Arabian Dissent is watching the situation in Iraq and finds signs that a major meltdown over the attack on the Golden Mosque may be avoided. Let’s hope.
Keep your eye on the Iraqi bloggers on the sidebar, too. They’re invariably more accurate in their analysis than the mainstream media.
As much as the foaming left and their militant atheism want to paint the US as a “fundamentalist” religious nation where church and state are in some percieved incestuous relation, I can’t picture a militant gay bombing St. Patrick’s in NYC causing a civil war or a Catholic Jihad.
As much as we may hope to facilitate a fast evolution of the Muslim world, my pragmatism tells me it will be a long painful journey of self realization for them.
Hopefully the curfews will keep things from spiralling even more out of control.
I thought I glimpsed a headline somewhere on my travels yesterday that the US has offered to help rebuild the mosque.
Slightly OT, I almost bought ‘My Year in Iraq’ by a former US ambassador while I was at the bookstore yesterday. I thought I’d put off the purchase till I got a mini review from someone on this site. I don’t want to buy it if it’s propaganda. I got enough of that on Tuesday listening to Ralph’s address to the province.
The American invasion of Iraq will go down in history as one of the greatest diasters of all
time. This war was started by Bush and Cheney in
order to steal oil and now they are paying the price for these crimes. This situation is going to get worse and the whole western world is going to be dragged into this mess. If the U.S.
leaves there will be a civil war and if they stay there will be a civil war. Plus the situtation in Iran is about to explode.
Wl Mackenzie “As much as the foaming left and their militant atheism want to paint the US as a “fundamentalist” religious nation..”
Its one of the most religously dogmatic among western developed countries that would be the point. But yes most of the developing world makes the US look like Scotland when it comes to strength of religious feeling.
However since we’re not exposed to much mass media from places like Mexico or Iran its easy to ignore it.
The above recorded message was brought to you by Chomsky Robotics inc. 😉
Sorry Jose my comment was referencing Billybob’s programmed message.
Billybob “The American invasion of Iraq will go down in history as one of the greatest diasters of all time. ”
I’m a critic of the Iraq war too. However you aren’t doing our side of the argument any favours with this rhetoric. Its overinflated and that just gives people an easy way to write you off as a moonbat.
WW1 was one of the greatest disasters of all time. Iraq is very, very stupid but in the grand history of warfare its the equivalent of the USA getting its dick caught in its zipper. Painful and stupid yes but nothing to drag the horsemen of the apocalypse out of bed over.
Construct your arguments appropriately and someone just might listen.
Wl Mackenzie “The above recorded message was brought to you by Chomsky Robotics inc. ;-)”
That’s Stalinist Robotics comrade and don’t you forget it. Please report yourself to the nearest Education and Mental Hygeine centre immediately.
Was Iran behind the bombing?
http://www.theinfozone.net/#mosqueblast
The uneasy calm is almost too calm.
The msm doesn’t seem to understand the time zone differences.
TIZ
WL “Sorry Jose my comment was referencing Billybob’s programmed message.”
No to worry. I thought it was funny even when I thought it was directed at me. Feel free to take the piss out of me all you want.
Wl Mackenzie & Jose:
Watching you guys go makes me want to break out in a rousing chorus of Ebony and Ivory ;p
Is Jose hopelessly lost on the internet? Can someone please do the humane thing and guide him to a blog where his ideas might be welcome? Oh, I forgot, lefty blogs suck.
Many Sunnis see Iran behind Iraq shrine blast
Iran Focus ^ | February 24 2006
Posted on 02/24/2006 7:25:28 AM PST by jmc1969
The London-based Arabic-language website Elaph carried a report suggesting that Iran�s notorious Ministry of Intelligence and Security may have been behind Wednesday�s bombing of a holy Shiite shrine in the city of Samarra, which destroyed the golden dome of the Askariyain shrine, the resting place of two revered Shiite Imams.
On Friday, several prominent Sunni Muslim groups in Iraq pointed the finger at Iran for being involved in attacks on more than 150 Sunni mosques across Iraq in an attempt to flare sectarian divisions in the country.
The deputy governor of Saladin Province, where Samarra is situated, announced that the attackers were wearing Iraqi Interior Ministry uniforms. Iraq�s Interior Minister, a senior official in the Iran-backed Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, has been stripped of his authority after United States forces discovered that he was running secret torture chambers in collusion with Iran�s intelligence ministry.
The Iraqi National Accord party, headed by former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite, accused the pro-Iran Shiite coalition United Iraqi Alliance and the followers of the firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr of carrying out revenge attacks on Sunni mosques during which over 100 people were left dead.
