Comments on: Iraq To Eject Security Firm Over Killings

Government Official Says Blackwater USA Contractors Linked To Civilian Slayings

[feelfree1]

Thank you for the warning, CBS.

I will make sure that I am prepared, if I ever see any of these subhuman scumbags in my neighborhood.

[greco99-2009]

In the final analysis, I believe it will be surprisingly easy to successfully end this war.

The key elements are:

1. Most importantly, new political leadership in the US. The current administration is deeply discredited in Iraq and globally.

2. Adopt and announce a ''defensive posture'' and implement tactics to minimize civilian casualties.

3. Draw back for a year or two (let the Iraqis fight it out in some areas, if needed). Mediating civil conflict will not work.

4. Begin a ''reconcilliation'' process where we maintain some ongoing involvememnt. Elements should include: fact finding, redress of legitimate grevance, and, in some cases, reparations.

5. Work collaborativly with international partners, especially teh E.U. and U.N.. Possibly use a formal mediator.

Before we invaded there was no Al Qaeda in Iraq. The current AQ Iraq (foreigners and extremists) will likely be eliminated by the Iraqis. Other factions are managable and do not pose an unusual post conflict threat to the U.S. Just the opposite, staying there motivates new recruits and inspires future attackers.

Some dangers that I see:

1. Large ''tet'' style offensive that hits U.S. operations everywhere at once, including supply routes.

2. A new technology, such as the new shaped projectile grenades or missile tech sufficient to shut down air traffic. If one Iraqi teen can blow up a $1mm tank with a $100 device, we are in big trouble and could be forced to make a more hasty retreat.

[Knight6000]

he way that you defend these greedy boot-lickers, one might suspect that you yourself are one of these fascistic, overpriced, gun-toting, terroristic, prostitutes from Blackwater.

Posted by FeelFree1 at 08:56 PM : Sep 17, 2007

FEELFREE 0 - Feel Free to rant away Your new adjectives ))) - This is a dillusion which You are caught up in - Wake Up & Get Help - Hugs & Kisses

[feelfree1]

mikewilsonm,

The way that you defend these greedy boot-lickers, one might suspect that you yourself are one of these fascistic, overpriced, gun-toting, terroristic, prostitutes from Blackwater.

[greco99-2009]

toldyouso21 - I agree that oil is a more honest reason for the war. And, the current ''we are there to promote democracy and freedom" rhetoric from Bush is absolutely a joke.

But, here''s the rub. Iraqi oil contracts are not critical to our national interest. Oil is a commodity, and we can buy from many suppliers. And, btw, the Saudis are the ones jacking oil prices. We can same more energy through new technologies and conservation that we will get from Iraq. Alternate energy sources keep getting cheaper and are already cost effective in many areas. Stop welfare to the oil companies and give a 5 year tax break for companies developing non-petro energy sources. If this is just to help some companies bottom line then not a great use of $500MM and lives. As a consumer, I don''t care if I buy from BP (foreign).

We could easily obtain good contract terms without a massive permanent occupation. We will spend over a *trillion* dollars before this done, and it has not lowered oil prices, which hit record levels in large measure because of the war.

So-called geo-strategic concerns also factor into the underlying goals for this war. For example, possible establishment of new base locations, perceived protection of allies, and, perhaps a misguided belief that regional destabilation will ultimately benefit U.S. interests.

Frankly, at this point the war effort is largely about George Bush saving face. And, that is not worth even $0.02...

[gretagreen]

Maybe our biggest problem in Iraq is our insistence in the lie that we are there to help them and to give them freedom and Democracy. By making those 3 lying claims, we run into problems when they want to limit what our military does, what our hired mercenaries do, and what they can or cannot do with the oil under their sand."

Excellent post, toldyouso21

[Knight6000]

Get a clue mikewilsonm, the bombings and shootings are not taking place in some isolated areas in Bagdhad, they are taking place right in the neighborhoods of these people, they are being blown up at the bus stops and grocery stores and schools and in their own homes. You want the Arabs to just stay in the house? WHY? So their corpses can be said to have starved to death instead of being shot or blown up? The facts are, there is no safe place in Iraq. Abeer and her family being at home when the American soldiers came to rape and shoot and set them on fire is proof of that. NO SAFE PLACE. Talk about blaming a victim. If there is freedom in Iraq, why can''''t they kick our mercenaries out--or are they only free to do what we want?
DEAR TOLDYOUSE21 (what does that mean?- ) - I mean Iraq is a war zone - Starve ? in any other place on earth - the kids and women will be protected - and the menfolk - will go out for food or whatever else - DO YOU HAVE ANY CLUE of any thing in this world ??
American soldiers came to rape ?? I mean - WHICH ALPHABET SOUP NEWS AGENCY FED YOU THE FACT that US soldiers are raping & sodomising people every second - What you are doing is HYPING facts - Indeed it has happened - but dont make it look like its an every-second occurrence - GET A CLUE - My dear -

[toldyouso21]

mikewilsonm, you said.

"This shows that ARABs give a *** about their kids - they have 5-6 in each family ( they give a *** if 2-3 gets smoked) - or else they wouldnt let kids roam around in a war zone "

Get a clue mikewilsonm, the bombings and shootings are not taking place in some isolated areas in Bagdhad, they are taking place right in the neighborhoods of these people, they are being blown up at the bus stops and grocery stores and schools and in their own homes. You want the Arabs to just stay in the house? WHY? So their corpses can be said to have starved to death instead of being shot or blown up? The facts are, there is no safe place in Iraq. Abeer and her family being at home when the American soldiers came to rape and shoot and set them on fire is proof of that. NO SAFE PLACE. Talk about blaming a victim. If there is freedom in Iraq, why can''t they kick our mercenaries out--or are they only free to do what we want?

[toldyouso21]

Maybe our biggest problem in Iraq is our insistence in the lie that we are there to help them and to give them freedom and Democracy. By making those 3 lying claims, we run into problems when they want to limit what our military does, what our hired mercenaries do, and what they can or cannot do with the oil under their sand.

Maybe it is time to revisit plan A--say we really are there for the oil, go back to bombing, torturing, shooting and imprisoning and just say: "We are here as long as we like, to do whatever we like and we own your oil too"

THAT at least would be honest and would release our military from one minute trying to be good will ambassadors and the next trying to bomb and kill our way across the country. There would be something quite liberating (and certainly no uglier than it already is) in admitting: "we just came for the oil, either let us have it and help us get it, or we take it and kill you all. have a nice day"

[greco99-2009]

It is pathetic that the Pentagon does not even know how many contractors they have hired. Any basic outsourcing contract should have work descriptions/reporting (and invoices with days/hours actually worked).

Various contractor schemes are presented to the public as a way to save money. This is clearly not the case -- consider someone paid $1000/day and works for a prime-contractor with one level of sub-contractor each taking admin, fees and cut for profits. That has to be way more expensive than regular Army.

I believe it is a dishonest and unsustainable way to avoid paying benefits, skirt a variety of laws, and hide casualties.

Among the lies that have grown to take on ridiculuous proportion, the ''official'' contractor body count is 7. Look at icasualties.com to see a more realistic underestimate (one guy in his spare time knows more than the whole Pentagon). Many other so-called metrics are wildly distorted (read: deliberattely misrepresented).

The breifings have become completely laughable...if this was not such a tragedy. Watching Bush speak is pathetic.