GW Bush, 2007, predicting with pinpoint accuracy, exactly what has happened to Iraq because of Barack Obama.

“To begin withdrawing before our commanders tell us we are ready … would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to al Qaeda.    It would mean that we’d be risking mass killings on a horrific scale. It would mean we’d allow the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they lost in Afghanistan.     It would mean increasing the probability that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous,”

When caught in a lie, this Administration just keeps telling the same old lie. What their strategy is for doing so, is beyond a reasonable explanation that does not indict this Administration for political fraud.

Understand this,  we have been driven out of Yemen,  totally.  The Embassy is closed,  our personnel had to run for their lives, the government we supported is gone,  and all our capabilities as to intelligence gathering have been destroyed   . . . . .    and in the face of this,  the Administration wants you to believe that they are successful in their anti-terror strategies. 

You simply cannot define "Losers" in more graphic and specific ways than what has happened in Yemen since Obama declared that country to be an example of his foreign policy in the Middle East  . . .   and this is the 10th such such example of "Loser" I can think of,  off the top of my head  (the red line inSyria,  Egypt/Jordan alliance to our exclusion,  the utter collapse of Iraq, the failed war in Afghanistan,  the Bergdahl exchange that re-enforced the leadership of the Taliban while we are at war with that terror group,  the utter collapse of Libya, the disgraceful fall of our Benghazi Embassy,   the Egyptian/Saudi alliance to our exclusion, the nuclear advances Iran has made while Obama lives in our White House,  and his idiotic and near criminal treatment of best ally in the Middle East.  

Sadly,  Yemen is a perfect example of Obama's Middle East policies    . . . .     absolutely perfect.  

Setting the record straight: Death totals in the 5 year Iraqi war.

The grand lie told by the Marxist Left as to the total number of casualties in Bush's Iraqi War (2003 - 2008) is that upwards of 1 million civilians died at the hands of George Bush and his military.  The Marxist Left offers no numbers for those killed by the Muslim jihadist nor does the Marxist Left allow for a significant number of deaths to the Jihad terror community.  Clearly,  Marxists have no regard for either the truth or the facts.   On this blog,  I use the following numbers:  4500 American soldiers killed in five years,  the lowest death rate for a full blown war in world history.  Our soldiers killed 43,000 Jihadists.  Sadly, some 66,000 civilians were killed,  most died at the hands of the jihadist and terror groups coming out of Iran and an unknown number via US air raids.  Half of the American deaths were at the hands of Iranian terror groups.  The Iraq War Log is my source.

Source	Documented deaths from violence	Time period
Associated Press	110,600 violent deaths.	March 2003 to April 2009
Iraq Body Count project	112,667–123,284 civilian deaths from violence. 174,000civilian and combatant deaths.	March 2003 to March 2013
Classified Iraq War Logs	109,032 deaths including 66,081 civilian deaths.	January 2004 to December 2009

Iraq calls Obama's bluff, and introduces the beginnings of a more inclusive government.

ISIS doing what it does best while
Obama plays golf and parties

37 share

40 is our goal

No strategy of any kind.  Dropping food for a few days and leaving hundreds,  if not thousands,  behind in the mountains near Irbal, in northern Iraq are not strategies.  Turns out the only reason Obama did any bombing or offered any humanitarian aid,  was the direct result of the angry outpouring of thousands,  tweeting the WH,  on the evening the news hit,  that "40,000 were trapped and waiting certain death" at the hands of ISIS,  a week ago  - an national/angry response that Obama do something.

Understand that Obama only thinks in terms of word games and
political implications.  He has repeatedly said,  "I will not be drawn back into Iraq,"  and, yet,  here we are,  facing an Iraq that Obama claimed was "strong and stable," falling apart, with half this nation occupied by the ISIS forces immediately north of Baghdad.  Obama new about this threat a year ago,  and refused to do anything about the evolving reality.  In January, he laughed and called ISIS, "J.V.," and in so doing,  revealed the feckless scope of his intelligence agencies and his own immaturity as a military leader.  He could have killed this enemy without fear of "collateral" damage or injury,  as this army traveled from one city to another,  marching in broad daylight,  through the unprotected deserts of Iraq.  But,  as is his M.O.,  he decided to wait,  hoping the problem would go away.   It did not,  and now, we have lost all of the advantage we had at the end of the Iraqi war and we have some 2,000 embassy employees and 900 troops in country,  folks that cannot be deserted.

Yesterday,  the Iraqi government announced a move that could lead to a more inclusive government as Milaki agreed to step down as the Prime Minister.  His replacement has already been announced.  In making this announcement and meeting the requirements of the United States,  the Iraqi government has put the ball back in Obama's court.