The Iraqi Islamic Party had a similar position. The party�s secretary general Tareq al-Hashemi told the al-Arabia satellite channel on Thursday, �The Shiite coalition and the followers of Sadr as well as their foreign supporters are behind this aggression�. +
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1584755/posts
“moonbat”: Jose. +
Individual archives – Glossary
Usage:”Definition of a ‘barking moonbat’: someone who sacrifices sanity for the sake of consistency” -Adriana Cronin. Although the term (often rendered …
http://www.samizdata.net/blog/glossary_archives/001981.html – 21k – 22 Feb 2006 – +
Buzz, CAW, NDP, socialism, et al: acronyms for “moonbat”. All are barkers at the moon, full moon. +
Jose your
“Its one of the most religously dogmatic among western developed countries that would be the point. But yes most of the developing world makes the US look like Scotland when it comes to strength of religious feeling.”
Obviously leads me to rebut with the old standby for everytime I hear that tired old cannard.
Oh yeah ,…
Well third generation Scottish/Irish Canadian citizens living overseas in the European Union within the eastern influenced post Soviet Empire, makes pre-enlightenment middle of the road (westernised) sunni triangle shia wahhabiists who were schooled in New York by Israeli professors look like post mesosoic pre-Austaliopithicus vagrant volcano worshipping Pangeans.
“This war was started by Bush and Cheney in
order to steal oil…..”
Hmmmm….we’re what, into year 4 of the Iraqi invasion? I STILL can’t buy Saddam No-Lead or Benevolent Dictator Hi Test at my local (American owned subsidary) gas bar, so the war for oil is nothing but sissy left-lib twaddle.
Even the Halliburton/KBR company pickup trucks fuel up at Joe’s gas bar on their way up to the bitumen mines in Ft. McMurray!
Get a clue you chicken little, U.N. loving socialists, the war was NOT about oil. One thing this war DID do, however, was separate the men from the pussies.
Good Lord, even with pictures and video emerging daily showing head hacking, mutilated children, rape rooms and unearthed mass graves, all that the latte crowd (pussies) can muster is “yeah, but this all started when Bush stole the presidency from Gore”.
$uckin’ cowards. Pick up a rifle, hippie. Are you willing to die to defend your local Starbucks or the organic food section of Save-On Foods? Didn’t think so. Better bone up on your Koran/Arabic.
so Billybob . . what is you favorite flavor of Cool Aid ??
No Oil For Pacifists! sarc
Iraq oil will take about $60 Billion to bring online and will most likely be shipped to the EU.
Pres Bush went to war in Iraq to disarm and dismantle the Iraqi Baathist Party.
That mission is ongoing.
…so there i was gazing at my navel wondering what could I blow up today…
Eskimo “$uckin’ cowards. Pick up a rifle, hippie. Are you willing to die to defend your local Starbucks or the organic food section of Save-On Foods? ”
You wouldn’t happen to work for the US Postal Service would you?
richfisher “…look like post mesosoic pre-Austaliopithicus vagrant volcano worshipping Pangeans.”
Now you’re generalizing.
Actually, the war was partly about oil.
The reason for the present trouble the Western world is facing is due to US dependance on foreign (read Middle East) oil.
Before the war, with Iraq an enemy (also having the 2nd largest oil reserves), this prevented the US from putting pressure on Saudia Arabia (the largest oil reserves) the home of Wahabbi terrorists and much of their funding.
By making Iraq a friendly country, the US is now able to pressure SA on their support for terrorism.
Does this mean the war is only about oil? No. There are other factors, including human rights, and the spreading of democracy into the Middle East is probably a more important factor in ensuring log term US security.
The lefties are wrong to harp about the war being only about oil, but we should not be blind to the effect it plays in this war.
Eskimo! High-fives to you! You summed it all up in a few pithy sentences. Thanx! 🙂
MB:…you probably already know this but the US imports less than 12% of it’s oil from the ME. That being said, it certainly is about oil (partly).
As always, I find that lack of insight, knowledge, and critical thought, let alone logic on here absolutely breathless.
It. IS. About. The. Oil.
And. Haliburton.
Don, thanks for your contribution to the discussion.
Garry: My understanding is that approx 40% of US oil is foreign. I got this from Bush’s statements this week on the development of alternate energy sources. Not sure though, I should check it.
That said, assuming it was 12%, a stoppage of that much could cause prices to rise enough to cripple the US economy.
12% may seem to be small, but the effect it can have can be large. OPEC can cause significant changes to the proce of oil by simply threatening to increase/decrease production.
