Petraeus: Iraqi "Mafia" Is Latest Danger

U.S. Commander Says As Al Qaeda In Iraq's Presence Is Reduced, Focus Is On Crime

(CBS/AP)  The threat from al Qaeda in several former strongholds in Baghdad has been significantly reduced, but criminals who have established "almost mafia-like presence" in some areas pose a new threat, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said Sunday.

Gen. David Petraeus stressed, however, the terror organization remained "a very dangerous and very lethal enemy" - a comment underscored by the abduction Sunday in Baghdad of 10 Sunni and Shiite tribal leaders who joined forces against al Qaeda (see below).

"Its presence has been significantly reduced and its activity and freedom of action have been degraded," Petraeus told a small group of reporters at a U.S. base near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad.

He singled out success in what had been some of the most volatile Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad, including Ghazaliyah, Amariyah, Azamiyah and Dora.

"Having said that ... al Qaeda remains a very dangerous and very lethal enemy of Iraq," he said. "We must maintain contact with them and not allow them to establish sanctuaries or re-establish sanctuaries in places where they were before."

Petraeus said the reduced threat from al Qaeda had given way to nonsectarian crimes - kidnapping, corruption in the oil industry, and extortion.

"As the terrible extremist threat of al Qaeda has been reduced somewhat, there is in some Iraqi neighborhoods actually a focus on crime and on extortion that has been ongoing and kidnapping cells and what is almost a mafia-like presence in certain areas," he said.

Petraeus made his comments after a transition ceremony as the 1st Armored Division, which is based in Wiesbaden, Germany, assumed command of northern Iraq from the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division.

The new commander for the region, Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, said the number of attacks so far in October had dropped by 300 from the previous month, although he did not provide more specific numbers.

Rear Adm. Greg Smith, a U.S. military spokesman, told reporters that that more than 67,000 Iraqis have so far joined the ranks of "concerned citizens," U.S. military parlance for Sunni Arab groups who have joined them in the fight against al Qaeda. He said of these, 17,000 have applied to join Iraq's security forces.

On the continuing efforts to resolve the standoff over a threatened Turkish incursion against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus said the military was playing a role in trying to defuse the tensions, but he declined to elaborate. "I am actually not going to say anything about what we may be doing with our longstanding NATO allies [and] Turkey although we clearly are doing things with them, nor will I say what we are doing with our Iraqi partners to endeavor to stabilize the situation to ensure that the sides are talking and taking actions to reduce the tension and eventually resolve some of the differences," he said.

In Other Developments:

A car bomb Sunday ripped through a Kirkuk bus terminal that serves travelers to Iraq's Kurdish region, killing eight people and wounding 26, according to police Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir. The terminal is located in a mainly Kurdish area of Kirkuk, an oil-rich city which Iraq's Kurds want to annex to their self-rule region in the north of the country.

Gunmen sprayed a car carrying five bodyguards of the head of local Sunni Endowments department in the turbulent city of Basra, killing one of them and injuring the rest, police said.

Also in Basra, a mainly Shiite city 340 miles southeast of Baghdad, a local elections official was gunned down late Saturday in front of his house.

Ten Sunni and Shiite tribal leaders who had joined forces against al Qaeda in Iraq were abducted by gunmen in Baghdad. The gunmen ambushed two cars carrying the 10 men in Baghdad's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Shaab as the sheiks - seven Sunnis and three Shiites - were on their way back to Diyala province after attending a conference with the Shiite-dominated government's adviser for tribal affairs to discuss coordinating efforts against al Qaeda in Iraq. They were representing a so-called Awakening Council, as the anti-al Qaeda groups often are known, in the Salam area, due east of Baqouba, a former al Qaeda stronghold.

Earlier in the Abdul-Hamid village outside the Diyala provincial capital of Baqouba, suspected al Qaeda fighters kidnapped 10 villagers after they clashed with insurgents from a rival group, according to a police officer there.

Two Sunni Arab men were killed Sunday when a bomb planted outside their house went off in Baghdad's western Gatoun neighborhood, police said.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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by cbs_oliver October 28, 2007 3:43 PM PDT

""Its presence has been significantly reduced and its activity and freedom of action have been degraded," Petraeus told a small group of reporters at a U.S. base near Saddam Hussein''s hometown of Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad."

What Petraeus might have said if he were more honest is that the "al Qaeda" branding program for insurgents had outlived its usefulness and that a new insurgent branding program will be brought forward to replace it.

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by cyberdjs4 October 28, 2007 4:01 PM PDT

As long as one al_Qaeda operative is alive, the whole organization is a threat. There is no "reduction of presence" with this group of monsters.

This whole "mafia" thing proves just how wrong Bush, his supporters and the GOP were in starting this war.

When we finally leave Iraq, what will fill that void?

We spent the last 4 or 5 years building an atomic bomb in the Middle East.
When we leave, the Arabs will set it off.

Reply to this comment

by usayesterday October 28, 2007 5:08 PM PDT

Posted by cyberDJs4 at 04:01 PM : Oct 28, 2007
........

It just proves that some people in some places are better off with a strong-arm dictator. It may not be the preferred choice, but it is clear that Saddam Hussein was the "lesser of two evils".


...the other "evil"...


Absolute chaos extending beyond Iraq''s borders. And that is what the Bush Administration has set up.

