COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Monday, October 23, 2006

EX-GI, Independent Candidate for Congress with a Plan for Iraq

The New York Times reports that:
"60 former service members are challengers for the House or the Senate as Democrats, including a half-dozen who served in Iraq. The Democrats are not shy about military résumés. Among their promotions is a “Fighting Dems” Web site bearing the subtitle, “Back from the front lines, headed to Congress.”

Polls show Ms. Duckworth and her Republican opponent, Peter J. Roskam, locked in a competitive contest. About half a dozen other races with veterans running as Democrats in places like Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia are also seen as competitive, meaning the veterans could help tip the balance of power in Congress if they do well.

Many of the other veterans running as Democrats, though, are unlikely to be headed to Congress this season, analysts say, and a few complain that the party remembers them for promotions, but forgets them when it comes to money.

The Republicans have 41 challengers with military experience making bids for the House or the Senate, two of them Iraq veterans, but the party has not publicly focused as much on that group’s service."


It is apparent that the Democrats have been finding more candidates that the Republicans. I found this Independent candidate from Southern New Jersey and took note of his plan for Iraq. It seems to be about as good as anything else I have seen, but put it to you. Is this a sensible plan that would work?

A New Strategy For Iraq,

Bob Mullock for United States Congress New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District

"Taking a state whole is superior, destroyed it is inferior. Taking an army whole is superior, destroying it is inferior'' The Art of War by Sun Tzu.


"The Art Of War'' is taught in every U.S. military academy. The "Shock and Awe" strategy of the Bush Administration is a continuing failure that violates the basic principals of war. Destroying Iraqi institutions and dismissing the Iraqi army will be studied as historic blunders.
Personally, I opposed this war in Iraq. I agreed with George Bush's father whose intelligent approach in the first lraq war cost relatively few American lives, just five billion dollars (fourteen days of this Iraq war), kept a bulwark against Iran and was supported around the world. Saddam Hussein could have been removed much like Slobodon Milocivich in the Balkans

Five Strategic Steps
First, define the enemy. Iran that attacked the U.S. territory at our embassy, imprisoned our citizens, supported the Taliban who helped foment 9/ 11 and threatens our key ally Israel with obliteration is a dangerous foe. Likewise Hezbollah and to a degree Syria are our opponents and are Shi'a Moslem based.
Why then is the U.S. trying to put the Shi'a in charge of Iraq? Already the Shi'a prime minister of Iraq has announced support for Hezbollah. Eighty five percent of Muslims around the world are Sunni including many key American allies. Should we really be spending so much effort and American lives on promoting the Shi'a?



Second, decide what is important and favorable for the U.S. Strongly support the establishment of three states in Iraq:
- A Kurdish state that is a natural ally to the U.S.
- A Sunni state that could be an ally and
- A Shi'a state that will likely ally with Iran.
Allow the militias of each state to control their own territories. Use American air power to mitigate military action between the states.

Third, nationalize under a weak Iraq central government the oil industry, key ports, airports, water resources and cities. Allocate the resources with the three states.
After the reorganization, limit the American role. We can help minimize the civil war, we cannot stop a civil war centuries in the making. Stop the training and arming of a 250,000 man Iraqi army. If each state provides its own security such a large force is not needed.
A much smaller, more tightly controlled force will be sustainable and accountable. Already major elements of the national army have been involved in death squads, torture prisons and have refused assignments outside their region. Why provide the world' s best military training by American forces to future Hezbollah volunteers?



Fourth. Stop all economic reconstruction projects until after the reorganization. Fifty percent of all development money is now being wasted on security and little is being accomplished any way. Invest only in peaceful states who ally themselves with the U.S. Encourage oil producing nearby countries to also so invest. Saudi Arabia will be a natural Sunni sponsor to a Sunni state.


Fifth. Within six months, as militarily prudent, pull U.S. troops "over the horizon" to Kuwait and Qatar and limited support bases to key areas such as in support of the Kurds, oil fields and the Green Zone. Our goal as the United States should be to encourage Iraq to progress to a democratic country.
We can provide the opportunity for peace and democracy. We just shouldn't try to force it at the end of a gun.

42 comments:

  1. He's just babbling. The key phrase was "over the horizon in 6 months."

    A "weak" government with a "small" army is going to "allocate" the largest, or second largest oil reserves in the world? In the ME?

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  2. Let's face it; the best policy is probably, more or less, the same one that we're now pursuing. It's painful, and frustrating, but in the long run it has the most potential.

    The Administration needs, greatly, from a political standpoint, to re-package it a bit, re-weight some of our tactics, and change our language a bit.

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  3. Saddam Hussein could have been removed much like Slobodon Milocivich in the Balkans

    Huh?

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  4. Most potential for what?

    Empowering the Iranian factions in Iraq?
    Destabilizing Jordan with Iraqi refugees?

    Those two realities are under way as you urge Mr Bush to attempt a Madison Ave rewrite of the Occupation.

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  5. Within six months split Iraq into three separate states sharing the oil wealth and redeploy over the horizon?

