W.'s Head in the Sand By Maureen Dowd

[rodeodance]

... At the Naval Academy, President Bush talked about how well the Iraqi security forces were fighting. He claimed that 40 Iraqi battalions were taking the lead in the fight against insurgents, and that in the battle of Tal Afar this year, "the assault was primarily led by Iraqi security forces - 11 Iraqi battalions backed by 5 coalition battalions providing support."

Anderson Cooper of CNN swiftly produced Time's Baghdad bureau chief, Michael Ware, who was embedded with the US military during the entire Tal Afar battle. "With the greatest respect to the president, that's completely wrong," Mr. Ware said, adding: "I was with Iraqi units right there on the front line as they were battling with al Qaeda. They were not leading."

He also told Mr. Cooper: "I have had a very senior officer here in Baghdad say to me that there's never going to be a point where these guys will be able to stand up against the insurgency on their own."

Mr. Ware recalled that in a battle two weeks ago, he saw an Iraqi security officer put down his weapon and curl up into a ball when he was under attack. "I have seen that on - on many, many occasions," he said........


http://select.nytimes.com/gst/tsc.html?URI=http://select.nytimes.com/2005/12/03/opinion/03dowd.html&OQ=nQ3DTopQ252fOpinionQ252fEditorialsQ2520andQ2520OpQ252dEdQ252fOpQ252dEdQ252fColumnistsQ252fMaureenQ2520Dowd&OP=44de4285Q2FQ3AuIEQ3AwZdccwQ3AQ2BQ2FQ2FhQ3AQ5CQ2BQ3AQ2FFQ3AcfQ5EQ7EQ5EcQ7EQ3AQ2FFQ3BcuQ3BkQ26w68

> W.'s Head in the Sand
> By Maureen Dowd
> The New York Times
>
> Saturday 03 December 2005

[necso]

1. Free link.

http://www.topplebush.com/oped2366.shtml

A good piece.

[occuserpens]

2. Dowd is wrong as usual

Iraqi pullout

[drdtroit]

3. You're right,

She called GWB the President, go figure?

[WhiteTara]

7. she nails "free speech"

Guess the Bush administration didn't learn anything this fall when federal auditors said it had violated the law by buying favorable news coverage of its education polices. Bush officials got right back into the fake news business, paying to plant propaganda in the Iraqi press. They outsourced this disinformation campaign to something called the Lincoln Group - have they no shame?

You have to admire Scott McClellan, the president's spokesman. He kept a straight face when he called the U.S. "a leader when it comes to promoting and advocating a free and independent media around the world." He added, "We've made our views very clear when it comes to freedom of the press."

Exceedingly clear. The Bushies don't believe in it. They disdain the whole democratic system of checks and balances.

[GrumpyGreg]

4. Can't read Dowd---she's so flakey she gives me a headache.

[Erika]

5. Iraqis curl up in balls when asked to defend their country

And why are we there? The Iraqis are not ready to defend themselves.

[Kindigger]

6. Instead of permanent bases

maybe we should be building mental health clinics. Of course, there's no reason why the Iraqis should be assuming the fetal position in battle. It's not like anyone has been bombing the sh*t out of their country and all.

But then there'd be the dilemma of putting them on medications. Are guns included in an "avoid driving or operating heavy machinery" warning? Oh yeah, I forgot "until you know how the drug affects you." It makes you feel like killing people? Good job dopes! :sarcasm:

[CJCRANE]

8. BLUF*: Neocons want to stay in Iraq

The neocons don't ever want to leave Iraq.

Condi, Cheney and Rumsfeld have stated quite clearly that it's a "generational war". They want permanent access to no-bid reconstruction, military and logisitical contracts and oil concessions.

If they could they would prefer a news blackout on fatalities in Iraq and just leave the war simmering in the background for the next 20 years.

*Bottom Line Up Front.