Reply to this comment

by adian1-2009 October 28, 2007 5:21 PM PDT

Honestly, I find that General Petraeus talks too much for a member of the military. General Eisenhower did not talk so much, at least not until he became OPENLY a politician.

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by walt1944-2009 October 28, 2007 5:34 PM PDT

The Great Emperor Bush II is dismayed that, while he is being told that the Al Qeada "terrrrorists" influence in parts of Iraq has diminished, he now has a new threat, Iraqi Gangsters! It appears that the Emperor''s previous statements about bringing "democracy" to Iraq, also meant bringing an Iraqi version of the Mafia along with it!!!

To handle this threat, the Emperor has ordered his military commanders to watch every blasted episode of the vintage TV program "The Untouchables" to better acquaint them with what they are dealing with and how to combat it! The Emperor is also ordering thousands of fire axes from Halliburton (at thousands of dollars EACH) to hand to the Emperor''s troops in Iraq in the event they run into barrels of bootleg liquor!

HAIL TO THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II, THE NEW "ELIOT NESS" OF IRAQ!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

Reply to this comment

by cdfoxtrot October 28, 2007 6:00 PM PDT

A much bigger danger is the WH Mafia led by Don Cheney Corleone

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by micma-2009 October 28, 2007 6:08 PM PDT

Iraq is a disaster that will drain this country of money and blood for the next decade. Thanks Bu$h. Thanks Repbulicons.

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by nearl4511 October 28, 2007 6:10 PM PDT

CBSOliver....

Spot on.

The game has always been to label the "enemy" with the tag that effects the most illicit support.

Whatever boogeyman scares us the most.

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by alphaa10-2009 October 28, 2007 6:27 PM PDT

Petraeus and the Surge-- 2
surge-targeted neighborhoods, only to return later when US troops redeployed to original locations (3) US commanders are expert enough to recognize a suspension or reduction in combat is explained by many factors, and cannot be spun into political points.

All parties-- even Bush and the GOP-- also understand the fallacy of looking at a small set of statistics, and home-brewing whatever interpretation they like. Any advisor of stature who pulled such a stunt would get his walking papers-- outside the world of politics.

But this is politics, not a quest for truth, so Bush continues to insist his debacle in Iraq is merely the changing face of the enemy. Accordingly, CBS reports, "Petraeus said the reduced threat from al Qaeda had given way to nonsectarian crimes - kidnapping, corruption in the oil industry, and extortion." In other words, Patraeus claims we are winning, simply because we have other and bigger threats now.

What Patraeus doesn''t admit or perhaps even realize is the "criminal element" is the least of his worries. Iraq''s Shia majority is fast becoming most uncooperative on oil and a number of other issues, most recently police training and distribution of Sunnis through the national regime. The Shia majority is an Iranian proxy, one which not only owns the government, but is ready and able to attack the flanks of US troops in any confrontation with Iran.

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by usayesterday October 28, 2007 6:31 PM PDT

HAIL TO THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II, THE NEW "ELIOT NESS" OF IRAQ!!!
Posted by walt1944 at 05:34 PM : Oct 28, 2007
...............

Bush would be more like "Eliot MESS!"

(since he created one big mess in the Middle East).

Reply to this comment

by cfin5 October 28, 2007 6:34 PM PDT

Don''t know anything about mafia dudes, but go with it in hiring them. Sick''em on those un-Iraqi traitors!!!

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by thebomb475 October 28, 2007 6:35 PM PDT

USAyesterday that is funny you mess

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by alphaa10-2009 October 28, 2007 6:36 PM PDT

Gen. Petraeus and the Surge
With heavy influence on the Faux News Network and other media outlets, the GOP and all Bush troops will bark the same party line, in unison, as the next election approaches. Recently, the GOP gave all its troops marching orders to stress Gen. Petraeus is making headway in Iraq, if only we will be patient-- supposing few of us remember Petraeus also insisted victory in Iraq was just around the corner, back in 2004. Some three years later, Petraeus still makes the same tired claim, a point even Patraeus-- not to mention Bush-- was increasingly desperate to justify

Not surprisingly, a much-heralded "troop surge" was contrived to provide Petraeus at least a figleaf of credibility. As expected, when US troops moved away from areas where they were needed to rush toward Baghdad, insurgents moved elsewhere. Combat encounters naturally fell off, and so did US battle casualties. Clearly enough, the exercise was pure public relations for only a small area of the Iraq theater, and proved nothing militarily for the conflict.

As if to stress the entirely political purpose of the surge, the drop in US casualties was heavily spun by Bush and the GOP through its media outlets and Bushbots in every public forum. Yet, even the GOP spin factory must admit (1) US commanders are still unable to prevent the insurgency from picking its battles and timetable (2) US commanders know insurgents simply melted away from
(see Petraeus and the Surge-- 2)

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by usaprophet October 28, 2007 6:36 PM PDT

I want to report a major fire, my friends. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition thereto. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

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by alphaa10-2009 October 28, 2007 6:46 PM PDT

"Petraeus" has been spelled a number of different ways. In the AP, for example, it was "Patraeus" for a while, lately replaced by "Petraeus"-- the current spelling in the Washington Post. The dual spellings should force the general to spell his name correctly from now on.

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by alphaa10-2009 October 28, 2007 6:52 PM PDT

Simply moving Bush and the GOP back to Crawford should be enough.

