| As of this weekend 4,000 Americans have been killed in Iraq.97% died after Bush declared "Mission Accomplished."? How many lives were touched by those loses?Imagine a medium large high school of 1,600 students, 400 seniors, parents, siblings, girl friends, boy friends, teachers, coaches, all touched by these people.? Imagine 10 graduating classes perishing.It is horrific to think of, but that?s what has happened in the last 5 years.The worst part of it is that every single one of them would be alive today if not for the fiasco in Iraq.? Why would I use the high school analogy?Because most of those that have died were only a few years out of high school, some just graduated within a year of dying.? So, as I watched the political news on Sunday morning, "Face the Nation", I was sickened by the analogies made by Senator Lindsey Graham.? Sen. GRAHAM: The war is a sacrifice this country is making to make us safer.It has been mismanaged.But let me tell you the cost of losing.If al-Qaeda could claim victory in Iraq, then the price to be paid by this country?s enormous.What would we all give to go back in time after the Soviets left Afghanistan and suppress the Taliban?Well, we?ve got a chance in Iraq to change the fortunes of the Mideast and to make us more safe.The good news for me out of all of this surge activity is that the Muslims in Iraq have listened to al-Qaeda, have actually experienced their agenda and their lifestyle for a brief period because of a lack of security, and they?ve told al-Qaeda to go to hell.? So we got a chance, my friend, to be able to defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq and to create a buffer to Iran.I?ve been to Iraq many times, and I can assure you the Iraqi people do not want to be dominated by Iran.And the Iranian activity in killing Americans is going up by the day because they are threatened by success in Iraq, and we need to let the Iranians know that you?re not going to be the cancer of the Mideast without consequences.You?re not going to destroy Israel by supporting Hamas, you?re not going to destroy Lebanon by supporting Hezbollah, and you?re not going to destroy our will to win in Iraq, and you do all this at your own peril.? ? As I heard Graham say, "What would we all give to go back in time after the Soviets left Afghanistan and suppress the Taliban?"Using his analogy, we would be the Soviets invading Iraq as the Soviets invaded Afghanistan.So, if we could have gone in and helped Afghanistan post Soviet occupation, who would be the US in this analogy?Iran?? We funded the insurgents in Afghanistan fighting the Soviet invaders.Iran is funding insurgents in Iraq to fight US invading forces.? Why are we there again?And why have we given 4,000 American lives to this?? With the passing of this horrific milestone, I have a suggestion.Do not vote for anyone that would have us recreate or prolong this national nightmare, and if you see a troop, show them some love.The troops have born the brunt of this, and will continue to for years to come.Let us never forget the lessons of this war.? Peace, J UPDATE 1: ? Thank you Lisa my love for the link to Crooks and Liars which breaks down Graham?s comments in another part of his appearance on Face the Nation.? Article ? But the big picture for me is I?m incredibly pleased with the performance of our troops and Gen. Petraeus.On the political front, we?ve had the de-Ba?athification law passed.What does that mean??That means members of the Ba?ath party, who ruled the country under Saddam Hussein are now allowed to get some of their jobs back.?That means the Shi?a and Kurds are saying to the Sunnis, ?come back in and help us run the country.?They passed a $48 billion budget, where every group in Iraq gets to share the oil resources.?There was an amnesty law telling the prisoners in Iraq that we?re going to let some of you gogo back home, stop fighting, help build the new Iraq and most important of all we?re going to have provincial elections in October.?The Sunnis boycotted the election in 2005, and everywhere I went in Anbar Province the Sunnis are ready to vote and be part of democracy.? 1)?????the de-Ba?athification law passed: ? The law?s language hardly guarantees true political reconciliation.Juan Cole observed that legislation was actually spearheaded by the most anti-Baathist groups, and opposed by former Baathists: ? If the new law was good for ex-Baathists, then the ex-Baathists in parliament will have voted for it and praised it, right?And likely the Sadrists (hard line anti-Baath Shiites) and Kurds would be a little upset.? Instead, parliament?s version of this law was spearheaded by Sadrists, and the ex-Baathists in parliament criticized it.? Additionally, barely 150 members of the 275-seat parliament attended the session.The New York Times also notes that the law may actually end up undermining the U.S. strategy of incorporating Sunnis into security forces, as it may exclude more former Baathists than it lets back in, particularly in security ministries.? The U.S. embassy in Iraq was "notably cautious," refusing to comment a full day after the legislation was passed.? LINK 1 ? 2)?????every group in Iraq gets to share the oil resources ? The Iraqi cabinet agreed to a draft oil law a year ago but disputes with the Kurdistan regional government and objections from Shi?ite and Sunni Arab politicians have delayed it.? No end to the impasse is in sight, Iraqi officals and lawmakers say.?LINK 2 ? 3)?????an amnesty law telling the prisoners in Iraq that we?re going to let some of you go ? Read the article, it describes one heck of a troubled law, that does nothing Graham says.? LINK 3 ? 4)?????we?re going to have provincial elections in October.? Iraq?s three-member presidency council has rejected a draft law to hold provincial elections and returned it to parliament, the president?s office said on Wednesday.? LINK 4 ? Lindsey Graham, more lies than a barrel full of monkeys.Or was that supposed to be laughs?Well, nothing to laugh about here, and why doesn?t someone call him out for this?Oh, right, we?re all to busy talking about Obama?s preacher. |
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