Category: Uncategorized

CIA May Taint Iraqi Elections

The Bush administration has been entertaining the idea of having the CIA support the election of Iraqi candidates. This is, of course, the best way to encourage an Iraqi democracy: take an agency synonymous with coups and assassinations, and put them in charge of getting your guy elected. For examples of how successful the CIA is at this kind of work, see Iran, Vietnam, Cambodia, Chile. In any other administration, this would be the scandal. For the Bush administration, this is small potatoes. Time

Just Guessing.

Much ink has been spilled over the Small Group of Men who hijacked a history-honed Conservative (yes, capital C) philosophy of peace-by-overwhelming-strength and reluctant engagement (see: Foreign Policy Successes, Cold War) in favor of overly-optimistic open-ended intervention (see: LBJ, Nightmares of). And much blood has been spilled over this SGM's lack of planning for post-war Iraq--- a result of an assumption that the Iraqis would, more or less, like being occupied by our benevolent angels of democracy. It's been safe to assume, up to this point, that the President and his SGM had insulated themselves from contrary views, hence a strategy based a view of the world with as much depth as a one-page briefing summary, which we know is all this President reads. (Remember folks, he's not dumb, he's just intellectually lazy). But today, Douglas Jehl and David Sanger report in the NY Times that the National Intelligence Council (the same people who brought you the "things will stay the same or get worse" study first reported on last month) gave the President an analysis in January '03 that stated, as Jehl and Sanger's summarize: "... that an American-led invasion of Iraq would increase support for political Islam and would result in a deeply divided Iraqi society prone to violent internal conflict...

Oil’s Well

One of the few ways you could (most cynically) justify our invation of Iraq was that America drives the world's economy... America therefore need a steady energy supply... Let's not be afraid to act when our interests "intersect" with our "principles".. and take that precious oil out of the hands of that, that, that madman. But that hasn't worked either. (And please don't reply saying that the only reason this is so is because of the temporary lack of security: that's the point of the post, silly.) LONDON (AFP) - World oil prices raced to new record high levels close to 50 dollars a barrel as unrest in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia alarmed traders already anxious about low oil inventories. In New York the price of light sweet crude for November delivery climbed to an all-time high point of 49.74 dollars per barrel in electronic trading, the highest level since oil began trading on the New York market in 1983. The contract smashed through the previous record peak of 49.40 dollars seen on August 20. Prices rose 67 cents to 49.55 dollars a barrel in opening deals.

Spy Imagery Agency Watching Inside U.S.

AP - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — and some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment — have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.
And formal oversight is nowhere to be found... Link

Falluja Bombing and Republican Criticism

Optimistic (D)s were temporarily enthusiastic about the three (R) Senators on the Sunday shows last weekend. The three Senators all had harsh criticisms of the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq, and a specific demand: they wanted Bush to attack the no-go zones as soon as possible, thinking that overwhelming military force would put down the insurgency. Kerry latched onto the criticism, and ignored the recommendation. Bush is following their advice. The folly of this strategy is almost comical. For other examples, see Vietnam, Palestine, and... Vietnam.