Ron Paul boosters plead his positive points, but Paul is basically a Republican who never endorsed all the neocon globalist thinking and money driving Bush.

On the domestic level, however, the distinctions between Bush and Paul get murkier.

For example, both Paul and Bush follow the Grover Norquist view that government is the problem, not the solution. Unfortunately, like most slogans, that doesn''t describe America or the problem.

For example, it is a private, not governmental health insurance system which left America behind Cuba in infant mortality and with 47 million of us uninsured as "subprime" risks.

Still believe government is a villain? A private, not public sector mortgage fiasco dropped the DOW 250 points and left 500,000 Americans foreclosed out of their own homes-- all due to fine print and the "wisdom" of the market.

And corruption? So many topics, so little space, but here-- a huge glut of no-bid taxpayer dollars shoved at the private sector has left New Orleans reconstruction woefully behind schedule, with widespread waste and corruption and the city still exposed to the next Katrina.

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by tbweb October 28, 2007 6:59 PM PDT

Petraeus: Iraqi "Mafia" Is Latest Danger

When the U.S. exports its brand of Democracy to other nations it must advise them to read the "Fine Print", which is "only copy the good stuff". Who knows what other bad things the Iraqis have copied? We already know they picked up on the Congressional vacations!

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by skyk-2009 October 28, 2007 7:02 PM PDT

So now our troops are being used to clean up crime huh? American Tax Payers have been ripped off enough in this mess... Talk about a mistake, this one takes the prize for the all time best.

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by kaelinda October 28, 2007 7:05 PM PDT

Does it make a lot of difference whether they''re called "insurgents" or "mafia?" The fact is that Iraq is beginning to sound more and more like America! An ineffective government, a corrupt police force, organized crime... what more does Bush want in Iraq? I know the majority of Iraqis would like to have homes, water, electricity, fuel, food, clothing, and such things, but aren''t many Americans in the same situation?

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by iceman_1960 October 28, 2007 7:10 PM PDT

"Gunmen kidnapped 10 tribal sheiks in Baghdad as the men were heading home Sunday after meetings with Iraqi officials on the nation"s contentious reconciliation process, an Interior Ministry official said."


Nice security you have there, Petraeus.

Tell us about that Surge again.

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by fredgrad2000 October 28, 2007 7:34 PM PDT

WOW alphaa10; glad you finally realized that Ron Paul is, outside of his opposition to the war on terror, a conservative; he is against far more of the social welfare state you obviously espouse. Government is not a problem, but it is not the solution; government has its role and I agree with Ron Paul, George Bush, and most Americans on the fact that the answer to this nation''s problems is almost never the US government; the US government is the last organization that should be handling health care...and quit watching Michael Moore documentaries; Cuba does NOT have a better healthcare system than we do...maybe there''s a reason why when ol'' Fidel got so sick he had to call for a Spanish doctor to help him (flew him in from Spain); if Cuba''s socialist utopia has such great healthcare, why does its leader need doctors from the capitalist West? Oh, and you should also note the next time you watch the Moore documentary that Cuba''s rankings are based on data provided by its government, not independent sources, hardly a trustworthy, unbiased information source.

The US government spending more of our money, and taxing us more, and assuming more roles from private industry is the last thing this country needs.

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by feelfree1 October 28, 2007 8:31 PM PDT

Re: "The threat from al Qaeda in several former strongholds in Baghdad has been significantly reduced..."

Reduced? I thought that Patraeus and the other top U.S. war criminals in Iraq had proclaimed the "defeat" of the fictional "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" hoax.

Have they lost ground already against this imaginary foe?

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by myidoncbs October 28, 2007 8:39 PM PDT

The BoogeyMen are Everywhere! Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!

It is your Patriotic Duty to Be Afraid!!

The war Must Go On! And On and On and On...

Soldiers Must Die! Enemies Abound!

Anyone who complains is a wuss!

New Enemies Every Day! The War Must Continue!!!

That''s what we are supposed to believe.

"The only winning move is not to play the game."

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by j-whitman October 28, 2007 9:30 PM PDT

fredgrad2000,,, Inspite of your rant about Michael Moore.
.. You say, "The US government spending more of our money, and taxing us more, and assuming more roles from private industry is the last thing this country needs..
.... Our government is taxing us less & increasing debt burden & is spending more, borrowing more, increasing not only debt, but debt intrest & our national debt,
,,, The value of our dollar is shot & deminishing as fast as snow can melt in the summer.. Europe is starting to suffer our spillover of failing economic policies & our middle class is suffering a increasing recession...... Can you say, "Good bye, US Dollar & Hello Chinese Yaun & Euro" ????? --
--- But what does this have to do with Al Queda morphing again ??? Be carefull what you wish for.

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by j-whitman October 28, 2007 9:37 PM PDT

Now that Peteaus has said Al Queda is not defeated but has morphed into the mafia & wearing suits, watch the Bush Lovers call him Betraus.

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by macusweil October 28, 2007 9:37 PM PDT

Mafia? What is he talking about?? We have the most expensive army on the planet and this guys is telling us we have to be afraid the Iraqi mob???

Phoney ''yes men'' brass like Betray-us are the real danger. In General Patton''s day this guy would be lucky to be cleaning toilets.

