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."
What is "Occupation"Fri Aug 08, 04:13:00 PM EDT
ReplyDeleteYou should post the same "abacus" list of the USA verses Iraq? The USA verses Afghanistan? The USA verses Panama? The USA verses the American Indian? The USA verses Libya? The USA verses Kosovo? The USA verses Haiti? The USA verses the Yugoslavia? and Let's NOT forget the USA verses Grenada!!!!!
Go for it....
LOL
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Deuce ☂Fri Aug 08, 05:02:00 PM EDT
You do state the Israeli-firster case with conviction.
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What is "Occupation"Fri Aug 08, 05:12:00 PM EDT
I do state the concept that one standard for Israel and no standards for America is in fact anti-Semitic, but since you seem so sensitive when I use that label, I just figure I'd hold a mirror up to your "abacus" times 9 to show how idiotic and nonsensical your point was...
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Deuce ☂Fri Aug 08, 05:20:00 PM EDT
More Kryptonite.
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Deuce ☂Fri Aug 08, 05:30:00 PM EDT
If I criticize the US, which I have and do, that does not make me anti-American. You are an unabashed, Israeli-Firsters, an Israeli patriot and Israel nationalist. I am instinctively suspicious of such ardent fervor. I dislike religious fervor as well as anyone who believes that their tribe has some historic mission and privilege given them by the infantile belief that there is some spirit overlooking and guiding them.
This is my position:
“Patriotism is as fierce as a fever, pitiless as the grave, blind as a stone, and irrational as a headless hen”
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You are not just one who criticizes Israel, you are a israel basher.
Deletethat's a fact jack...
In fact, Jack, I am a 48% Israeli basher:
Delete33. Proportion of respondents to online poll, by Israel’s most popular TV channel on August 3rd, who say the best birthday gift for Barack Obama would be peace in the Middle East: 20% [Israeli Channel 2 TV]
34. Proportion of respondents to Israeli poll who say the best birthday gift for Barack Obama would be the Ebola virus: 48% [Israeli Channel 2 TV]
or 52% positively disposed.
- Ambrose Bierce
ReplyDeleteObama has been a reluctant warrior and has been very cautious in getting us involved in Iraq again. I admire that. I will support him unless he stays either too short or two long. I am sure all the flag-waving mother fuckers, who never shuffled through a chow line will be up his ass.
ReplyDelete.
DeleteI tend to agree.
What you are seeing happen in Iraq right now is exactly what would have happened had the US pushed the Biden/Obumble Plan to divide Iraq into three separate states. It would have happened sooner, it may or may not have involved the head-severing, and instead of two groups involved you would have had three. The same sectarian rivalries would have been there driving it but the real fight would have come over the division of resources.
About 75% of the oil reserves are in the south and the Malicki government would control them. There may be enough oil revenues in the north to allow the Kurds to scrape by but only if they can hold the area around Kirkuk, an area that's ownership is disputed by 4 different ethnic groups. Comparatively speaking the Sunni areas are resource poor and I doubt anyone would expect them to acquiesce in a partition in which they didn't get a cut of the pie.
We have already seen sectarian rivalries driving hundreds of thousands to relocate within Iraq even before the IS arrival. With or without IS it would be a bloodbath.
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DeleteRufus IIFri Aug 08, 02:15:00 PM EDT
At least one C-130 has landed in Kurdistan, carrying Military Supplies.
I wish I was as sold on the Kurds as some, here, seem to be; but I'm not.
Perhaps it's too early to say results so far would indicate that the Peshmerga are not invincible and will likely need aid of some sort.
Remember, while the Kurds have maintained order and stability in their region, being isolated in the north helps. The also move quickly when the IS problem arose and increased the area under their control including the Kirkuk region when the Iraqi regular army withdrew. However, when confronted by a determined IS force, they wavered.
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We'll see.
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DeleteThe Kurds have been talking independence from Iraq since the early 90s when they were granted autonomy. However, you have to wonder if they are having second thoughts.
Their president (Barani?) submitted a proposal in the Iraqi Parliament which would have granted the Kurds independence. At the same he is holding talks trying to come up with a better deal for the Kurds within the current Iraqi government. They are looking for a federal approach for Kurdistan in which they would get a bigger share of federal revenues. This is probably because they have witnessed the recent increase in oil revenues from expanded production in the south.
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DeleteDespite the enthusiasm most Kurds have expressed about an independent Kurdistan, were the Kurds to declare independence it would not be a cakewalk for a number of reasons.
1. The Iraqi government and the US (at least currently) would oppose it since they hope to hold Iraq together.
2. Various Kurdish neighbors (Turkey, Iran, Syria) would oppose it.
3. While the Kurdish region has been one of relative stability, that has to be seen in light of the fact that the region is somewhat isolated in the north and that the stability was gained as part of Iraq.
4. Government: The Kurds may have experience governing a province but they have no experience governing a state.
5. Diplomatically: While the Kurds my gain some diplomatic recognition, there will be Arab countries plus the three noted above that will not recognize them. It will be hard to so what other countries will go against both the US and Iraq to recognize them.
6. Militarily: The current crisis points out the difficulty in this area. The Kurds arsenal is old and limited to a bunch of vintage Russian arms.
6. Economy: The is the toughest area for the Kurds to overcome. First, to have any viability at all, a Kurdish state would have to hang on to the Kirkuk region. This could be difficult militarily. There are too many other groups with a claim on the area.
Secondly, there would be lawsuits brought by Iraqi government. This has already happened. The Kurds have been shipping oil without permission from Bagdad. This caused Maliki to cut the Kurds share of revenues (set at 17%) which in turn caused the Kurds to ship more oil which in turn caused Maliki to file lawsuits claiming the shipped oil. Right now the oil shipped is sitting in tankers tied up in legal limbo.