Obama's singular condition for offering more military aid to Iraq,  has been realized.  In a sense,  Iraq has called Obama's bluff.  Understand that he is getting pressure from both the Right and the moderate Left,  to do more to stem the tide of ISIS,  while having to deal with the marked disappointment of his do-nothing,  Pacifist Left,  a cllective in our country,  who cares nothing for the humanitarian needs of the oppressed   . . . .   nothing.

More than this,  the headlines of yesterday,  (Thursday,  the 14th) told us that Congressional Democrats are openly complaining of an Administration that is no longer communicating and including them in its  decision making process.  

And all this in the context of an Administration that is running out of time and options in Iraq.  Will Obama listen to and follow the advice of his military advisers?  Will he abandon the hundreds of Yazidi's remaining in the mountains,  fearing for their lives?  How will he get the 2,000 to 3,000 embassy workers in Baghdad,  out of country?  What about our embassy in northern Iraq and the city of Irbal?  And finally,  what about the safety and mission of the 900 troops in that country?

So we must wait to see the script for another Obama Drama.

The Commander In Chief, standing on the sidelines with a 60% disapproval rating within the military, might have no choice but to return to Iraq, militarily. Here is why.

42 share

40 is our goal

As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq. American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there’s no American military solution to the larger crisis there  ~ Barack Obama, August 9, 2014.

Update:  a mere 6 hours after posting this review,  we have the news of the escape of the those thousands,  trapped in the mountains near Mosul,  and, Obama's stated long-term commitment to air support within Iraq.  

Editor’s notes:  Maybe Obama has been too busy planning his extended vacation or playing golf,   or partying to understand just what kind of mess he has created in Iraq.  Besides pretending that he won the war on terror,  he imported special forces into Iraq,  when this latest crisis manifested itself,  and has a total of some 700 troops in that country,  despite reports of 300 to 400.  The absolute worst thing that can happen to the political future of this feckless Administration would be the deaths of any of these 700.  

No doubt ISIS knows they are in Iraq, and,  while they are not close to over-running Baghdad,  if they flood the capital with water from the damn up in Mosul,  and,  retake the Baghdad airport,  they could trap our forces,  or,  so goes my fantasy scenario.  I think I can safely say,  that,  as regards Iraq and ISIS,  anything is possible.  For certain,  our troops are in grave danger.    Obama simply cannot allow any negative reality with regards to these men.  As things stand at this moment,  he has no choice but to get “dragged back into Iraq” if our troops become potential victims of the terrorist state.  

More than this,  he has no plan for action in Iraq. Time and time again,  during the past week,  his minions have been unable to articulate anything that vaguely resembles a plan of action,  when asked by members of the press.  And THAT is why our men are in harms way  -  they are in Iraq without a comprehensive plan that has been embraced by their Commander.  Of course,  our military people know what must be done,  but will Obama accept their opinion(s) and act with haste, should this become necessary?  He is a know-nothing when it comes to waging war,  but that has not stopped him from denying qualified, military advice,   in the past.  

We are left with a hope and prayer for our men. 
___________________

After Notes and the division within the Democrat Party.

Headlines taken from Memeorandum.com: 

CNN:
Obama: No timetable for Iraq airstrikes   Find

35 minutes ago

Martin Matishak / The Hill:
Feinstein: ‘It takes an army to defeat an army’   Find

35 minutes ago

Tom Williams / Roll Call:
Feinstein Warns of Risk of ISIL Attack on America, Says Must Be Confronted   Find

2 hours ago

Kristina Wong / The Hill:
Left frets over Iraq mission creep   Find

You do know that the IS rebels currently occupying most of Northern Iraq (because of our cut and run Middle East policy) were armed by the Obama government in the early days of the Syrian civil war.

<<< Before IS,  approximately 1 million Christians lived in Iraq.  Today,  that number is down to 400,000 all because of a man-made religion that preaches hate and death.  

Last week in Iraq:  

(1)  It is being reported that a small Sunni town,  north of Baghdad,  has been leveled as a warning to all who would resist IS.  Most of us on the Right and a few on the Left knew this sort of thing was going to happen.  How come Obama and his crack intelligence agencies,  did not see this coming  -  wasn't the NY Times delivered,  that day?  

(2)  More than this,  500,000 Christians in Mosul,  have fled that city,  Iraq's second largest,  in the face of a weekend dead line  -  and we do mean "dead" line - that ordered all Christians to renounce their faith,  repent and pay taxes and fines or be butchered by IS.  The takeover of Mosul appears to irreversible, and,  to think,  Christians have been in Mosul since the days of Christ on Earth,  far longer than the man-made religion of Islam.  