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by smirk5 October 28, 2007 10:17 PM PDT

Where''s the political reconciliation between Sunnis and Shia? We were told that the goal of the surge was political reconciliation. The leader of the surge isn''t even talking about where we are on the goal of the surge. He''s betraying the public trust.

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by smirk5 October 28, 2007 10:19 PM PDT

Nothing changes the fact that our soldiers are still dying in Iraq for no good reason.

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by alphaa10-2009 October 28, 2007 10:21 PM PDT

fredgrad2000 said, "...you should also note the next time you watch the Moore documentary that Cuba''''s rankings are based on data provided by its government, not independent sources, hardly a trustworthy, unbiased information source."
---
Then, on the face of your objection that only independent sources can be trusted, how does an independent researcher gather government-generated health data? That principle also invalidates your own claims about our own system, because much of THAT is also federal and/or state data.


"(Ron Paul) is against far more of the social welfare state you obviously espouse. Government is not a problem, but it is not the solution; government has its role... "
---
Nicely qualifed-- you were all over the political spectrum on that one. "Government is not a problem... (but) is not the solution... government has its role..." could sweep more than half this country into a rousing affirmative. I could agree with that, as well. But what does your statement make you, a "Demotarian"?

In any case, you are out of step with most of the country. Polls indicate the American people want a comprehensive medical care system. And if that makes them "socialist", it is clear you know little of socialism. The mock-terror Bushbots express at national health care is a flimsy excuse for the corruption, incompetence and sheer neglect the so-called private system has delivered.

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by October 28, 2007 10:49 PM PDT

More BS from Bushes #1 shill. What will be the next excuse, other than the stupidity of the original invasion?

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by smirk5 October 28, 2007 11:17 PM PDT

The purpose of the surge was political reconciliation between Sunnis and Shia. Why do Cons argue that the surge is working when the purpose of the surge is not only not being met but there is no real attempt at this point to meet it? It''s amazing. Our troops are dying and the reason for the surge has been forgotten.

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by hungry1968 October 28, 2007 11:33 PM PDT

So let''s recap:
First it was Saddam Hussein.
Then it was baathist''s loyal to Saddam Hussein.
Then it was the Shia that were oppressed by Saddam Hussein''s regime.
Then it was the Sunni''s that were opposed to the Shia getting revenge for the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein.
Then it became sectarian violence between the Shia and Sunni''s due to the civil war we created.
Then it was the newly formed "al Qaeda in Iraq".
Then it was the Sunni warlords that were fighting the "al Qaeda in Iraq" insurgents.
Then "al Qaeda in Iraq" was eliminated but our troops are still being killed, but by who?

The Iraqi Mafia?!?!? Good God!! Do we have any idea of who hates us and who wants us dead anymore? When are we getting the he11 out of there?!?!?!?

Reply to this comment

by smirk5 October 28, 2007 11:41 PM PDT

hungry1968,

Last week it was the Shia militias.

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by feelfree1 October 28, 2007 11:46 PM PDT

Re: "Rear Adm. Greg Smith, a U.S. military spokesman, told reporters that that more than 67,000 Iraqis have so far joined the ranks of "concerned citizens," U.S. military parlance for Sunni Arab groups who have joined them in the fight against al Qaeda."

67,000?

What a joke!

We can be fairly safe to assume that this figure is inflated, but even if it wasn''t, the U.S. psy-ops ghouls have a very long way to go to sell their "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" hoax to a country of 25 million people.

How will they scare new potential recruits, when they have already declared another "defeat" of "al-Qaeda"?

Reply to this comment

by sharncedar October 28, 2007 11:51 PM PDT

Do we have any idea of who hates us and who wants us dead anymore?

Posted by hungry1968 at 11:33 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Sure we do, its the same guys as always - General Betrayus and the rich corporate men he works for. They are the ones that have always wanted to kill us, and always will.

Reply to this comment

by smirk5 October 29, 2007 12:07 AM PDT

The Iraqi mafia.

Nice little occupation you have there America.
It would be terrible if something, you know, happened to it. It could be a fire, who knows? Let me make you an offer you can''t refuse.

Reply to this comment

by socalleroy October 29, 2007 12:38 AM PDT

You libs smell like arce.

Reply to this comment

by smirk5 October 29, 2007 12:54 AM PDT

When it comes to political reconciliation, fuggetaboutit. Yes, the mafia has some sway in Iraq.

Reply to this comment

by fibonacci_ October 29, 2007 1:14 AM PDT

We could use some more Ron Paul stuff here, thefarrier.

Reply to this comment

by downtowner97 October 29, 2007 1:35 AM PDT

So you''re the president of the US, and you want to run the country like a mafia don. How do you get the power. Well, you write the Patriot Act. This act gives the president complete control and basically negates the Bill of Rights. While the members of congress are trying to sit down and read the thing to decide if it''s constitutional, you mail weaponized antrhax (made in the USA) to some senators. Next thing you know, they''re all signing it because they don''t want antrhax.

How much effort has the federal government really put into finding the persons responsible for mailing the anthrax? Not as much as they''ve put into getting to the bottom of the whole steroids in sports issue.

The US federal government is a protection racket. Create the danger, then promise to protect from it. That''s good business. The people on the street know what you''re up to, but like the sheep looking at the shepherd, we graze on and ignore our fate.