To BILLYBOB
Go back to that incestuous family of yours on the hill just outside of Kentville N.S. you f—– MORON.
If OPEC plays true to form they will fill their coffers while waiting for big money to be committed to oil exploration by their competitors.
Then OPEC will try to drop the legs out from under the price of oil in order to put those future competitors out of business or with financial disadvantages.
Smart Albertans should take heed and prepare for the long view while hedging costs and prices.
Cartels have never succeeded historically and I think OPEC will eventually fall but maybe not in our lifetime.
MB, thanks for a reasonable discussion on the importance of oil in the war. I also don’t think the Iraq war is about oil, but oil certainly does play a part in it.
Garry P pointed out that only 12% of U.S. oil needs is imported from the MIDDLE EAST. It is true that the US still imports 40% of their oil requirements.
Don, I’m trying to figure out if you’re the “hard-left-nutjob-Don” or if you’re the “satirical-yet-funny-Don”.
If you’re the nutjob-Don, then please try and learn from Jose. I disagree with him on a lot of issues, but he’s reasonable and at least has a sense of humour! IE – “now you’re generalizing” HA!
MB:…I believe your figure is correct but les than 12% of the imports come from the ME. This is the most recent figure I saw. And you are correct, a 12% stoppage is critical….that’s why “Buckshot” Cheney was visiting OUR oilsands!!
My source was “Sandstorm” (Policy Failure In The Middle East)…Leon Hadar.
Cheers
MB, “The lefties are wrong to harp about the war being only about oil, but we should not be blind to the effect it plays in this war.”
I take the Bush administration at its initial word. I don’t buy the conspiracy theories. The reality isn’t machevalian it’s just stupid.
Powell made the administration’s case for the war to the UN. He had a whole stack of documents with him detailing mobile WMD factories.
I believe that the case Powell even though it was a load of hooey was what the administration really believed. The CIA guys that they sent to Iraq seemed to believe it. One of them had a nervous breakdown after he personally discovered that Curveball was an alcoholic sex offending taxi driver with a big mouth.
Not evil, just very, very stupid.
Bacardi: Sorry I don’t have the right wing eloquence of Ziffel above. But, for you I’ll expamd my arguement.
While the U.S. only gets between 12 and 16% of their oil from the middle east, a lot of other countires are dependant on it. At the margins there are probably only 3 or 4 millions of barrels to be had in extra producction on a consistant basis and without damaging current fields. In North America we use roughly 15 t0 18 barrels per person per year. This is a crucial number.
In China and India the populous currently are using 1 1/2 to 2 barrels per person per year.
What happens when the 2 billion people above require another barrel or two, per person per year.
Security of supply of enegry is going to be the biggest issue (along with fresh water, where we’re really fucked) for the firsy half of the 21 st century. By invading Iraq the U.S. was ensuring they would have a permenant say in the distribution of this supply.
Spreading democracy? Cool cover stroy. But not true.
Is Bush wrong? I don’t know. History will judge. He has taken direct action to ensure security of supply for his country. And on some levels that is his job. Is it moral? I don’t think so. But then , I’m just a left wing nut job.
Don:…yes, it is about the oil and about a few other things as well. China is the big new swimmer in the oil pool and don’t forget a California oil company (can’t think of the short name) had the deal to build a pipeline from the “…stans” in central Asia (through Afghanastan and Pakistan to the Indian Ocean) before the Taliban cancelled it and awarded it to a Brazilian company, I believe. And then there’s Russia “siding” up to Atomic Iran, in the power struggle as well. Yes, it is about the oil………………( I seem to recall the Sudanese offered up Usama (3x ?)) and the US suggested he be sent to Afghanastan (after the Tabilban took over) and Viola!…a reason to invade!
“This war was started by Bush and Cheney in
order to steal oil…..”
Yada. Yada. Yada.
Iraq was about a lot of things. Saddam was an asshat deserving of his fate. Only a handful of Baathists, who lost their privileges, ever want him back. The huge turnout at their first free election was his comeuppance.
The US plan was to put a viable democracy in the the center of what is the rot of the ME. Iraq with its high literacy rate and secularized history was the best place to start.
The US is probably losing money on Iraqi oil. Are you idiotic enough to think that the Iraqi government is going to give that source of revenue away free to the US? We don’t get any discounts, my friend. You really don’t understand global commodity markets.
Having that oil secured by the US is a damn good idea. Most cars won’t run on Pepsi.
