Iraq: When the best we can do isn’t very good
Firefighters respond to a bombing near the Iraqi Foreign Ministry in Baghdad Wednesday. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
BAGHDAD — A string of attacks in Baghdad, including two bombings near prominent government buildings, killed at least 95 people and wounded more than 530 Wednesday morning in the bloodiest day in the capital since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from cities.
The attacks happened in close succession late Wednesday morning. The two deadliest bombings targeted the finance and foreign ministries, which are among the most heavily guarded buildings in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities said.
Separately, at least six mortars rained down on two heavily transited locations in central Baghdad, Iraqi officials said. Three mortars targeted the Green Zone, the fortified enclave in Baghdad that contains the U.S. Embassy and many Iraqi government offices.
The bloodiest of the day’s attacks was a bombing just outside the Foreign Ministry that killed at least 47 people and wounded 195, officials said. The massive blast, apparently from a vehicle packed with explosives, was particularly deadly because the government recently removed some of the concrete walls that the U.S. military had erected to protect against car bombs.
The explosion just feet from the ministry building, which is near the Green Zone and close to the Iraqi parliament, left a crater about 80 feet wide and 12 feet deep. Maj. Gen. Jihad al-Jaberi, the head of the Baghdad bomb squad, said the bomb had two tons of explosives.
Unfortunately, I think this kind of thing will go on for a long, long time in Iraq. The surge bought us important time, and that time was put to good use in creating at least a semblance of an Iraqi governing structure and military. But none of Iraq’s basic political problems and ethnic and religious differences have been resolved; if you look back at the benchmarks of progress that President Bush established in his 2006 speech announcing the surge, few have been achieved. There’s still no oil law, no de-Bathification law, no resolution of the situation in Kirkuk and the Kurdish area. In fact, U.S. Gen. Ray Odierno wants to move U.S. troops into that area in hopes of easing the violence there, even as American forces are supposed to be winding down their involvement.
There are some situations in which the best we can do simply isn’t very good. Iraq is proving to be such a situation, and so may Afghanistan.
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233 comments Add your comment
AmVet
August 19th, 2009
12:53 pm
This, to the conned, is the picture of “victory”.
And we needlessly gave up 4,331 (and counting) American lives for it…
pat
August 19th, 2009
12:55 pm
To acomplish those goals, we’d have to stay longer. I just hope we stayed long enough to keep the country from being taken over by terrorist. The dangers of leaving to soon is that doing so means we may have to come back. We need to make sure we leave a situation where we will never have to return.
No we should not have been there in the first place, but the genie is out of the bottle, there is no putting it back.
Brad Steel
August 19th, 2009
12:59 pm
Mission accomplished G.W. Bush, May 2nd 2003.
George American
August 19th, 2009
1:01 pm
<THE PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE ANIMALS WITH NO REGARD FOR LIFE. YOU LIBERALS SHOULD BE THANKING CONSERVATIVES AND THE TROOPS FOR PROTECTING THE GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!
DebbieDoRight
August 19th, 2009
1:02 pm
pat: The dangers of leaving to soon is that doing so means we may have to come back. We need to make sure we leave a situation where we will never have to return.
We have no choice — the Iraqis want us out of their country; and we’ve< (Bush in 2008) already signed the agreement for troop withdrawal and a drawing down of certain troops in certain regions. The only way we could legally go back is if the Iraqi government asks us AND congress approves.
There is basically nothing we can do in Iraq — it’s awful to say, and I know someone is gonna blast me for this; but at least Saddam’s government was STABLE. Brutal, offensive, sans basic human rights; but stable. He had an infrastructure and a productive financial system in place, (until he lost the first gulf war). I know that statement is blasphemy; but imagine Iraq now in the hands of a Taliban like government — and all of sudden Saddam doesn’t look like the biggest booger bear on the block.
Paul
August 19th, 2009
1:04 pm
“BAGHDAD, Aug. 17 — U.S. troops could be forced by Iraqi voters to withdraw a year ahead of schedule under a referendum the Iraqi government backed Monday, creating a potential complication for American commanders concerned about rising violence in the country’s north. ”
If the Iraqis aren’t concerned, why are we?