Again,  thanks to the do-nothing policies of the current "administration,"  too busy playing golf,  vacationing,  running evening parties at the WH,  wearing thousand dollar dresses and eating the most expensive fish eggs available,  raising money and giving speeches  . . . . . .  you know,  doing all the things a president is hired to do.  Thanks,  again.  

No question, if Iraq is not rescued, its failure will be a part of the Obama Legacy. Doubt me? Read what the Left has to say about Iraq.

27 share

Blame The Obama Doctrine For Iraq

Obama keeps trying to blame Maliki, but his administration left Baghdad vulnerable so he could claim in 2012 he’d ended the war he’d opposed all along.

The question “Who lost Iraq?” will inspire discussion, debate, and deconstruction by American foreign policy experts and practitioners for generations to come. And with good reason: the implosion of Iraq and the expansion of al-Qaeda-inspired militant movements across the heart of the Middle East represents the type of monumental setback for American foreign policy not seen since the Cold-War-era debates over “who lost China” and “who lost Vietnam.”

But while determining who (or what) is most responsible for the current Iraq debacle is important, of greater significance is figuring out what it means for America’s broader role in the world, and for an Obama White House that still has more than two years left on the ledger.

By any measure, the outlook appears grim. Indeed, Iraq is simply the most recent foreign policy calamity for an administration obsessed with reducing America’s role in the world. There is still time for a course correction. But for that to happen the administration needs to become far less concerned with winning the political “blame game” over Iraq, and focus on restoring America’s flailing global leadership.

It certainly does not inspire confidence that the White House is now in full defensive mode on Iraq, seeking to absolve itself of any responsibility for the stunning turn of events. The administration is of course blaming former president George W. Bush for starting the war in the first place (obviously true—but large bipartisan majorities in Congress also voted for the war). It is also trying to lay all blame on the Iraqi government for supposedly rejecting a proposal to leave behind a residual U.S. troop presence in Iraq after the prior Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) expired at the end of 2011  . . . . .  you can finish this article at The Daily Beast,  on of the Left's largest and more favorite sites.  

A comprehensive status report on Iraq, the ISIS invasion, and the collapse of Obama's Middle East theory/policy.

37 share

<<<  The New Reconstituted Iraq but with Baghdad a part of the "Shias" region.  Most observers do not believe Baghdad will fall.  Neither do they believe Iraq will ever be the same.  The Kurds, seeking independence for more than 100 years, now have Kirkuk and their own region of the world.  They will not want to return to the earlier Iraq.  Mosul, Tikrit,  Ramadi (40 miles from the capitol) and 12 other Sunni populated cities are in the hands of ISIS.   The Shiite population represents 60% of Iraqi's.  They have Baghdad and the oil fields in Southern Iraq.  

Update:  ISIS has captured more than 100 tanks,  700 military Humvee's, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammo,  and hundreds of ground to air, Stinger missiles.  Much of this weaponry is being sent (by ISIS) back into Syria to give aid to the Sunni rebels waging war against the Syrian government  . . . .  one band of pathological murderers warring against another band of pathological murderers.   When ISIS left NW Syria,  this army was worth around 35 million. Three months later,  it's worth is closer to 3 billion dollars or more.  (Updated note:  this last number has been revised down to less than 1 billion making ISIS [still]  the best financed terror army in the world.  If we count in newly acquired property and equipment,  we can safely add another billion dollars to their overall worth).   

Today,  June 18,  ISIS stands 40 miles from Baghdad, with 10,000 to 12,000 forces,  having taken over the Sunni population of Iraq,  15  Iraqi cities in total.  There is doubt that the capitol can be taken by this Radicalized Sunni army,  but it appears that Iraq is  forever (or for a time well into the future),  changed,  ISIS having taken over a third of the country, all of norther Syria and continues to aid the fighting in southern Syria.  

While ISIS has been wildly successful in taking Sunni populated cities out of the hands of Iraqi control,  it faces virtually all of the remaining Iraqi military in the one city of Baghdad.  The word is out,  if you are a Shiite Muslim and ISIS takes your city,  you are dead. 

There is no where to run,  if Baghdad falls.   The Iraqi,  Shiite populated Military,  out numbers ISIS 100 to 1,  with the Shiite populated Iranian army moving into Iraq to help stop the advances of this band of degenerate murderers.  (Iran is responsible for the deaths of more than 1500 Americans in Iraq,  a third of the death count in the 5 year war).  

