They've made it all about Bully Boy Bush as though he were still occupying the White House.
It's getting harder and harder to lie about Iraq.
Barack's been president for two terms and the Iraq War continues.
So many broken promises.
But there's also the fact that the state in Iraq has worsened and, yes, sainted Barack is responsible for that.
ESPRIT DE CORPS' Scott Taylor notes at THE CHRONICLE HERALD:
Realizing that most Sunni tribal leaders were not Islamic extremists,
Petraeus and his officers spent $400 million to secure their allegiance
against the al-Qaeda extremists.
With their support base turned against them, al-Qaeda was quickly driven from the Sunni Triangle. This temporary arrangement fell apart after the U.S. troop withdrawal in December 2011 and then Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, ignored American advice not to marginalize the Sunni tribes.
Once again sensing their livelihoods to be at stake, the predominantly secular Sunni tribes welcomed [the Islamic State] extremists back into their fold in 2014.
Taylor's a lot kinder than we would be.
Nouri was not pressured by the White House.
Nouri was allowed to do whatever he wants.
There were no conditions placed on him regarding weapons the US supplied, regarding money the US supplied, regarding . . .
No conditions at all.
And the Sunnis being paid?
They were the Sons Of Iraq, "Awakenings," Sahwa.
Call them what you want, Nouri refused to pay them.
Then ordered their arrests.
And, no surprise, Iraq went into greater turmoil.
But Barack stood with Nouri.
Even when Nouri targeted reporters, even when he targeted peaceful protesters.
The most infamous example of the latter was the April 23, 2013 massacre of a sit-in in Hawija which resulted from Nouri's federal forces storming in. Alsumaria noted Kirkuk's Department of Health (Hawija is in Kirkuk) announced 50 activists have died and 110 were injured in the assault. AFP reported the death toll eventually (as some wounded died) rose to 53 dead. UNICEF noted that the dead included 8 children (twelve more were injured).
Even that didn't turn Barack against Nouri.
US policy is not based on human rights or democracy.
US policy is based on greed.
It's imperialism plain and simple and we're all ready to spot it and identify it in history classes but when it happens in real time we want to pretend otherwise.
But, like we said, lying about Iraq is getting harder and harder -- even for The Cult of St. Barack.
Especially for The Cult of St. Barack.
With their support base turned against them, al-Qaeda was quickly driven from the Sunni Triangle. This temporary arrangement fell apart after the U.S. troop withdrawal in December 2011 and then Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, ignored American advice not to marginalize the Sunni tribes.
Once again sensing their livelihoods to be at stake, the predominantly secular Sunni tribes welcomed [the Islamic State] extremists back into their fold in 2014.
Taylor's a lot kinder than we would be.
Nouri was not pressured by the White House.
Nouri was allowed to do whatever he wants.
There were no conditions placed on him regarding weapons the US supplied, regarding money the US supplied, regarding . . .
No conditions at all.
And the Sunnis being paid?
They were the Sons Of Iraq, "Awakenings," Sahwa.
Call them what you want, Nouri refused to pay them.
Then ordered their arrests.
And, no surprise, Iraq went into greater turmoil.
But Barack stood with Nouri.
Even when Nouri targeted reporters, even when he targeted peaceful protesters.
The most infamous example of the latter was the April 23, 2013 massacre of a sit-in in Hawija which resulted from Nouri's federal forces storming in. Alsumaria noted Kirkuk's Department of Health (Hawija is in Kirkuk) announced 50 activists have died and 110 were injured in the assault. AFP reported the death toll eventually (as some wounded died) rose to 53 dead. UNICEF noted that the dead included 8 children (twelve more were injured).
Even that didn't turn Barack against Nouri.
US policy is not based on human rights or democracy.
US policy is based on greed.
It's imperialism plain and simple and we're all ready to spot it and identify it in history classes but when it happens in real time we want to pretend otherwise.
But, like we said, lying about Iraq is getting harder and harder -- even for The Cult of St. Barack.
Especially for The Cult of St. Barack.