From: The Persian Journal: The Long War continues. Keep your powder dry. +
Women Feb 24th, 2006 – 11:47:44
Page One > Women
‘Muslim Madonna’ – Brace for another muslims’ riot, bloodshed
Feb 24, 2006
Muslim pop singer Deeyah has irked the Muslim world with her provocative new music video that shows her stripping off a burka to reveal her bikini-clad body. +
http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_13540.shtml
via nealenews
Excellent post, Penny. The gamble was on whether democracy and freedom would “take” in the Middle East, and while the initial results aren’t all its advocates hoped for, we’re far from the point of despair. It was actually the opposition to the war that was far more about oil, as it disrupted the cosy relationships that European companies like Elf and Fina had with the old regime.
Some good points above.
The war was about oil, to an extent, but not as those on the left think.
As alluded to, why were the Europeans so against the war when they knew what type of guy Saddam was?
If Europe is more dependant on ME oil that the US and Europeans and Russians stood to gain by keeping Saddam in power, then their opposition to liberating the people of Iraq was all about oil.
Even if Bush is Satan himself, would you rather support someone who did the right thing for the wrong reason (free 23 million Iraqis to get access to oil) or support someone who did the wrong thing for the worng reason (keep 23 million Iraqis under a murderous tyrant to keep access to oil).
This is what continues to baffle me about the left’s, and my wife’s, opposition to the war.
“Canadian troops in Kandahar are already coming under frequent attack. Canada is due to take over command of multinational forces in the region next month.
The decision to boost troop levels and take part in the new NATO mission was taken by the previous Liberal government with little publicity or discussion in Parliament The Liberals lost to the Conservatives in the January 23 election.” +
http://www.rapp.org/url/?KDKRHLUP
Iraq? Oh, yes, Iraq. Da proof is da proof: Jean/Paul & Total Elf/Desmarais/Power Corp., J. Chirac, Maurice Strong, & etc.
Memories are long when not shoved down the Memory Hole. +
No War, For Oil – Chretien Connection
A New York Post article today The French War For Oil is all about France. Kenneth Timmerman forgot to mention another anti-war country with oil interests in Iraq – Canada.
… the French interest in maintaining Saddam Hussein in power was spelled out in excruciating detail. The price tag: close to $100 billion. That was what French oil companies stood to profit in the first seven years of their exclusive oil arrangements – had Saddam remained in power.
…
Almost as soon as the guns went silent after the first Gulf war in 1991, French oil giants Total SA and Elf Aquitaine – who have now merged and expanded to become TotalFinaElf – sought a competitive advantage over their rivals in Iraq by negotiating exclusive production-sharing contracts with Saddam’s regime that were intended to give them a stranglehold on Iraq’s future oil production for decades to come.
…
The Total contract, a copy of which I obtained, was “very one-sided,” says Hillman. (Hillman, a political economist and a managing partner at Trireme Investments in New York, did a detailed analysis of the contract.) An ordinary production agreement typically grants the foreign partner a maximum of 50 percent of the gross proceeds of the oil produced at the field they develop. But this deal gave Total 75 percent of the total production. “This is highly unusual,” he said. Indeed, it was extortion.
But Saddam willingly agreed: He saw the Total deal, and a similar one with Elf, as the price he had to pay to secure French political support at the United Nations.
What is the Canadian connection ?
Paul Desmarais Sr. His sons, Andr� and Paul Desmarais Jr. are the current co-CEO’s of Power Corporation of Canada, the majority shareholder in France’s TotalFinaElf.
Andr� is married to former PM Jean Chretien’s daughter, France.
Stockwell Day (Alliance) – during Question Period:
“I do not fault the Prime Minister’s family ties with his nephew, our Ambassador to France,” said Day “or with Paul Desmarais Sr. who is the largest individual shareholder of France’s largest corporation, TotalFinaElf, which has billions of dollars of contracts with Saddam’s former regime. With this valuable source of information and experience at his fingertips, has the Prime Minister ever discussed Iraq or France with his family or friends in the Desmarais empire?”
This link lists the prominant Canadian politicians who include PowerCorp on their resume – they include Trudeau, Mulroney – and current Prime Minister Paul Martin. +
[Revised: Ex-PM PM, Jr.]
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/000108.html
Further a point Penny made.
Most people commenting here are doing so from a warm room with an expensive computer that they were able to buy because we have an economy. You should also be aware that most of our economy is a direct result of the fact the there is a USA.
If Mr. Bush fails to keep the oil flowing in the USA there economy will collapse overnight. They will be angry and they are really really armed.
You would not like a desperate USA and the rest of the world’s economies would fail as well.
It would get ugly and you would be burning your computer to stay warm.