 President Nuri al-Maliki with Biden.

 Numbers do not tell the whole story,  however.  You should know that Iraq's military has an overwhelming morale problem,  with many Shiites no longer trusting its government and its president,  Nuri al-Maliki.  When Bush left the presidency,  he left behind a free Iraq,  complete with a new constitution,  a voting population,  and a balanced government with Kurds,  Sunni and Shiites all represented.  So strong, in fact,  that Obama decided to take credit for the success of the Iraqi effort, just 12 months into his presidency.   Maliki has been a terrible president,  failing in as comprehensive a manner as our own "president."  

While the Left argues that Obama tried to reach a "Status of Forces" agreement,  with Iraq,  you should know that he was no more in favor of leaving a substantive residual force in Iraq than he is in Afghanistan.  His military generals,  especially General Austin,  wanted a Status force of 23,000 to protect the gains made by the Bush Administration.  Obama could not care less for the sacrifices of the nearly 4500 soldiers who died in the five year war,  or, in the security of the region.  His actions prove the point.  

As a result,  he refused General Austin,  and in subsequent decisions,  reduced the suggested Status force to a ridiculous 3,000 unit force,  which would  remain in Iraq for two years   . . . . .  none of this in line with what one could call a "Status of Forces" treatise requirement.   Smoke and mirrors from Obama.   The world is watching his Middle East policies go up in smoke while he stands in front of a mirror,  somewhere,  plotting his next White House party or funding raising night on the town.  

10 times the size of any other embassy in the world,  this $700 million
facility was designed to be an intelligence center for terror activity in
the region.  Since Obama does not believe that a war on terror is being
waged,  he has abandoned this critical tool effort.  We are seeing the end
game to his irrational behavior as president.  

Finally,  Obama has sent in 100 troops to advise the Iraq military,  and another 275 soldiers to protect the US Embassy in Baghdad.  4,000 Americans remain in that compound,  the size of 80 football fields,  costing $700 to 1 billion dollars,  designed to be the anti-terror, intelligence hub for the US. in that region.    Obama has abandoned this critical strategy,  as he over-sees a complete reversal of all that the US accomplished in Iraq.  

Have the 375 soldiers been sent on a suicide mission,  into the heart of Iraq?  Certainly,  Obama did does not have this as his plan,  but,  then,  again,  he is a very stupid man.  

God help our people,  civilian and military,  remaining in Iraq.  
_______________
You might be interested in this WaPost article,  as well: 

 Obama's Iraq disaster - The Washington Post

www.washingtonpost.com/...iraq.../2014/.../715139...

The Washington Post

2 days ago - This is a mess of the president's own making. ... Now in 2014, as Iraqdescends into chaos, Democrats are trying to blame the fiasco on — you ...

Also, 

Wall Street Journal:

The Collapsing Obama Doctrine  —  Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many.  —  As the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threaten Baghdad, thousands of slaughtered Iraqis in their wake, it is worth recalling a few 

"Spy Drone Down !!" -- such typifies Obama's Iranian strategy.

This is the spy drone that went down in Western Iraq.  Obviously,  it was not shot down,  nor did it return to its base as it was programmed to do when a communications failure occurs.  Mysteriously,  there were a number of redundant/fail-safe systems embedded in its software to insure that it would either return or destroy itself, all of which failed.     Rather than return  to safety,  it successfully accomplished its own "soft landing."  Instead of immedicately charging in and destroying this top secret craft -- the Iranians did not know where it went down for hours, but we did -- Obama sat on his butt,  fearful of making a mistake (we are giving him the benefit of the doubt),  and allowed this aircraft to be taken into Iranian/Russian custody.

From what we are able to piece together,  we know of two top secret aspects to this aircraft:  the first is its paint.  Turns out that the paint is especially designed to render the craft   "stealth."  It is believed that no other nation on earth has this formula  ---  until now, until Obama.

Secondly,  its ability to "see" in the clearest of detail,  exceeds any technology in the world  --- until now, until Obama.

It is back in the news  because Iran has announced  its intentions to replicate the drone,  as it delves into its systems and software. If Iran can pull this experiment off and,  with its  nuclear program finally in place,  it could become the most potent military power in the Middle East.   And to think, this could have all been avoided with a little bit of leadership.  Long after Obama is gone,  Iran will be with us and every bit the maniacal power it is today.

When we consider that Obama's mouth has benefited Iran's nuclear advancement,  roll that fact into his refusal to help during the Green Revolution and add the giving of the spy drone gift to this enemy,  one seriously wonders which side he is really on.

Is he that stupid or is the issue much more complicated than that?