Reply to this comment

by brianbwb-2009 October 29, 2007 1:46 AM PDT

You libs smell like arce.
Posted by socalleroy

So apparently you are quite familiar with such aromas, eh?

Reply to this comment

by brianbwb-2009 October 29, 2007 1:49 AM PDT

From the "war on terror" to "get Bin Laden, dead or alive", to non existent WMDs, to "Al Qaeda in Iraq" and now the Mob. What was your little "war" about again, Mr. Bush, you lying POS?

Reply to this comment

by smirk5 October 29, 2007 2:53 AM PDT

Al-Qaeda is on the run. And, when the enemy is on the run, it can''t hit you with offense. So, the stories below must be a figment of our imagination.

Gunmen in Baghdad snatched 10 Sunni and Shiite tribal sheiks from their cars Sunday as they were heading home to Diyala province after talks with the government on fighting al-Qaida, and at least one was later found shot to death.
18 new recruits were killed and 10 wounded Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a police camp in the city of Baqouba northeast of Baghdad, police said.

Reply to this comment

by red164 October 29, 2007 2:56 AM PDT

neocons is short for New Communists

Reply to this comment

by tbweb October 29, 2007 3:32 AM PDT

When it comes to political reconciliation, fuggetaboutit. Yes, the mafia has some sway in Iraq.

Posted by Smirk5 at 12:54 AM : Oct 29, 2007,,,

I always said too bad Osama bin Laden didn''t attack a mob business, bin Laden would have been whacked a long time ago, even well hidden in his cave! LOL

Reply to this comment

by October 29, 2007 3:51 AM PDT

CBS wrote:

"Petraeus said the reduced threat from al Qaeda had given way to nonsectarian crimes - kidnapping, corruption in the oil industry, and extortion."

Is Petraeus behind the times? Corruption, kidnapping, extortion etc have been flourished since the US led invasion - not just since al-Qaeda took a backseat in Iraq.

Petraeus is an idiot - no wonder GW Bush likes him.

Birds of a feather ...

Reply to this comment

by smirk5 October 29, 2007 4:04 AM PDT

mcdazz,

This whole war has been one big racket. Didn''t we lose 9 billion dollars over there without a trace? If the Sopranos aren''t running this debacle, they should be.

Reply to this comment

by cajetano October 29, 2007 6:26 AM PDT

C''mon General, are you trying to appeal to the Soprano watching audience now by mentioning the MAFIA.

Next I''ll hear that Whitey Bulger is involved in Iraq and Iran.

Where''s OSAMA???????

The only similarity with MAFIA and OSAMA is that the''re five letter words each containing two As.

Does anybody have the stones to SPEAK THE TRUTH???

Reply to this comment

by brianbwb-2009 October 29, 2007 8:10 AM PDT

Bomber Kills Dozens Of Iraq Recruits
At Least 27 Dead, Witnesses Say Bicycle Bomber Must Have Had Inside Help

"Akram Salman said it must have been an inside job because the suicide bomber apparently was able to penetrate heavy security surrounding the police camp without being searched. "There are two main checkpoints on the main road leading to the camp, it would be impossible for a man on a bicycle to pass without being properly searched."

The surge is working! Riiight.

Who was providing security? If this was indeed an Al Qaeda attack, then the answer to this question shows who controls Al Qaeda and why.

Reply to this comment

by brianbwb-2009 October 29, 2007 8:13 AM PDT

"Is Petraeus behind the times?" Posted by mcdazz

Or is he behind the crimes....

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[cbs_oliver]

""Its presence has been significantly reduced and its activity and freedom of action have been degraded," Petraeus told a small group of reporters at a U.S. base near Saddam Hussein''s hometown of Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad."

What Petraeus might have said if he were more honest is that the "al Qaeda" branding program for insurgents had outlived its usefulness and that a new insurgent branding program will be brought forward to replace it.

[cyberdjs4]

As long as one al_Qaeda operative is alive, the whole organization is a threat. There is no "reduction of presence" with this group of monsters.

This whole "mafia" thing proves just how wrong Bush, his supporters and the GOP were in starting this war.

When we finally leave Iraq, what will fill that void?

We spent the last 4 or 5 years building an atomic bomb in the Middle East.
When we leave, the Arabs will set it off.

[usayesterday]

Posted by cyberDJs4 at 04:01 PM : Oct 28, 2007
........

It just proves that some people in some places are better off with a strong-arm dictator. It may not be the preferred choice, but it is clear that Saddam Hussein was the "lesser of two evils".


...the other "evil"...


Absolute chaos extending beyond Iraq''s borders. And that is what the Bush Administration has set up.

[adian1-2009]

Honestly, I find that General Petraeus talks too much for a member of the military. General Eisenhower did not talk so much, at least not until he became OPENLY a politician.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II is dismayed that, while he is being told that the Al Qeada "terrrrorists" influence in parts of Iraq has diminished, he now has a new threat, Iraqi Gangsters! It appears that the Emperor''s previous statements about bringing "democracy" to Iraq, also meant bringing an Iraqi version of the Mafia along with it!!!

To handle this threat, the Emperor has ordered his military commanders to watch every blasted episode of the vintage TV program "The Untouchables" to better acquaint them with what they are dealing with and how to combat it! The Emperor is also ordering thousands of fire axes from Halliburton (at thousands of dollars EACH) to hand to the Emperor''s troops in Iraq in the event they run into barrels of bootleg liquor!