I am not sure why so many people have so much trouble connecting the obvious dots … but they do and they continually post their empty headed thoughts here.
Good grief, we should be supporting the USA in every way we can … because it’s in our best interest to do so.
You don’t have to like The president, but he deserves our gratitude and respect. We have shown ourselves here in Canada to be one big ingrate.
The terrorists, whom I did not talk to, but whose bombs I heard, answer back that while they fear the Iraqization of their enemy and the progress of democracy, they can still kill enough Shiites, bomb enough mosques, and stop enough rebuilding to sink the country into sectarian war � or at least something like Lebanon of the 1980s or an Afghanistan under the Taliban.
It is an odd war, because the side that I think is losing garners all the press, whether by blowing up the great golden dome of the Askariya shrine in Samarra, or blowing up an American each day. Yet we hear nothing of the other side that is ever so slowly, shrewdly undermining the enemy.
Just back from Iraq, Victor David Hanson, has some astute observations and analysis – the kind of reporting that the MSM is incapable of or refuses to do.
The Democrats, moonbats & barking moonbats included, have discovered Islamist jihad terrorists. The moonbats supply of latte is threatened. It’s you-know-who’s fault: Jorge Bush. +
IT’S DEAD, JIM – Port Deal is DOA
Posted by Thud
On 02/24/2006 12:05:56 PM PST � 4 replies � 81+ views
National Review’s Corner ^ | February 24, 2006 | John Podhoretz
“Seventy-two percent (72%) of Americans say they have been following news about the Dubai Ports deal somewhat or very closely.” PAGING KARL ROVE–EMERGENCY! [John Podhoretz] Rasmussen has a new poll up in which — hold on now — Democrats in Congress are outpolling President Bush on national security. By a margin of 43 to 41 percent, Americans say they trust Congressional Democrats more than Bush when it comes to protecting our national security. And by a margin of 64-17 percent, they oppose the sale of the ports to Dubai. The deal is dead. It won’t survive after a 45-day extension… +
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/browse
http://www.deeyah.com/quicktime03.htm
quite the video . . can’t say i am a big fan of rap, but the lyrics raise some good points.
the visuals are likely to cause a fatwa to be issued.
To the ‘billy boobs’ of the world:
Since the fall of Baghdad the US is responsible for 3.8% of civilian casualties in Iraq. As many deaths in two years as Saddam averaged in ten days. (source: logictimes.com/civilian.htm)
Oh, and you types usually like to equate Muslim cruelty with Catholic cruelty as well. Hmm. But then you probably didn’t know that more people are murdered every year by Islamists than 350 years of the Spanish inquisition, did you? But, I forgot, facts don’t matter in your world.
Oh goody. They’re killing them at a slower rate. Bastards should be grateful.
Hey Don, pull your head out of your fourth point of contact!
Isn’t that wonderful? sherwood baker who probably lives in some quiet suburb that the U.S. has never bombed thinks they should be grateful too. ’tis to laugh.
Don, the US suburbs never had Saddam&Sons,Inc. tyrannts-for-life as mayor. Your Starbucks has never been violated.
Ask the Kurds and Shiia about their past(Saddam) and present death rates. I think you’ll find it’s better for them.
Bullets/bombs ended slavery and fascism. Outcomes in history are a bitch for pacifists of the innane slogan ilk.
Can you wrap your rather inflexible uninformed little mind around the ramifications of that idea?
No need to answer.
Irwin Daisy “But then you probably didn’t know that more people are murdered every year by Islamists than 350 years of the Spanish inquisition, did you?”
The nefarious reputation of the Spanish Inquisition is largely old English propaganda. They executed less than you might think and at a rate that wasn’t unusual for most christian countries at the time.
“Zeyad reports from Baghdad”
28 Comments –
Tony said…
Please keep it going Wretchard.
It’s very rare that any media get ahead of TV in immediacy.
But TV has only limited inputs, the Web has infinite inputs.
The Web has finally matured to the point that reputable blogs, Belmont Club in particular, are giving people reliable access to the front edge of the truth-on-the-ground in Iraq as it happens.
It’s amazing, an amazing transition, an order of magnitude or more in speed of information.
The speed, the infinite sources – demand much more of the viewer, the info consumer. If you want the truth, are willing to accept the truth, the Truth is out here. Raw information from the site, unedited by corporate politics careerists.
Read carefully, but the truth is yours for the finding. +
http://www.fallbackbelmont.blogspot.com/
maz2:…and jc’S adopted son’s convistion (stay of sentence????).
penny:…give ‘it’ a shake plse…western “domacracy” is not the point… it never was…it won’t work…