“"Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq,” the quarterly report to Congress issued by the Department of Defense, is supposed to be a key document to achieve this goal. Like the State Department weekly status report on Iraq, however, it is deeply flawed. It does more than simply spin the situation to provide false assurances. It makes basic analytical and statistical mistakes, fails to define key terms, provides undefined and unverifiable survey information, and deals with key issues by omission. " Anthony H. Cordesman
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Cordesman is a very competent and unrelenting authority on questions like this. His point here is that we (the US government) are still "faking it" and brewing up vast cauldrons of "Koolaid" for dispensation to one and all.
The Jack Nicholson marine colonel character in "A Few Good Men" says on the witness stand that the prosecutor should not ask for truth because he would not be able to "handle the truth." Apparently we, as a people, are unable to deal with the truth. It seem that the government knows that, and so it treats us as they would mushrooms under cultivation. They keep us in the dark and feed us horseshit.
Pat Lang
http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/0605_iraqquarterlyreport.pdf
The game now has entered different phase. It was cute 2 weeks ago. Pentagon singing and dancing about how events in Iraqis are really this or that.
But by now, it’s all economic indicators. And the market is calculating everything in serious way. Including the unsustainable cost of war in Iraq.
By now, killing few journos and spinning how Zarqawi No.2 is capture/not captured, or how we are spreading democracy or waiting for rapture are irrelevant. It’s idle musing for generals and their CYA reports.
The market has decided and it’s ugly.
If the generals are even remotely competent (instead of just doing joy ride killing bunch of brown people and running propaganda operation.) They will notice that the operation in Iraq is not sustainable anymore. It is about to drag down national economy in very serious way.
The Pentagon comptency in solving Iraq war has been answered. (They eff up big time and will continue effing up in forseeable future)
hence these questions:
1. Dollar stability
2. regional stability
3. national economy and public mood.
4. how the global smart money reacts.
of course this is not counting Russia, China or Iran start rigging the war against us in serious manner (high tech equipment, intels) Then things will not only get ugly, but bloody as well.
The war in Iraq has now gone beyond faking election, which mullah is the prettiest to represent us, or if shooting few stray brown terrorists in Ramadi gonna score pentagon good publicity.
way beyond that…
Well said.
M
I believe this falls under the heading of “Failure of Leadership”. Thanks for the insights.
Can’t get much more “plain talking” than that Pat. I miss the fancy arabesques and flights of history just a little (not) but thanks for telling it exactly like it is nowadays.
Keoni
You like things crude, eh? Well, I write what I am. pl
“Apparently we, as a people, are unable to deal with the truth.” – PL
Nice snark. I think the people have a sneaking suspicion of the truth as we see in the polls of Americans on the issue of Iraq, terrorism and the infringement of constitutional rights of citizens. The Bush-Cheney administration’s political machinery however is working overtime to prevent the truth of their deceit, corruption and incompetence from being revealed in broad daylight. Of course they are aided by many in the corporate media and the Republican congress who have a vested insterest in preventing their own complicity from being disclosed.
zanzibar
I had to look up snark. Not really “snidely derisive.” It is more in the nature of a rueful acknowledgement of apparent truth. pl
The White House political operation and it’s commissars run things on all levels in the federal goverment from what I have read. Reporting reality would mean admitting failure. In a way it’s an Orwellian society we have today.
The wikipedia definition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwellian
I think Zarkawi’s #3 is actually a snark.
Not Sure:
A Agony In Eight Fits
Pat..Being Treated like “mushrooms”..Ubder Cultivation.. has been a common Opinion of alot of people for a long time..
Thats the Difference when You finally get outside the “FishBowl”..and start Looking in..At the FISH..
Totally different perspective and Mind Set..
Swimming Round and Round..
Controlled Enviroment..
Spoon Fed..
The good thing about living in the Present…is that people are much More Free and capable of Wide Communication..via internet..
And Sharing Opinions and Ideas and Observations..
I..For one appreciate you Inviting usw to your “PATIO”..and sharing your Life…your expertise and Your Opinions as a “Fellow citizen”..On the Issues..
Its Nice that We all can do that…I think it must be very interesting for you…To be Out of that Fishbowl…and Communicating with the “people”..and realizing how many good and Interesting and “Interested” Folks there are..
I always find Comments interesting here…and Enjoy the Feeling of being on “Common Ground..”
As far as your comments on this Post about being treated like Mushrooms and Feed Horse Shit..
Its all True..And I DON’T LIKE THE TASTE…
Or the Smell of it..
..Perhaps Congress and the Current administration
Might get the Message..If we the People staged Our Own “Tea Party”
And Dumped a Large Load of Stinking Horse Shit..
Right at thier Doorstep..
And the New Slogan .for these Times..and this Event..in American History.. will Be ..
The Rally Cry…
“NO MORE SHIT..”
Kudos to Mr. Cordesman, thanks, Pat. Great, just when I was starting to stop saying “we wuz robbed” around the house, it comes back. It’s so darned apt for so many things, ( My Pistons and Red Wings were sent home early after posting the best records in the NBA & NHL, they were outplayed, but like Baghdad Bob, I can live in my own reality and I can still say “we wuz robbed.” )and by slightly altering the phrase, you can get an awful lot of mileage out of it. My German shepherd really likes it. Now as far as “horseshit” goes, it is used in an extremely appropriate manner in the thread. Far from crude. It also carries a certain weight when it is said by a full bird…who is highly respected, a true patriot, as eloquent as any occasion could call for, and might I add beloved – around these parts. And others, I’m sure.
Who could better administer w’s daily SNOW JOB to the public than his new Minister of Truth, Mr. (Tony) SNOW himself?