    Under this scenario, I don't see the Sunni and Shia sharing anything but a bloodlust as the butchery soars to new levels.

    Bill Roggio has a couple of reports on the Maliki governments move on al-Sadr in the last week.

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  6. Most of the returning vet politicos are Dems.

    What should we do?
    What will we do?

    Mr Allen had the Plan, when he debated Mr Webb. Withdrawing to the mega bases, protecting the US force, leaving the cities to the ISF, seems high on the probabilites list.

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  7. The Japananese seem more optimistic and are going to lend Iraq $3.5 bn for oil, gas projects:

    Posted online: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at 0033 hours IST



    OCT 23: Japan, which imports 99% of its oil, will lend Iraq $3.5 billion to finance three projects in southern Iraq aimed at helping the conflict-stricken country boost exports.
    The yen-denominated loan will finance the redevelopment and upgrade of a refinery in Basra, improvements to oil export infrastructure and a project to produce liquefied petroleum gas, Shin Hosaka, director of the oil and gas division at the trade ministry, told reporters in Tokyo on Monday.

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  8. People always want to picture vets as being monolithic in their thinking. My experience is that like every other part of society, they are all over the place, although most of the combat vets seem to leanmore to the pacifist side.

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  9. Interesting that the US Government has turned it's focus to Mr al-Sadr, while the aQ incidents seem to proceed apace. Car and suicide bombings continue, police cadets are killed. I believe that recent CNN video of a sniper's view of US troops is a prime example aQ work.

    But today the US demands Mr Maliki turn on his base and destroy his ruling coalition. All this before permiting the ISF to attack the Sunni insurgency.

    Mr Maliki will continue to balk, There is little the US can or will do be effective in making him move against his own supporters.

    Mr Maliki is no GW Bush.

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  10. Evidently those troops were killed for the benefit of the photography. CNN has been reduced to being a purveyer of GI snuff films. A great moment in US journalism.

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  11. That's interesting about Japan.

    I commented last night that the attacks on the Oil Infrastructure are way down. I still think that's interesting. It's almost like the "insurgency" is not so much trying to bring down the government, any more, as trying to negotiate a better "cut."

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  12. This guy is running as a Democrat, right? I ask because his solution to GE’s going overseas for engineers is to go after GE and not an education monopoly and mediocre public school system unable to turnout sufficient numbers of engineering candidates.

    “Mullock said a congressman should be calling up the chairman of GE. ‘I would make that phone call. Damn right I’d make it. I’d call for a hearing and have them come before Congress. These are things that shouldn’t slip through the cracks.’”

    “Use American air power to mitigate military action between the states.”
    That has been so successful elsewhere, right?

    “Allocate the resources with the three states.”
    The redistribution of wealth has worked so well elsewhere, right?

    “Invest only in peaceful states who ally themselves with the U.S.”
    This would eliminate any uncooperative states within Iraq, right? So, why pursue a socialist agenda of allocating “the resources with the three states.”

    “[P]ull U.S. troops "over the horizon" to Kuwait and Qatar…”
    This assumes of course that those “over the horizon” are willing to take on the mantle of Iraq. Maybe we should ask first.

    “Our goal as the United States should be to encourage Iraq to progress to a democratic country.”
    Ugh? As opposed to supporting Iraq as the Empire of Galatic Solar Systems?

    Having said all that, it is good to have someone putting proposals on the table. To get the President’s personal plan, we will have to await the final the focus group numbers are tabulated by the “Baker Boys.”

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  13. Now, in Amarrah, we've got "Shia on Shia," fighting. Politics, by ak-47.

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  15. Alberto is oh so sorry,
    he was not misquoted, he misspoke.
    He was not dismissed from his position as the public voice for US in Arabia.

    Because, perhaps, he's right?

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  16. Speaking of candidates, please explain to me why Barak Obama should be President or even considered. Just how stupid are we?

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  17. I think This is what it's really all about.

    Allawi says they're stealing the money right, and left.

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  18. Al-Radhi said told CBS the Iraqis responsible for depleting the fund have fled to countries such as Jordan and Poland. His panel is handling 2,000 corruption cases alleged to involve a total of $7.5 billion. Unidentified U.S. officials told CBS that how the money was spent was the business of the Iraqi government.

    No Bidding

    One suspect was in charge of defense procurement at the time and gave contracts to an alleged acquaintance, Allawi said.

    ``They were awarded, without any bidding, to a company that was established a few months prior with a total capital of $2,000, whose directors had nothing to do with the Ministry of Defense or the government of Iraq,'' Allawi said. The company's address was a post office box, its telephone a mobile number, CBS said. Tapes obtained by CBS allegedly show the suspect discussing a $45 million transfer to Iraqi officials


    From the Previous link

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  19. Rufus, man you nailed it there. What a load of bullshit, you know that everyone of these Iraqi companies is being shaken down by every militia and terrorist group so they can stay in business and here we are handing money out hand over fist. Maybe our featured candidate, is on to something by reccomending halting all construction, but for the wrong reasons.

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  21. I made a similar mistake, once, when I gave my teenage son access to one of my credit cards and cell phone account. He wasn't ready for that responsibility.