Angry Black Man
August 19th, 2009
1:05 pm
Jay
I believe that’s just a peek into what’s about to happen in Iraq. I think all factions are just waiting until we pull out, then all hell will break loose over there. If all you’ve known is tyranny and violence, that’s where you’ll end up. I feel sorry for the innocent people who end up as casualties because of the power struggle there.
Paul
August 19th, 2009
1:05 pm
Brad Steel
Care to hazard a guess as to when Pres Obama’s gonna accomplish his mission in Afghanistan?
Tom
August 19th, 2009
1:06 pm
Iraq has been but another Missing-Link BushDrunk success story – as all thinking-people knew it would be. Mission Accomplished. Our nation of Patriots and Heroes has easily provided the citizens there with vast inroads into Democracy and brotherly love. Why, even Christianity has has taken hold like wildfire – the only thing slowing it down is the overflow and backlog of applications to join. Iraq is one of our proudest, most cerebral moments. Just ask a Repug. Thank God – now we can concentrate our maximum efforts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, then ever onward. Gee – kinda like a “domino effect.” Praise Geesuusah n God Bluss Murcuh!!
AmVet
August 19th, 2009
1:06 pm
I thought Obozo was going to pull us out of Iraq when he took office. Guess not, huh?
Bosch
August 19th, 2009
1:06 pm
Elaborating on the thread below –
This seems part of the problem with GOPers – they don’t think through the consequences of their actions.
Sure, it seemed a good idea to get rid of Saddam, but THIS ^^^^^ is the consequence of that action – and not one that GWB thought about.
Gale
August 19th, 2009
1:07 pm
In some situations, a dictator is the best government. Saddam certainly was not the best government. His policies increased the sectarian animosity. But yes, on the surface it was stable. The problems in Iraq will not be solved militarily. Diplomatically, all American can really do is encourage the factions to communicate with each other. We should repair the wreck we made of their infrastructure. But as our very presence incites violence, I don’t know how we can manage that.
Broken Promises
August 19th, 2009
1:10 pm
Here are some more broken obama campaign promises:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/rulings/promise-broken/
obama lied, people and the economy died.
norman ravitch
August 19th, 2009
1:12 pm
Iraq will again be in the headlines and for the reasons Bookman gives: nothing has been solved with the overthrow of Saddam, nothing has been achieved by the Surge except temporary accomodations. Our troops cannot do any good there; they will simply be targets. The same will be true in Afghanistan. O’Bama needs to review all this; so far he is simply following the failed Bush/Cheney policy.
I Report/ Vast White Wing Conspirator :-) You Whine :-(
August 19th, 2009
1:12 pm
if you look back at the benchmarks of progress that President Bush established in his 2006 speech announcing the surge, few have been achieved.
Of course, it’s our fault.
It has nothing at all to do with the foreign religious fanatics that wish to drag free Iraqi society back into the dark ages of enslavement, brutality of women, murder of the innocents.
Like Obozo says, we are the bad guys.
Finn mccool
August 19th, 2009
1:14 pm
Let the people of Iraq solve their own problems.
obama lies
August 19th, 2009
1:15 pm
Broken promise No. 7: Bring troops home in 16 months
On his campaign website, Obama promised he would “remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months.”
His commitment to bring combat troops home by May 20, 2010, and end the war gave him an edge among Democrats over candidate Hillary Clinton.
However, on Feb. 27, Obama declared, “Let me say this as plainly as I can: By Aug. 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end.”
If Obama adheres to his plan, combat troops will return home months later than originally promised. The New York Times reports, Obama will withdraw only two of the 14 brigades before December.
As part of a “new era of American leadership,” he also said he would leave behind a residual force of 35,000 to 50,000 troops and remove all U.S. soldiers from Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011 – the same deadline the Bush administration negotiated with the Iraqi government last year in its Status of Forces Agreement.
Additionally, some combat units would remain in Iraq beyond Obama’s declared August 2010 withdrawal. Rather than returning home, they would simply face reassignment as “advisory training brigades.”
Even as combat troops are brought home, Pentagon officials have said fresh units will continue deploying to Iraq.
