply in Vietnam too

http://thewall-usa.com/stats/

but one day the Vietnamese "allies" started to attack US troops... we all know the rest

[Divernan]

11. US. troops are keeping a lower profile & Iraqi factions are attacking

each other. It's not that the level of violence has decreased; it has just been focused on the native Iraqis rather than coalition forces.

[Divernan]

10. Psychologist told me insurance companies are denying PTSS coverage to vets

I was out canvassing for a Dem candidate on this beautiful spring day in Western Pennsylvania, but it was pretty stressful for me discussing the mess the U.S. is in with voter after voter. One household had husband and wife psychologists, and they were outraged that the insurance companies were claiming that returning Iraq vets did not have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from their experiences in Iraq. One psych. said there is NO WAY that any normal person would not be suffering from this syndrome after spending a tour in Iraq. The implication is that if a soldier happened to be a sadistic, racist sonofabitch at the start of his/her tour (think Abu Grahib) they would enjoy all the destruction and death.

On Edit: People I saw needed to vent their anger at Bush to me, and nearly all thanked me for working for a Dem candidate.

[poverlay]

12. Hatred, greed and religion aren't reasons? Wow, now I understand

the *'s and repug's problem with the media. If AP and Reuters would just surrender, we'd be swimming in bubbling crude...black gold---texas tea.


Silly me

[Roland99]

13. I believe icasualties.org would show a different picture (one ignored

even by those up here)


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=821789&mesg_id=821789

[Wickerman]

15. We spent less time fightin' WWII

so take your we've won this war bullshit and shove it up yer arse. Oh, and we did so then without wrecking our economy.

[Disturbed]

16. US at War in Iraq?

It is an Occupation not a War.


"The terrorists want to control the oil. Our way of life will be at risk". George W. Bush (Nov. 2005)



Bush Regime Iraq Successes (Phase 1)

1. The Iraqi Regime will no longer sell Iraqi oil via the Euro.

2, A military foothold in the ME. other than Saudi Arabia.

3, No countries will be able to buy Iraqi oil that the U.S. disapproves of.

4. Slowing production of Iraqi oil garners more profits to US Oil Corps.

5.The Military Industrial Complex is a booming Industry.


Phase 2

“Iraq: Permanent US Colony”

Iraq: Permanent US Colony
By Dahr Jamail

t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 14 March 2006

“Why does the Bush Administration refuse to discuss withdrawing occupation forces from Iraq? Why is Halliburton, who landed the no-bid contracts to construct and maintain US military bases in Iraq, posting higher profits than ever before in its 86-year history?
Why do these bases in Iraq resemble self-contained cities as much as military outposts?”

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031306A.shtml

[Faygo Kid]

18. You are right.

An occupation. And let's get the hell out. Now.

[Emendator]

17. yeah

the economy was already wrecked before WW2.

[SeattleGirl]

19. Hmmmm, this guy has the Bush cabal spin down pat, doesn't he?

If you say it, that makes it so. I really don't have anything else to say about this -- it's just beyond belief.

[The_Casual_Observer]

20. Karl Rove sitting at home in his briefs and undershirt typing away...

posting that garbage on fr.

[Nikki Stone1]

21. Well, it's like that war in Afghanistan that is all over

I mean, nobody's dying in Afghanistan, are they?

[Disturbed]

22. Don't Expect to Change the Afghanis

Don't Expect to Change the Afghanis
by Eric Margolis


http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0402-20.htm

[Spazito]

23. Margolis is right on point as usual

Thanks for posting the link.