Bush'stradamus

[Shady]

Looks like Bush completely nailed the future of Iraq with a precipitous and irresponsible withdrawal of American troops from the region, and the failure to leave behind a residual force. This from 2007:

1. Withdrawing before our commanders tell us we are ready would be dangerous for Iraq, for the region, and for the United States.

Check!

2. It would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to Al-Qaeda.

Check!

3. It would mean we'd be risking mass killings on a horrific scale.

Check!

4. It would allow the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they lost in Afghanistan.

Check!

5. It would mean increasing the possibility that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous.

Check and check!

Heckuva job Barry. Heckuva job. Oh well, at least you had a good talking point for a little while during your re-election campaign. And that's pretty much all you give a crap about.

[Smallc]

Now imagine if Iraq had never been invaded in 2003.

[bush_cheney2004]

Damn.....why couldn't the terrorists just wait until after the U.S. midterm elections !

[On Guard for Thee]

Same reason Bush was bound and bent to go into Iraq. Praise the lord and pass tha ammo.

[waldo]

Now imagine if Iraq had never been invaded in 2003.

it had to be done! Sadam, all those Iraqi plane hijackers and the Iraqi Al Qaeda cells needed payback for 9/11...

[On Guard for Thee]

I really wish he would have held off. I was getting paid well and having a very interesting/fun time in Baghdad up until about 2 days before the bombs started falling. The food was great and the streets were safe.

[waldo]

I really wish he would have held off. I was getting paid well and having a very interesting/fun time in Baghdad up until about 2 days before the bombs started falling. The food was great and the streets were safe.

your post made me think of an Iraqi blogger I followed; I've referred to her in the '10 year anniversary' MLW thread. She blogged from late 2003 on through to 2007 and didn't resurface again until the same anniversary... leaving a single blog entry (never returning since). Her last blog speaks of the same, "before times": "We are learning that those amenities we took for granted before 2003, you know- the luxuries – electricity, clean water from faucets, walkable streets, safe schools – those are for deserving populations. Those are for people who don’t allow occupiers into their country."

and yes, I will take the liberty of quoting her entire last 10-year anniversary blog update:

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Ten Years On...

April 9, 2013 marks ten years since the fall of Baghdad. Ten years since the invasion. Since the lives of millions of Iraqis changed forever. It’s difficult to believe. It feels like only yesterday I was sharing day to day activities with the world. I feel obliged today to put my thoughts down on the blog once again, probably for the last time.

In 2003, we were counting our lives in days and weeks. Would we make it to next month? Would we make it through the summer? Some of us did and many of us didn't.

Back in 2003, one year seemed like a lifetime ahead. The idiots said, “Things will improve immediately.” The optimists were giving our occupiers a year, or two… The realists said, “Things won’t improve for at least five years.” And the pessimists? The pessimists said, “It will take ten years. It will take a decade.”

Looking back at the last ten years, what have our occupiers and their Iraqi governments given us in ten years? What have our puppets achieved in this last decade? What have we learned?

We learned a lot.

We learned that while life is not fair, death is even less fair- it takes the good people. Even in death you can be unlucky. Lucky ones die a ‘normal’ death… A familiar death of cancer, or a heart-attack, or stroke. Unlucky ones have to be collected in bits and pieces. Their families trying to bury what can be salvaged and scraped off of streets that have seen so much blood, it is a wonder they are not red.

We learned that you can be floating on a sea of oil, but your people can be destitute. Your city can be an open sewer; your women and children can be eating out of trash dumps and begging for money in foreign lands.

We learned that justice does not prevail in this day and age. Innocent people are persecuted and executed daily. Some of them in courts, some of them in streets, and some of them in the private torture chambers.

We are learning that corruption is the way to go. You want a passport issued? Pay someone. You want a document ratified? Pay someone. You want someone dead? Pay someone.

We learned that it’s not that difficult to make billions disappear.

We are learning that those amenities we took for granted before 2003, you know- the luxuries – electricity, clean water from faucets, walkable streets, safe schools – those are for deserving populations. Those are for people who don’t allow occupiers into their country.