Found here: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91286
AmVet
August 19th, 2009
1:16 pm
No feckless name jacker/yeah right at 1:06.
I told you last fall he wouldn’t, but you BushCo brown-nosers/shirts were too frickkin stupid to listen.
Normal
August 19th, 2009
1:16 pm
Jay, thanks…
Finn mccool
August 19th, 2009
1:17 pm
The angry white people are really gonna freak when Obama changes the name America to “west Kenya”.
TW
August 19th, 2009
1:20 pm
Next time, maybe we ought to think about stuff like this before we invade????
Not that any of this has anything to do with ‘w’s golf swing…
Dave R.
August 19th, 2009
1:20 pm
Bosch, why limit the “they don’t think through the consequences of their actions” thing to just GOP-ers?
If you were being intellectually honest, you’d just use the word “politician” and leave party out of it.
Brad Steel
August 19th, 2009
1:21 pm
In the endless parroting of angry-white-guy AM radio, Paul earnestly queries:Care to hazard a guess as to when Pres Obama’s gonna accomplish his mission in Afghanistan?
Probably as soon as he puts a few more of Bush’s myriad f*ck-ups to bed.
USinUK
August 19th, 2009
1:21 pm
Finneus –
shouldn’t that be East Kenya?
Turd Ferguson
August 19th, 2009
1:21 pm
Let them kill one another off lettuce just be sure the Oil remains safe.
DebbieDoRight
August 19th, 2009
1:23 pm
Sure, it seemed a good idea to get rid of Saddam, but THIS ^^^^^ is the consequence of that action – and not one that GWB thought about.
I don’t think Baby Bush considered that when he went in. He should’ve talked to his dad and asked him WHY he left Saddam in power. With Saddam in power, Iran was quiet and the taliban and AlQueada stayed out of Iraq; now they’re taking up residence there and Iran is sponsoring Sunni insurgents to promote and cause even more trouble.
On another note…………….Paul and ABM left you a message downstairs!!! ESPECIALLY one for you ABM — my poor misguided friend!!! C U guys later — gotta go to the office this afternoon and earn my expectant EOY bonus!!! Remember, if any of you have hidden money overseas you have until 9/23/09 at 11:59 p.m.; to declare all profits.
md
August 19th, 2009
1:24 pm
“There is basically nothing we can do in Iraq — it’s awful to say, and I know someone is gonna blast me for this; but at least Saddam’s government was STABLE. Brutal, offensive, sans basic human rights; but stable. He had an infrastructure and a productive financial system in place, (until he lost the first gulf war). I know that statement is blasphemy; but imagine Iraq now in the hands of a Taliban like government — and all of sudden Saddam doesn’t look like the biggest booger bear on the block.”
As stated from a comfy room somewhere in the US.
It was hell before, hell now, and probaly hell in the future.
Turd Ferguson
August 19th, 2009
1:25 pm
Finn mccool
August 19th, 2009
1:14 pm
Let the people of Iraq solve their own problems.
Finnius McCoolAid…Whats this? Im shocked? Where is your compassion for the unfortuantes in Iraq. Since you obviously care nothing for the downtrodden in Woodruff park you should, at this very minute be en route to Iraq via plane with some form of aid.
Perhaps you might strap some wings and a lawnmower engine to your mini-van and make an inter-contenental flight to help these poor Iraqis.
md
August 19th, 2009
1:26 pm
“He should’ve talked to his dad and asked him WHY he left Saddam in power.”
Maybe because the UN mandated that he be left in power. It was a UN mission under their weenie rules.
Paul
August 19th, 2009
1:26 pm
Brad Steel
Have you caught any conversations here about how so many on the farfarleft regularly go with some form of character attack in their attempts to discuss an issue?
So, the banner was 2003, Bush Administration had a pullout schedule in place before he left office.
Do you think Obama will beat Bush’s timeline in Afg?
Hint: his speech the other day indicates ‘probably not’ – but I await your prediction and rationale.