HAIL TO THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II, THE NEW "ELIOT NESS" OF IRAQ!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[cdfoxtrot]

A much bigger danger is the WH Mafia led by Don Cheney Corleone

[micma-2009]

Iraq is a disaster that will drain this country of money and blood for the next decade. Thanks Bu$h. Thanks Repbulicons.

[nearl4511]

CBSOliver....

Spot on.

The game has always been to label the "enemy" with the tag that effects the most illicit support.

Whatever boogeyman scares us the most.

[alphaa10-2009]

Petraeus and the Surge-- 2
surge-targeted neighborhoods, only to return later when US troops redeployed to original locations (3) US commanders are expert enough to recognize a suspension or reduction in combat is explained by many factors, and cannot be spun into political points.

All parties-- even Bush and the GOP-- also understand the fallacy of looking at a small set of statistics, and home-brewing whatever interpretation they like. Any advisor of stature who pulled such a stunt would get his walking papers-- outside the world of politics.

But this is politics, not a quest for truth, so Bush continues to insist his debacle in Iraq is merely the changing face of the enemy. Accordingly, CBS reports, "Petraeus said the reduced threat from al Qaeda had given way to nonsectarian crimes - kidnapping, corruption in the oil industry, and extortion." In other words, Patraeus claims we are winning, simply because we have other and bigger threats now.

What Patraeus doesn''t admit or perhaps even realize is the "criminal element" is the least of his worries. Iraq''s Shia majority is fast becoming most uncooperative on oil and a number of other issues, most recently police training and distribution of Sunnis through the national regime. The Shia majority is an Iranian proxy, one which not only owns the government, but is ready and able to attack the flanks of US troops in any confrontation with Iran.

[usayesterday]

HAIL TO THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II, THE NEW "ELIOT NESS" OF IRAQ!!!
Posted by walt1944 at 05:34 PM : Oct 28, 2007
...............

Bush would be more like "Eliot MESS!"

(since he created one big mess in the Middle East).

[cfin5]

Don''t know anything about mafia dudes, but go with it in hiring them. Sick''em on those un-Iraqi traitors!!!

[thebomb475]

USAyesterday that is funny you mess

[alphaa10-2009]

Gen. Petraeus and the Surge
With heavy influence on the Faux News Network and other media outlets, the GOP and all Bush troops will bark the same party line, in unison, as the next election approaches. Recently, the GOP gave all its troops marching orders to stress Gen. Petraeus is making headway in Iraq, if only we will be patient-- supposing few of us remember Petraeus also insisted victory in Iraq was just around the corner, back in 2004. Some three years later, Petraeus still makes the same tired claim, a point even Patraeus-- not to mention Bush-- was increasingly desperate to justify

Not surprisingly, a much-heralded "troop surge" was contrived to provide Petraeus at least a figleaf of credibility. As expected, when US troops moved away from areas where they were needed to rush toward Baghdad, insurgents moved elsewhere. Combat encounters naturally fell off, and so did US battle casualties. Clearly enough, the exercise was pure public relations for only a small area of the Iraq theater, and proved nothing militarily for the conflict.

As if to stress the entirely political purpose of the surge, the drop in US casualties was heavily spun by Bush and the GOP through its media outlets and Bushbots in every public forum. Yet, even the GOP spin factory must admit (1) US commanders are still unable to prevent the insurgency from picking its battles and timetable (2) US commanders know insurgents simply melted away from
(see Petraeus and the Surge-- 2)

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, my friends. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition thereto. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

[alphaa10-2009]

"Petraeus" has been spelled a number of different ways. In the AP, for example, it was "Patraeus" for a while, lately replaced by "Petraeus"-- the current spelling in the Washington Post. The dual spellings should force the general to spell his name correctly from now on.

[alphaa10-2009]

Simply moving Bush and the GOP back to Crawford should be enough.

Ron Paul boosters plead his positive points, but Paul is basically a Republican who never endorsed all the neocon globalist thinking and money driving Bush.

On the domestic level, however, the distinctions between Bush and Paul get murkier.

For example, both Paul and Bush follow the Grover Norquist view that government is the problem, not the solution. Unfortunately, like most slogans, that doesn''t describe America or the problem.

For example, it is a private, not governmental health insurance system which left America behind Cuba in infant mortality and with 47 million of us uninsured as "subprime" risks.

Still believe government is a villain? A private, not public sector mortgage fiasco dropped the DOW 250 points and left 500,000 Americans foreclosed out of their own homes-- all due to fine print and the "wisdom" of the market.

And corruption? So many topics, so little space, but here-- a huge glut of no-bid taxpayer dollars shoved at the private sector has left New Orleans reconstruction woefully behind schedule, with widespread waste and corruption and the city still exposed to the next Katrina.

[tbweb]

Petraeus: Iraqi "Mafia" Is Latest Danger

When the U.S. exports its brand of Democracy to other nations it must advise them to read the "Fine Print", which is "only copy the good stuff". Who knows what other bad things the Iraqis have copied? We already know they picked up on the Congressional vacations!

[skyk-2009]

So now our troops are being used to clean up crime huh? American Tax Payers have been ripped off enough in this mess... Talk about a mistake, this one takes the prize for the all time best.

