Bedlam In Baghdad

[HARDCORE]

?Tombstone, at the height of its violent period, had nothing on Baghdad!!?

Nearly every day now, our forces are coming under violent attack from anarchistic maniacs who seek to plunge Baghdad (and indeed, all of Iraq and the Middle East) back into a Saddam-like hell of despair, death and destruction!

No Hail Mary, Shock & Awe, or even our attempts to transform Iraq into a free society, is having the desired effects (Thus far)! If Eden did indeed, spring from the loins of this region, Hell now rules in its place!!

It is obvious that our President wants us to get the hell out of "Dodge City On The Euphrates", just as quickly as possible. His move to enlist the aid of the United Nations is, I believe, geared along these lines! But it is my opinion, that no matter who tackles the show, or in what combination, this sow?s ear (Iraq), will never transform itself into a silk purse!

These people of Iraq, like many other "Middle Eastern Bastions of Depravity", are hell-bent (opinion) on their own total obliteration. And a helping hand is usually greeted by another hand, one carrying a dagger or an AK-47! And whoever inherits this mess come 2004, will without a doubt - ?INHERIT THE WINDS of CARNAGE and of HATRED! For this ill wind may only expire when the whole region, lies again in ruin and lifeless, save for the scorpions and the asps!

?God builds, and mankind destroys!!?

VERITAS

[SuperScout]

One terrorist attack does not a complete civil breakdown make. A recently completed poll, taken in several of the largest cities in Iraq, show a vast majority of citizens (85-87%) favor our actions there. Crime rates are going down, civilian employment is going up, commerce is happening, and more and more stability is bringing brought to the entire country. If the so-called journalists would report the facts, instead of their own political agenda, the American people would be surprised just how well things are going there.

[blues clues]

Let's see crime rate going down, employment going up, things are getting more stable, from what I've read in the news we got troops being ambushed almost every day,Scout take off your rose colored glasses! you can dress up a pig put lip stick on it spray it with purfume but when you are finished it is still a PIG.

razz

[HARDCORE]

BLUES CLUES et al -

"I agree with you totally!!" And as far as the media is concerned, it is they who report daily on the continuous transformation for the good (?) taking place in Iraqiville!

Of course, it is oxymoronic when one hears someone in government telling us how great things are getting, while at the same time we also receive reports of mounting casualties, ambushes and death!

I can understand the zeal of some politicos to win all of the political and martial marbles, but bull shit is cheap - it takes money to by grade A Oats! "Give it to us straight, and not the way that you want us to hear it!"

Now I too have no lost love for some yellow journalists or their wares, but facts are facts, and there ain't no bull shit about it!

"Again, right on Blues Clues!!"

VERITAS

[SuperScout]

Did I say that there weren't daily skirmishes, ambushes, and even deaths? No. But contrary to the little perfect world that you only want to dream about instead of working towards building, it takes strong, dedicated effort, sometime at great expense, to make this happen. It wasn't the government that posted the increasingly good news, but he Gallup Polling Service. In all the naysayers, hand-wringers, and white-flag wavers, I have yet to read of positive solutions, viable suggestions, or anything positive.

[catman]

blues & HC...I for one have to agree with SS. Just stop for one second and think what the headlines and evening news would sound like if every shot fired or death by violent means were reported by one news agency in this country, it would take six hours just for the evening news. You will always have a few people that hate us not matter how much good we do, just as we will always have people in this country who hate everyone who is a different color, religion, or creed that they are. Let's face facts guys, that country is on the rebound, like it or not.

Trav

[blues clues]

how short our memory are I remember a time 30 odd years ago when we had control of all the big citys and if you had have taken a poll in those citys I sure you would have gotten over half to say they were glad we were there probabily been whores but as you say this isn't a perfect world.

razz

[SuperScout]

Is that your memory of Vietnam, a land half peopled by whores? Sad. And still no positive recommendations about how to improve conditions in Iraq? Predictable.

[blues clues]

scout I never said I knew how to improve conditions in Iraq. And NO my memorys aren't of whores. WHAT would you do Col. if you was in charge over there? remembering that most of the people you see want to kill you, and not knowing which one of these good folk's would cut your heart out and feed it to the dogs. just asking.

razz

[SuperScout]

My recommendations:
1. Continue to train locals for policing functions, and increase the numbers of trainees.
2. Install 24-7 TV station with news-neutral and/or friendly broadcasting to counteract the propaganda of Al-Jaezara.
3. Quietly introduce more SO types to replace the front-line folks to further reduce our signature there.
4. Refuse to beleive the lie "that most of the people I see want to kill me", since there is no proof of this statement.
5. Continue to encouragement the maximum amount of free enterprise the economy can absorb.
6. Concentrate on upgrading the petrochemical industry infrastructure so as to make Iraq more fiscally independent.
7. Secure the petro infrastructure against sabotage.
8. Improve security around known infiltration routes. Institute a "shoot on sight" policy for infiltrators.
9. Expel most of the whining reporters, or apply Rule #8!

Many of these items are probably already happening, but this is just a few things that came to mind.