    These people aren't ready for a bank account with Billions of dollars in it. Their troops aren't properly equipped because they're all busy looting the treasury.

    Obviously, some of that money is making it's way back into the insurgency, the militias, and to some extent, AQ.

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  22. Seem like the president has a tin ear.

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  23. Mr Allawi, Mr TChilabi, Mr Talibani had formed a "triumvirate", that with the backing of a professionally trained Iraqi Army could have migrated Iraq to democracy, in the Turkish model.

    Authoratative but progressive leadership. By Iraqi that had exiled in the US, or had at least extensive experience with "Western" ways.

    Instead, as Mr Bremmer made clear, to the President, the Islamo-fascists would win the Iraqi Elections if there was a rush to "Democracy" in Iraq.
    There was, they did, and now the Mohammedans have the ball.

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  24. DR,

    re: Alberto is oh so sorry

    Yes, indeed, he is. Not to worry though, Mr. McCormick says, "The matter is closed." And, "He [Mr. Fernandez] is at his job."

    Now, I agree it is the height of arrogance to tell Muslims that they are so flawed as to need a change of "heart and mind." But, I admit having little confidence in that old time religion of Mr. Bush. It was also stupid because it showed irresolution.

    Muslims know well what is necessary for peace to prevail: Muslims must be too frightened to ever attack the modern West again. They also know that the West could care less about the religion the savages practice, so long as they mind their own business peacefully.

    Mr. Fernandez's words were true, but obviously not in the way intended. Peace will come with an American administration of a different temperament than the present. In fairness, a new model Congress will be needed as well.

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  25. Whit;

    Bill Roggio has a couple of reports on the Maliki governments move on al-Sadr in the last week.

    Do you have any links for this?

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  26. But that's Pakistan, where those Mohammedan nuclears reside.

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  27. Scroll down, Mahdi Army and Somolia are towards the bottom

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  28. Who is this new "right" wing, anti Arab Israeli politician that Mr Olmert has invited into the Government?

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  29. "Saddam Hussein could have been removed much like Slobodon Milocivich in the Balkans."



    There's only one problem with that. EVERYONE knew Saddam Hussein was cheating on his WoMD obligations. And most of us thought (and I still believe it to correct) that Saddam Hussein will deliver his proxy terrorists his WoMD. To be sure that the WoMD threat is removed you needed boots on the ground. But once the issue Saddam and WoMD has been resolved, there was little reason to stay in Iraq. My impression was that the reason US troops stayed, was to secure the oil fields and make sure Syria, Iran and Turkey don't get any smart ideas.

    ps. Why is Blogger so fscked lately?

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  31. The AARP just ran a "Don't Vote" ad

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  32. Mysterious reality at work.

    Presidents. Usually by the time they've become nominationed,possibly elected, and grandly coronated it's been years since they've used a Coke machine or been inside a grocery market.
    They usually haven't spent a dime of their own money on dry cleaning or lawn care. They get isolated.
    Much like Rap stars or heavyweight champs the entourages can run inot the dozens and seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.
    Then evil things happen. Reality sets in. What a drag seeing that morning intel breifing must be...jeez how do you prioritize the world? But you've said things and made promises...it's those dang promises that'll get 'ya eg.

    Read my lips, no new taxes. GHWB
    We're gonna stay the course. W

    Genetic? Injected secretly into all politicians who get to city council level?
    Nope, just reality mugging an ego.

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  33. NOW, I Remember why I'm a Republican!

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  34. The Iraqi goverment is bring back Baghdad Bob, currently playing Tahoe for the last several years.
    He'll be explaining the upcoming multi-grain negotitations with the newly constituted "Showerist Party", cleansed of all past sins and the, various other "interests" in Iraq.
    Iran will host the first round of talks with Osama B.L. as master of ceremonies.
    So that maximum "progress" can be achieved the United States has agreed to with draw it's forces to Ft. Riley , Kansas, former home of Geo. Custer and the 7th Calvary.

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  35. Amen Rufus

    Ann Coulter for President.

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  36. You know, we laughed at old Baghdad Bob, but we might should have taken another look at that culture, right then. There was something important, there; but we missed it.

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  37. In the Fighting Seventh’s the place for me.

    It’s the cream of all the cavalry;

    No other regiment ever can claim

    It’s pride, honor, glory, and undying fame.

    We know no fear when stern duty

    Calls us far away from home,

    Our country’s flag shall sagely o’er us wave,

    No matter where we roam.

    T’is the gallant Seventh Cavalry,

    It matters not where we’re goin’

    such you’ll surely say as we march away,

    When our band plays "Garry Owen."

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  38. This Newsweek Poll got a lot of attention. There's just one little problem with it (well, actually, there are a lot of things with it, but this one's a doozey,) 20% of Republicans think Bush should be Impeached.

    No Way, Jose!

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  39. Yep, it was the 7th that beat the crap out of Charlie in the Ia Drang.

    An honored outfit. Just didn't have a good day at the Little Big Horn.

    Iz dat rite Mztah Habu, honest?

    Honest as can ever be "Tater.

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