[kaelinda]

Does it make a lot of difference whether they''re called "insurgents" or "mafia?" The fact is that Iraq is beginning to sound more and more like America! An ineffective government, a corrupt police force, organized crime... what more does Bush want in Iraq? I know the majority of Iraqis would like to have homes, water, electricity, fuel, food, clothing, and such things, but aren''t many Americans in the same situation?

[iceman_1960]

"Gunmen kidnapped 10 tribal sheiks in Baghdad as the men were heading home Sunday after meetings with Iraqi officials on the nation"s contentious reconciliation process, an Interior Ministry official said."


Nice security you have there, Petraeus.

Tell us about that Surge again.

[fredgrad2000]

WOW alphaa10; glad you finally realized that Ron Paul is, outside of his opposition to the war on terror, a conservative; he is against far more of the social welfare state you obviously espouse. Government is not a problem, but it is not the solution; government has its role and I agree with Ron Paul, George Bush, and most Americans on the fact that the answer to this nation''s problems is almost never the US government; the US government is the last organization that should be handling health care...and quit watching Michael Moore documentaries; Cuba does NOT have a better healthcare system than we do...maybe there''s a reason why when ol'' Fidel got so sick he had to call for a Spanish doctor to help him (flew him in from Spain); if Cuba''s socialist utopia has such great healthcare, why does its leader need doctors from the capitalist West? Oh, and you should also note the next time you watch the Moore documentary that Cuba''s rankings are based on data provided by its government, not independent sources, hardly a trustworthy, unbiased information source.

The US government spending more of our money, and taxing us more, and assuming more roles from private industry is the last thing this country needs.

[feelfree1]

Re: "The threat from al Qaeda in several former strongholds in Baghdad has been significantly reduced..."

Reduced? I thought that Patraeus and the other top U.S. war criminals in Iraq had proclaimed the "defeat" of the fictional "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" hoax.

Have they lost ground already against this imaginary foe?

[myidoncbs]

The BoogeyMen are Everywhere! Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!

It is your Patriotic Duty to Be Afraid!!

The war Must Go On! And On and On and On...

Soldiers Must Die! Enemies Abound!

Anyone who complains is a wuss!

New Enemies Every Day! The War Must Continue!!!

That''s what we are supposed to believe.

"The only winning move is not to play the game."

[j-whitman]

fredgrad2000,,, Inspite of your rant about Michael Moore.
.. You say, "The US government spending more of our money, and taxing us more, and assuming more roles from private industry is the last thing this country needs..
.... Our government is taxing us less & increasing debt burden & is spending more, borrowing more, increasing not only debt, but debt intrest & our national debt,
,,, The value of our dollar is shot & deminishing as fast as snow can melt in the summer.. Europe is starting to suffer our spillover of failing economic policies & our middle class is suffering a increasing recession...... Can you say, "Good bye, US Dollar & Hello Chinese Yaun & Euro" ????? --
--- But what does this have to do with Al Queda morphing again ??? Be carefull what you wish for.

[j-whitman]

Now that Peteaus has said Al Queda is not defeated but has morphed into the mafia & wearing suits, watch the Bush Lovers call him Betraus.

[macusweil]

Mafia? What is he talking about?? We have the most expensive army on the planet and this guys is telling us we have to be afraid the Iraqi mob???

Phoney ''yes men'' brass like Betray-us are the real danger. In General Patton''s day this guy would be lucky to be cleaning toilets.

[smirk5]

Where''s the political reconciliation between Sunnis and Shia? We were told that the goal of the surge was political reconciliation. The leader of the surge isn''t even talking about where we are on the goal of the surge. He''s betraying the public trust.

[smirk5]

Nothing changes the fact that our soldiers are still dying in Iraq for no good reason.

[alphaa10-2009]

fredgrad2000 said, "...you should also note the next time you watch the Moore documentary that Cuba''''s rankings are based on data provided by its government, not independent sources, hardly a trustworthy, unbiased information source."
---
Then, on the face of your objection that only independent sources can be trusted, how does an independent researcher gather government-generated health data? That principle also invalidates your own claims about our own system, because much of THAT is also federal and/or state data.


"(Ron Paul) is against far more of the social welfare state you obviously espouse. Government is not a problem, but it is not the solution; government has its role... "
---
Nicely qualifed-- you were all over the political spectrum on that one. "Government is not a problem... (but) is not the solution... government has its role..." could sweep more than half this country into a rousing affirmative. I could agree with that, as well. But what does your statement make you, a "Demotarian"?

In any case, you are out of step with most of the country. Polls indicate the American people want a comprehensive medical care system. And if that makes them "socialist", it is clear you know little of socialism. The mock-terror Bushbots express at national health care is a flimsy excuse for the corruption, incompetence and sheer neglect the so-called private system has delivered.

More BS from Bushes #1 shill. What will be the next excuse, other than the stupidity of the original invasion?

[smirk5]

The purpose of the surge was political reconciliation between Sunnis and Shia. Why do Cons argue that the surge is working when the purpose of the surge is not only not being met but there is no real attempt at this point to meet it? It''s amazing. Our troops are dying and the reason for the surge has been forgotten.