We’re learning that the biggest fans of the occupation (you know who you are, you traitors) eventually leave abroad. And where do they go? The USA, most likely, with the UK a close second. If I were an American, I’d be outraged. After spending so much money and so many lives, I’d expect the minor Chalabis and Malikis and Hashimis of Iraq to, well, stay in Iraq. Invest in their country. I’d stand in passport control and ask them, “Weren’t you happy when we invaded your country? Weren’t you happy we liberated you? Go back. Go back to the country you’re so happy with because now, you’re free!”

We’re learning that militias aren’t particular about who they kill. The easiest thing in the world would be to say that Shia militias kill Sunnis and Sunni militias kill Shia, but that’s not the way it works. That’s too simple.

We’re learning that the leaders don’t make history. Populations don’t make history. Historians don’t write history. News networks do. The Foxes, and CNNs, and BBCs, and Jazeeras of the world make history. They twist and turn things to fit their own private agendas.

We’re learning that the masks are off. No one is ashamed of the hypocrisy anymore. You can be against one country (like Iran), but empowering them somewhere else (like in Iraq). You can claim to be against religious extremism (like in Afghanistan), but promoting religious extremism somewhere else (like in Iraq and Egypt and Syria).

Those who didn’t know it in 2003 are learning (much too late) that an occupation is not the portal to freedom and democracy. The occupiers do not have your best interests at heart.

We are learning that ignorance is the death of civilized societies and that everyone thinks their particular form of fanaticism is acceptable.

We are learning how easy it is to manipulate populations with their own prejudices and that politics and religion never mix, even if a super-power says they should mix.

But it wasn’t all a bad education…

We learned that you sometimes receive kindness when you least expect it. We learned that people often step outside of the stereotypes we build for them and surprise us. We learned and continue to learn that there is strength in numbers and that Iraqis are not easy to oppress. It is a matter of time…

And then there are things we'd like to learn...

Ahmed Chalabi, Iyad Allawi, Ibrahim Jaafari, Tarek Al Hashemi and the rest of the vultures, where are they now? Have they crawled back under their rocks in countries like the USA, the UK, etc.? Where will Maliki be in a year or two? Will he return to Iran or take the millions he made off of killing Iraqis and then seek asylum in some European country? Far away from the angry Iraqi masses…

What about George Bush, Condi, Wolfowitz, and Powell? Will they ever be held accountable for the devastation and the death they wrought in Iraq? Saddam was held accountable for 300,000 Iraqis... Surely someone should be held accountable for the million or so?

Finally, after all is said and done, we shouldn't forget what this was about - making America safer... And are you safer Americans? If you are, why is it that we hear more and more about attacks on your embassies and diplomats? Why is it that you are constantly warned to not go to this country or that one? Is it better now, ten years down the line? Do you feel safer, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis out of the way (granted half of them were women and children, but children grow up, right?)?

And what happened to Riverbend and my family? I eventually moved from Syria. I moved before the heavy fighting, before it got ugly. That’s how fortunate I was. I moved to another country nearby, stayed almost a year, and then made another move to a third Arab country with the hope that, this time, it’ll stick until… Until when? Even the pessimists aren’t sure anymore. When will things improve? When will be able to live normally? How long will it take?

For those of you who are disappointed reality has reared its ugly head again, go to Fox News, I'm sure they have a reportage that will soothe your conscience.

For those of you who have been asking about me and wondering how I have been doing, I thank you. "Lo khuliyet, qulibet..." Which means "If the world were empty of good people, it would end." I only need to check my emails to know it won't be ending any time soon.

[On Guard for Thee]

This is quite interesting. Of course as an Iraqi she would know far better than I. I was only there as a sort of "lookey loo" But my lookey loo job involved searching for those WMD and it was a tad ironic I guess that the last job I did was with an American inspector who was trying to get photo proof back to...U know where, to prove Sadam didn't have a certain type of missile that could breach the 150 km range the UN sanctions allowed him to have with a missliel that may have had a 180 km range. He was in a panic of sorts telling me we must hurry as if I don't get these photos off soon.......I can't say much more but you get the picture. I was in Larnaca 2 days later.

