Iraq War

Iraq Explodes

OurFuture.org Staff — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:35:08 -0700

When Will Cheney's Tower Of Lies Finally Come Tumbling Down?

OurFuture.org Staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:12:49 -0700

The Trauma of 9/11 Is No Excuse

OurFuture.org Staff — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:03:27 -0700

The Cheney Legacy

Jeff Morris — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:15:26 -0700

For some time now, people have been wondering how the historical Presidential legacy of George W. Bush will read. That it will be terrible, is now almost universal in consensus. I'm now thinking how the legacy of the most authoritarian, abusive of power, secretive, Vice President in U.S. history should read also. I will never understand how so many questionable actions of Bush/Cheney went unchallenged for so long. I will never understand how the legality of so many of their actions weren't challenged by Congress, or in the courts, much sooner.

During the run up to the Iraq invasion, our nation and our news people must have been asleep or under the spell of post 9-11 induced opportunistic Patriotism. VP Cheney and his office were perhaps the biggest offenders in the cherry picking and manipulation of pre war intelligence, the exaggerated claims of dire threats, and the main authors of why Iraq posed such an imminent threat to the U.S. that a preemptive invasion was necessary for our National Security.

The sixteen words of yellow cake uranium from Niger, the bogus threat of the consequences coming back to us in the form of a mushroom cloud, and other phony exaggerated threats, were for the most part drafted by the VP and his office. In the end Bush/Cheney sold it to Congress and the American people and got their permission slip for the unnecessary invasion. Which brought nothing but death and destruction to a nation and people who had nothing to do with 9-11, and who never posed any real threat to the U.S.

Once the invasion started, VP Cheney then awarded hundreds of billions of dollars in no bid contracts to his old company (Halliburton) and its subsidiary Company KBR only. Talk about a vested interest in wanting to start the unnecessary war! Talk about a conflict of interest! Yet Congress, and sadly a good portion of the American public, didn't question this all very much. I still have a hard time wondering how this was legal. Five and a half years later we now see how it's cost us as a nation dearly. In troop deaths, in a record deficit, in a badly damaged image around the World....

If you examine the worst offenses of this Bush/Cheney administration ( exaggerated threats in the run up to the Iraq invasion ,Torture policies, Guantanamo Bay, exposure of an undercover CIA agents identity, NSA warrant less spying program, Military Commissions act, Patriot Act.... )they seem to have a common thread. Follow the trail back and they all lead to the same place. VP Cheney and his office. The man is a War Criminal, War Profiteer....yet received 5 different deferments during the Viet Nam War, when it was his turn to step up to the plate and serve his Country. A draft dodger, and perhaps the loudest voice in favor of sending yours and my kids, grand kids... off for a third, fourth... tour of duty in his unnecessary Iraq oil War.

On JFK's Inauguration in Jan. 1961, outgoing Pres Eisenhower gave a final speech. He warned us of a possible coming threat to the U.S. He called that threat "The Military Industrial Complex" When our Military and Corporate Giants march America, hand in hand, into an unnecessary War for Big Business and Corporate Profits. Sadly, 42 yr later Eisenhower's warning became fulfilled prophecy with the 2003 unnecessary invasion of Iraq.

Sometimes I think I know why the Republicans at the top picked Bush back in 2000 to be their Presidential nominee. They needed someone who's bulb was dim enough to wake up every morning, look himself in the mirror, and say "I'm the President Of The United States". Also someone dumb enough to never figure it out that he isn't the one really calling the shots. Our real "shadow President" Darth Cheney called the shots, and got everything he wanted! Including hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money siphoned from the U.S. Treasury and into the coffers of his old Company!

Jeff Morris-Saugerties, N.Y.- DeJaVu57

With A Compass, Not A Roadmap

Eric Lotke — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:14:55 -0800

The complaints are starting on the new Obama administration. Some are concerned that he filled his administration with former Clinton hands, reflecting the old school (if more competent), not the change we need.

“What worries me is there is not one person in the senior group who is the outsider to this club,” cautioned Robert Kuttner of the American Prospect. “Where is the diversity of opinion in this economic team?”

David Sirota of our own Campaign for America's Future observes that some terrific progressives have been appointed to high-level positions in the Administration, but they are political jobs, not substantive ones. They are “positions that are focused on selling policy, whatever that policy may be. “ In contrast, the “policy advisers who actually craft policy are almost all right-of-center, Establishment choices.”

Discontent is coming from the other direction as well, as Democrats increase estimates of the cost to revive the economy. During the campaign Obama pledged roughly $150 billion in spending over 10 years to create new jobs for clean energy and rebuilding schools. Now Congressional Democrats are estimating immediate expenditures in the $700 billion range. The GOP has created a spendometer to track the continuing increases.

Obama himself dodges questions about cost. “It is going to be of a size and scope that is necessary to get this economy back on track,” he said in his November 24 press conference. “I don't want to get into numbers right now.”

The question for progressives is whether to demand the details or question his choices.

Both seem premature. Political change happens with a compass, not a roadmap. Obama has clearly indicated which way he wants to lead: in the direction of clean energy, massive public investments, an exit from Iraq and “affordable, accessible health care for all Americans.” These are important and fundamentally progressive goals.

Digby sees a positive side to the appointments to political -- if not substantive -- positions. Simply using progressive language drives our country in a positive direction.

Let’s trust that those old Clinton hands will have the skills and experience to navigate the changing terrain. Obama’s job is to set a direction. Our job is to push him forwards and keep him on course.

Costs of Worn-out Iraq Equipment High

Alexander Sewell — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:33:11 -0700

The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that it will take years and cost about $200 billion to repair or replace equipment that was worn out or broken in the Iraq war.

More than $13 Billion for Iraq Reconstruction Unaccounted For

Armand Biroonak — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:06:18 -0700

A former Iraqi official recently estimated that more than $13 billion meant for reconstruction projects in Iraq was wasted or stolen through elaborate fraud schemes.

Iraq War Costs

Armand Biroonak — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0700

The federal government has authorized $656 billion for the Iraq war. Of that total, $152 billion was appropriated to fund the Iraq war during the current fiscal year. That amounts to more than $12 billion per month and $416 million per day.

Contractors Used Heavily in Iraq War

Armand Biroonak — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0700

A record number of private contractors are used in Iraq--receiving almost 20% of funding for operations or $85 billion-- these contractors are often not held accountable for their use of the money.

Suicide Bombings Increase Since War on Terror

Alexander Sewell — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Worldwide, suicide bombings have increased greatly since 2001, and 2007 was the worst year for such bombings in more than a quarter-century. Over half of all suicide bombings last year took place in U.S.-occupied Afghanistan and Iraq.