The legal fight will inhibit any development of oil resources in the north. Oil capacity in the north currently supplies only about 1/6 the minimum revenues the Kurds would need to run their country. Although they have a couple refineries in the north, they are also greatly dependent on one of the major Iraqi refineries in the south. As for other resources, they may be self-sufficient but they don't generate enough revenues for any kind of development.
The easy-peasy Kurdish independence some talk about is anything but easy-peasy.
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Nice- that has all the criteria for the next post.
DeleteThat being said, The White House has also announced that Obama will be heading to his summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, despite the crisis.
ReplyDeleteThat job is a pressure cooker, turned up to full-blast, 24 / 7.
DeleteThe President has to have a break, from time to time.
It would be bad for the country if he didn't.
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Delete:-)
Obama doesn't seem to get too concerned about much.
Of course, with all the grey hair he has sprouted in the last six years maybe you are right.
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Reuters is also now saying that the Americans have supplied Kurds on the frontline against Isis with "a planeload of ammunition".
ReplyDeleteThis has the whiff of a plan
ReplyDeleteZalmay Khalilzad, the former US Ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan, has said US airstrikes alone will not be enough to defeat Isis. Saying that the support of the Kurds was needed, he told CNN:.
“What we need to do is to have a coordinated strategy, with local forces moving as we take them down, degrade their capabilities for them to move against those forces."
-TELEGRAPH
This guy don't visit the crapper without a "plan."
DeleteFor those in Idaho, “Degrading capabilities” is exquisite understatement.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, what is the IDF up to?
ReplyDeleteRAMALLAH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- As the Israeli military operation enters its fifth week, Palestinians in the West Bank are carrying out solidarity movement.
Recently, an independent group of some 200 volunteers called " Boats" collected humanitarian aids across the West Bank to help Gaza Strip's populations going through tragic and hard living conditions after one month of large-Israeli air and ground offensive, which claimed lives of about 1,900 Palestinians.
"We decided to carry out this campaign to collect humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip who are facing alone a tough Israeli military aggression," said Salma, one of the volunteers.
In the past month since the Israeli assault started, the group has already sent 10 shipments of aid to Gaza, including food, medicine and daily supplies.
Salma said that Israel put obstacles on their campaign, mainly by postponing the clearance of shipment to the Gaza Strip under the pretext of security.
"Packed food, children toys and other stuff are usually denied entrance by the Israelis," said Salma, adding that "it is our duty to help our people in the Gaza Strip and we call on every Palestinian in the West Bank and all over the world to do their best to help our people in Gaza."
According to United Nations figures, around one quarter of a million people fled their homes and took refuge to schools run by the international organization in the besieged coastal enclave. Other fleeing families took refuge in mosques, churches and houses of their relatives.
The UN started a campaign in the beginning of the offensive and demanded from the donor countries 60 million U.S. dollars to help hosting and feeding the fleeing families.
The terrain in, and around Kurdistan favors the home team, greatly. A few anti-tank missiles, and what-not will go a long way.
DeleteAnd, outside of the larger cities, this layout is as good as it gets for our airpower, and laser guided bombs.
DeleteA shockwave from a 500lb bomb reduces Islamic ardor and loosens the bowels.
ReplyDelete...thus the expression, “holyshit”.
ReplyDeleteThere ya go. :)
DeleteI believe Obama will be leading a “Coalition of more-than-willing”.
ReplyDeleteThe only country that I'm interested in cooperating with, over there, is Iran.
DeleteGet past all the crap and they are the natural ally for the US in the Middle East. That deal can be made and should be.
ReplyDelete..and you won’t have to send then $.01 in aid.
ReplyDeleteIran is a natural ally of the USA?
DeleteWith the current Jihadist government that calls the USA the "great satan"...
you are on crack...
I don't believe Rouhani has called the U.S. "the great satan."
DeleteBut, even if he has, we should, irregardless, try to make them an ally.
They probably have the most sensible government in the Middleeast. Yes, I'm making No exceptions.
Good luck with that, I suggest you learn more about the mullahs of Iran, who they fund (hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah) and their intentions to the entire west..
DeleteOr dont...
Frankly, I am more worried about the mullahs of Likud in their war rooms and their like minded religious fanatics that committed the criminal assault on Gaza and their intentions on the rest of what remains of Palestine. We learned a lot about them in the last few weeks.
DeleteIt is a pragmatic solution. We made alliances and treaties with Britain, France. Spain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Japan and with the Confederacy, all of whom were our enemies. The concept is unfamiliar and anathema to some tribalists who believe in God bequeathed animosities. The Middle East is a disater. There are only a few countries that the US could align with that coiuld make a difference for long term stability, Iran is the foremost on the list. Israel as presently organized is uniquely handicapped in suiting that purpose. Israel has little to offer for regional stability due to its unique idomestic political requirements. It grows and thrives on the zionist mission of a statist
ReplyDeletetheocracy in the middle of an Islamic civil war.
We know too well what the US pretenses of alliances with the Sunnis has brought us.
ReplyDeleteDeuce ☂Fri Aug 08, 08:05:00 PM EDT
ReplyDelete..and you won’t have to send then $.01 in aid.
Yep, it's all about the money honey...
No, the world is a very dangerous place. It is all about alliances that can make it less so. Right now Turkey, Kurdistan, some elements of Iraq and Iran along with the US can slow the slaughter and mayhem. There is no other player in the Middle East that has much to offer and that excludes Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, all for varying reasons.
ReplyDeleteLOL you are funny...
DeleteIran? Has CAUSED all the slaughter...
Now you want to be buddies with Iran?
LOL
deluded.