[hungry1968]

So let''s recap:
First it was Saddam Hussein.
Then it was baathist''s loyal to Saddam Hussein.
Then it was the Shia that were oppressed by Saddam Hussein''s regime.
Then it was the Sunni''s that were opposed to the Shia getting revenge for the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein.
Then it became sectarian violence between the Shia and Sunni''s due to the civil war we created.
Then it was the newly formed "al Qaeda in Iraq".
Then it was the Sunni warlords that were fighting the "al Qaeda in Iraq" insurgents.
Then "al Qaeda in Iraq" was eliminated but our troops are still being killed, but by who?

The Iraqi Mafia?!?!? Good God!! Do we have any idea of who hates us and who wants us dead anymore? When are we getting the he11 out of there?!?!?!?

[smirk5]

hungry1968,

Last week it was the Shia militias.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Rear Adm. Greg Smith, a U.S. military spokesman, told reporters that that more than 67,000 Iraqis have so far joined the ranks of "concerned citizens," U.S. military parlance for Sunni Arab groups who have joined them in the fight against al Qaeda."

67,000?

What a joke!

We can be fairly safe to assume that this figure is inflated, but even if it wasn''t, the U.S. psy-ops ghouls have a very long way to go to sell their "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" hoax to a country of 25 million people.

How will they scare new potential recruits, when they have already declared another "defeat" of "al-Qaeda"?

[sharncedar]

Do we have any idea of who hates us and who wants us dead anymore?

Posted by hungry1968 at 11:33 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Sure we do, its the same guys as always - General Betrayus and the rich corporate men he works for. They are the ones that have always wanted to kill us, and always will.

[smirk5]

The Iraqi mafia.

Nice little occupation you have there America.
It would be terrible if something, you know, happened to it. It could be a fire, who knows? Let me make you an offer you can''t refuse.

[socalleroy]

You libs smell like arce.

[smirk5]

When it comes to political reconciliation, fuggetaboutit. Yes, the mafia has some sway in Iraq.

[fibonacci_]

We could use some more Ron Paul stuff here, thefarrier.

[downtowner97]

So you''re the president of the US, and you want to run the country like a mafia don. How do you get the power. Well, you write the Patriot Act. This act gives the president complete control and basically negates the Bill of Rights. While the members of congress are trying to sit down and read the thing to decide if it''s constitutional, you mail weaponized antrhax (made in the USA) to some senators. Next thing you know, they''re all signing it because they don''t want antrhax.

How much effort has the federal government really put into finding the persons responsible for mailing the anthrax? Not as much as they''ve put into getting to the bottom of the whole steroids in sports issue.

The US federal government is a protection racket. Create the danger, then promise to protect from it. That''s good business. The people on the street know what you''re up to, but like the sheep looking at the shepherd, we graze on and ignore our fate.

[brianbwb-2009]

You libs smell like arce.
Posted by socalleroy

So apparently you are quite familiar with such aromas, eh?

[brianbwb-2009]

From the "war on terror" to "get Bin Laden, dead or alive", to non existent WMDs, to "Al Qaeda in Iraq" and now the Mob. What was your little "war" about again, Mr. Bush, you lying POS?

[smirk5]

Al-Qaeda is on the run. And, when the enemy is on the run, it can''t hit you with offense. So, the stories below must be a figment of our imagination.

Gunmen in Baghdad snatched 10 Sunni and Shiite tribal sheiks from their cars Sunday as they were heading home to Diyala province after talks with the government on fighting al-Qaida, and at least one was later found shot to death.
18 new recruits were killed and 10 wounded Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a police camp in the city of Baqouba northeast of Baghdad, police said.

[red164]

neocons is short for New Communists

[tbweb]

When it comes to political reconciliation, fuggetaboutit. Yes, the mafia has some sway in Iraq.

Posted by Smirk5 at 12:54 AM : Oct 29, 2007,,,

I always said too bad Osama bin Laden didn''t attack a mob business, bin Laden would have been whacked a long time ago, even well hidden in his cave! LOL

CBS wrote:

"Petraeus said the reduced threat from al Qaeda had given way to nonsectarian crimes - kidnapping, corruption in the oil industry, and extortion."

Is Petraeus behind the times? Corruption, kidnapping, extortion etc have been flourished since the US led invasion - not just since al-Qaeda took a backseat in Iraq.

Petraeus is an idiot - no wonder GW Bush likes him.

Birds of a feather ...

[smirk5]

mcdazz,

This whole war has been one big racket. Didn''t we lose 9 billion dollars over there without a trace? If the Sopranos aren''t running this debacle, they should be.

[cajetano]

C''mon General, are you trying to appeal to the Soprano watching audience now by mentioning the MAFIA.

Next I''ll hear that Whitey Bulger is involved in Iraq and Iran.

Where''s OSAMA???????

The only similarity with MAFIA and OSAMA is that the''re five letter words each containing two As.

Does anybody have the stones to SPEAK THE TRUTH???

[brianbwb-2009]

Bomber Kills Dozens Of Iraq Recruits
At Least 27 Dead, Witnesses Say Bicycle Bomber Must Have Had Inside Help

"Akram Salman said it must have been an inside job because the suicide bomber apparently was able to penetrate heavy security surrounding the police camp without being searched. "There are two main checkpoints on the main road leading to the camp, it would be impossible for a man on a bicycle to pass without being properly searched."

The surge is working! Riiight.

Who was providing security? If this was indeed an Al Qaeda attack, then the answer to this question shows who controls Al Qaeda and why.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Is Petraeus behind the times?" Posted by mcdazz

Or is he behind the crimes....