Credibility is a casualty of US retreat in Fallujah

[Ithaca 37]

You guys can cheer lead all you want about Iraq, but even conservatives are being critical of Bush. Please read this opinion by Thomas Oliphant and tell me if there's any truth in it.

".......... In Fallujah, US commanders and their civilian superiors back here saw the fighting as an opportunity to smash one key element of the 14-month insurgency, especially after intelligence reports came in that foreign fighters had become involved as well. We were fighting, we were told, to achieve an important victory.

Against the murderous units of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia, we were also told that the purpose was victory. Specifically, the same people here and there said the aims were to kill or capture Sadr and to crush his militia, one of several in the country that threaten stability and American lives simply by existing.

In each case, however, we ended up by giving up and retreating after lengthy discussions mediated by Iraqi political and religious figures who threatened to publicly denounce the Americans if we did not halt our offensives and withdraw. For our trouble and lives, we got a fig-leaf "peace" with the very people who killed Americans and would do so again in a second...............

Bush's final fib was to note that the "terrorists" consider Iraq "the central front in the war on terror." He says it all the time to further a reelection strategy to confuse these very different situations.

Two days later, Bush's domestic security officials begged to differ. They have credibility problems of their own, but Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller reminded us that the central front is a place called the United States, the enemy is called Al Qaeda, and the threats that should worry all of us have bupkus to do with Iraq. They never did........."

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/05/30/credibility_is_a_casualty_of_us_retreat_in_fallujah/

 

[Tom]

Its that person's editorial. Here's some good things from the new Iraqi constitution. I think there's hard times now, trying to make a new government, with people who like to fight so much and with terrorists there. It can't happen over night.
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Here's some of the good in Iraq now from the constitution:

Rights Guaranteed by Iraqi Constitution

The following are some of the individual rights guaranteed by the constitution adopted in Iraq:
• "All Iraqis are equal in their rights without regard to gender, sect, opinion, belief, nationality, religion, or origin, and they are equal before the law. Discrimination against an Iraqi citizen on the basis of his gender, nationality, religion, or origin is prohibited. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the security of his person. No one may be deprived of his life or liberty, except in accordance with legal procedures. All are equal before the courts." (Chap 2, Article 12)"

• "Public and private freedoms shall be protected." (Chap 2, Article 13)"

• "The right of free expression shall be protected." (Chap 2, Article 13)"

• "Each Iraqi has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religious belief and practice. Coercion in such matters shall be prohibited." (Chap 2, Article 13)"

• "Torture in all its forms, physical or mental, shall be prohibited under all circumstances, as shall cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment…." (Chap 2, Article 15)"

• "Each Iraqi has the right to demonstrate and strike peaceably in accordance with the law." (Chap 2, Article 13)"

• "The right of free peaceable assembly and the right to join associations freely, as well as the right to form and join unions and political parties freely, in accordance with the law, shall be guaranteed." (Chap 2, Article 13) "

• "Every Iraqi…has the right to stand for election and cast his ballot secretly in free, open, fair, competitive, and periodic elections. No Iraqi may be discriminated against for purposes of voting in elections on the basis of gender, religion, sect, race, belief, ethnic origin, language, wealth, or literacy." (Chap 2, Article 20) "

• "Anyone who carries Iraqi nationality shall be deemed an Iraqi citizen. No Iraqi may have his Iraqi citizenship withdrawn or be exiled unless he is a naturalized citizen who, in his application for citizenship, as established in a court of law, made material falsifications on the basis of which citizenship was granted. Each Iraqi shall have the right to carry more than one citizenship. Any Iraqi whose Iraqi citizenship was withdrawn for political, religious, racial, or sectarian reasons has the right to reclaim his Iraqi citizenship." (Chap 2, Article 11)"

• "The right to a fair, speedy and open trial shall be guaranteed."#160;(Chap 2, Article 15)"

• "All persons shall be guaranteed the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, regardless of whether the proceeding is civil or criminal…."(Chap 2, Article 15) "

• "The accused is innocent until proven guilty pursuant to law, and he likewise has the right to engage independent and competent counsel, to remain silent in response to questions addressed to him with no compulsion to testify for any reason, to participate in preparing his defense, and to summon and examine witnesses or to ask the judge to do so. At the time a person is arrested, he must be notified of these rights." (Chap 2, Article 15) "

• "After being found innocent of a charge, an accused may not be tried once again on the same charge." (Chap 2, Article 15)"

• "Slavery and the slave trade, forced labor, and involuntary servitude, with or without pay, shall be forbidden." (Chap 2, Article 13)"

• "The individual has the right to security, education, healthcare and social security." (Chap 2, Article 14)"

• "Each Iraqi has the right to privacy." (Chap 2, Article 13) "

• "Police, investigators, or other governmental authorities may not violate the sanctity of private residences, whether these authorities belong to the federal or regional governments, governorates, municipalities, or local administrations, unless a judge or investigating magistrate has issued a search warrant…." (Chap 2, Article 15)"

• "No one may be unlawfully arrested or detained, and no one may be detained by reason of political or religious beliefs." (Chap 2, Article 15) "

• "The right to private property shall be protected…. No one shall be deprived of his property except by eminent domain, in circumstances and in the manner set forth in law, and on condition that he is paid just and timely compensation." (Chap 2, Article 16)"

• "There shall be no taxation or fee except by law." (Chap 2, Article 1 "

• "This Law is the Supreme Law of the land and shall be binding in all parts of" Iraq without exception. No amendment to this Law may be made except by a three-fourths majority of the members of the National Assembly and the unanimous approval of the Presidency Council." (Chap 1, Article 3)
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I just read the May 24, 2004 Time article about the young man, Nick Berg, who's head was cut off by the terrorists. The article describes him as an innappropriate victim, his father said he was a do-gooder, working to help Iraq repair radio towers, and trying to help the Iraqi people: "They killed their best friend."

Like the article said, it reminds us who the enemy is, the terrorists. We are fighting terrorists.

The editorial quotes Kerry, "How do you ask a man to be the last to die for a mistake?" from his Vietnam days. I can't believe that man has the support he does. If he were to win, I'm betting there will be another terrorist attach here, and people will wonder why they ever voted for him. That editorial seems like its written by a spoiled American who expects everything to be solved over night.

The terrorists are a bigger problem than that, Bush warned us when he went into this war about casualties and long periods needed to accomplish the goals. That Iraqi constitution without tremendous casualties so soon, is a great accomplishment.

We are still fighting the terrorists though. Any truth to that? as you asked.

 

[pawclaws]

I busted my hump trying to get information on that "third party negotiation" crap with that clerik's minions and have got nada. That retreat and engage dance we are playing makes no sense at all in my current information vacuum. I'm at a total loss. I can not visualize an attempt to attrit his forces unless we are baiting them in an effort to force his suppliers to reveal their locations, caches, and supply routes. If that is the case we must think it is a significant asset and have no clue where it may be located. I hiope our military leaders know what they are doing!