Turd Ferguson
August 19th, 2009
1:26 pm
md
August 19th, 2009
1:24 pm
Agreed…probably wouldve been best to leave Saddam in power as those people only understand brute force.
libs lie
August 19th, 2009
1:27 pm
If Bush’s policy in Iraq is so flawed, why is obama still carrying it out? If the DOD has so many problems, why did obama keep Gates as Secretary of Defense?
USinUK
August 19th, 2009
1:27 pm
finally heading home …
md – left you a msg/question/food to think about downstairs …
have a good night, all!!
Turd Ferguson
August 19th, 2009
1:32 pm
Any reports on the OIL? Is the OIL still safe or do we need to send in the Navy Seals for a quick extraction?
We spent 10’s of millions of dollars to assist those Iraqi’s and we get zero thanks. To he-ll with them. Move our troops north into “Kurdikastan” and operate from there.
Our mission Number 1 should now be to protect and serve ourselves some oil.
Finn mccool
August 19th, 2009
1:32 pm
Well said Md.
Captain Underpants
August 19th, 2009
1:35 pm
After this huge explosion has anyone heard from the Oil and how its doing? Has the oil been taken captive and if so does Obama have hit squad ready?
Forget the whales…SAVE THE OIL!
GayGrayGeek
August 19th, 2009
1:35 pm
Bosch @ 1:06 – You presume that Duh-UH-bya engaged in this thing you call “thought”?
Hopey Changey
August 19th, 2009
1:37 pm
We already know obama’s foriegn policy in Iraq and Afghanistan is a failure, what about that health care reform package? Who vetted that abortion?
Paul
August 19th, 2009
1:38 pm
Hey GayGrayGeek
Where ya’ been?
Angry Black Man
August 19th, 2009
1:38 pm
Thanks Jay.
DDR
Don’t bet your bonus money on the Gators. That well will dry up soon.
demwit
August 19th, 2009
1:38 pm
“But none of Iraq’s(insert America’s here) basic political problems and ethnic and religious differences have been resolved;”
demwit
August 19th, 2009
1:40 pm
“Only cowards hide behind their guns” -Jay Bookman
Finn mccool
August 19th, 2009
1:41 pm
Sitting on a plane now turd, but its headed to atl
RollerGirl
August 19th, 2009
1:42 pm
Photo caption should read: ” Obama administration claims success in Iraq strategy”.
BTW Bookman, you seem mighty testy lately..could it be from watching B. Hussein and his grandiose plans sink further and further in approval?
Obama's broken promises
August 19th, 2009
1:42 pm
Here are Obama’s failed campaign promises to the gay community for gay gray guy:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/subjects/gays-and-lesbians/
Brad Steel
August 19th, 2009
1:43 pm
Paul,
Dumb observations. Even dumber questions.
Taxpayer
August 19th, 2009
1:44 pm
I think Obama should pull another Bush (so many folks here think he’s just another Bush so what else could one call it) and declare “Mission Accomplished” in the entire middle east. Bring our boys home and put ‘em to work in a revived CCC program. It’s about time we quit trying to make history go away. Let ‘em kill each other until there are no more to kill or they get tired of it.
@@
August 19th, 2009
1:46 pm
Maliki was over in Syria? I don’t ’spect that made Ahmadenijad happy. SOFA’s open-ended.
As if Barack’s in-between hard place wasn’t big enough…
~~~~~~~~~OO~~~~~~~~~
From downstairs
DANG! you guys are selectively lazy too. Videos…interviews — all you have to do is Google Rev. Wright (still affiliated) and anti-semitism.
I don’t hang here all day like the rest of you. I don’t have time to do your research. BTW….
is this Denzel Washington playing Louis Farrakhan or is it the real Farrakhan talking about satanic jews
He too is a frequent visitor/speaker at Trinity United Church of Christ.
Carter is a Fool
August 19th, 2009
1:47 pm
I thought that was the title of your article concerning your writing style, if you can call it that.
for real
August 19th, 2009
1:47 pm
“Photo caption should read: ” Obama administration claims success in Iraq strategy”.
BTW Bookman, you seem mighty testy lately..could it be from watching B. Hussein and his grandiose plans sink further and further in approval?”
Obama is sliding downward in all of the polls faster than his economy!
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html