But yep, the streets were safe, restaurants were full, kids played on their way to and from school, the roundabouts were full to overflowing each morning and evening.

We all know what's left now.

I will enjoy digesting the full post you sent with my first pot of coffee tomorrow.

Many thanks.

[bush_cheney2004]

Saddam's Iraq was a real paradise, especially for anyone who opposed him. Just count the mass graves....very happy in death.

[On Guard for Thee]

And count 'em now.

[BubberMiley]

It's amazing that people could be so terribly wrong and still try to argue they were right.

[cybercoma]

Now imagine if Iraq had never been invaded in 2003.

Scoreboard!

[bush_cheney2004]

Bush not only achieved the previously stated policy and public law for regime change in Iraq, but he also got regime change in Canada as a bonus.

[cybercoma]

Amazing! policies and public law over other sovereign states. Only in 'Murica.

Edited September 12, 2014 by cybercoma

[bush_cheney2004]

It is quite remarkable.....not only was there regime change in Canada, but now RCAF cargo aircraft are running guns and supplies to Iraqis. Bush was right after all !

[eyeball]

Looks like Bush completely nailed the future of Iraq with a precipitous and irresponsible withdrawal of American troops from the region, and the failure to leave behind a residual force. This from 2007:

No, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain and long before the withdrawal, that Iraq the ME and surrounding region would be rendered even more dysfunctional due to the precipitous irresponsible invasion of Iraq. It looks like you still refuse to get that.

Edited September 12, 2014 by eyeball

[Argus]

No, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain and long before the withdrawal, that Iraq the ME and surrounding region would be rendered even more dysfunctional due to the precipitous irresponsible invasion of Iraq. It looks like you still refuse to get that.

And if anyone thinks Afghanistan will be any better, they're kidding themselves.

[bush_cheney2004]

No, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain and long before the withdrawal, that Iraq the ME and surrounding region would be rendered even more dysfunctional due to the precipitous irresponsible invasion of Iraq. It looks like you still refuse to get that.

That's why the U.S. is still in Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

[Wilber]

Looks like Bush completely nailed the future of Iraq with a precipitous and irresponsible withdrawal of American troops from the region, and the failure to leave behind a residual force. This from 2007:

Bit late. Bush nailed the future of Iraq in 2003.

[WWWTT]

Notice how all these predictions are about bad things that are supposed to happen?

Nobody seems to be interested about predictions of good things that will happen in the future.

WWWTT

[dre]

There may be a reason to use the "Bush'stradamus" title. But it would be applies to Goerge HW Bush, not George W Bush.

Heres what George HW Bush said after GW1.

"Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land." -- George H. W. Bush, in his 1998 memoir A World Transformed

Now theres a little bit of prescience! Fact is everyone with half a brain knew how the invasion was going to turn out.

But to assign any credit though to the Bush JR administration for his ability to predict? PURE COMEDY GOLD.

The troops would be greeted as liberators! Remember that?

The war would pay for itself with oil revenues! Remember that?

The war would last for "maybe six months and cost a few million dollars"! Remember that?

This OP is really piece of comedy! A real chuckler. It might be the dumbest thing posted on here since the "Obama traitor" thread, or that "Putin is Hitler and Stalin combined!" Shady, youre gonna need a bigger cabinet for all those face-palm awards!

Edited September 12, 2014 by dre

[On Guard for Thee]

Yep a lot of lives and treasure could have been saved if Bush Sr. had of taken the wayward son to the woodshed for a lesson on how to conduct yourself accordingly (and Legally)

[GostHacked]

Yeah it's not like some here actually predicted this at the same time Bush apparently did. But one must chalk it up to his speechwriter.

[GostHacked]

Notice how all these predictions are about bad things that are supposed to happen?

Nobody seems to be interested about predictions of good things that will happen in the future.

WWWTT

What are those good things you talk of?

[WWWTT]

Holy freek someone is actually interested in a good thing that may happen in the future!

I have to admit you have taken me off guard here GH?!

A rescindingly non aggressive NATO policy would be a good start.

I'm sure there's lots more if someone gave it some thought.

WWWTT