us-iraq relations

I've been thinking last few days about the invasion of Iraq and how it relates to Ukraine. We invaded Iraq because of non-existent WMDs, a non-existent nuclear program, and a non-existent connection to Al Qaeda. Why did Russia invade Ukraine? A non-existent connection to Nazism, a...

I see this claim tossed around a lot, but what actual evidence is there that the US stole Iraq's oil? Looking at the figures, the US imports less Iraqi oil now than it did prior to the 2003 invasion, nearly 50% less. Only in 2004 and 2008 did it even come close to the levels it was importing...

Recent debate has revealed some incontrovertible facts in the July 12, 2007 accidental shooting of Iraqi "journalists." From a decidedly anti-military webblog: Fact 1) Fifteen military aged Iraqi males in civilian clothing without uniform or insignia, only two of whom are identified as...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/21/world/meast/iraq-us-troops/index.html?hpt=hp_c1 I hope that they can stand on their own. But, from my discussions with the people over there, they think that the country will be overrun by insurgents when the US leaves. I truly hope that is not the case.

I saw an interesting juxtaposition of articles on CNN: Panetta vowing to get immunity for US troops in Iraq protecting them from criminal prosecution by that host country (despite the fact that Iraq is unwilling to grant it)...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/15/defector-admits-wmd-lies-iraq-war "Maybe I was right, maybe I was not right," he said. "They gave me this chance. I had the chance to fabricate something to topple the regime. I wonder if Bush & Co. even attempted to verify these claims...

I cant tell you how many times I have heard from ignorant people that there is "No way I can be deployed to Iraq because the last troops have already left!" This infuriates me. But what infuriates me even more is when the news downplays the role that we are still taking in Iraq. For example...

Despite the fact that our "combat mission" is now officially over... Considerable violence continues apace. The very destructive attack today on potential army recruits is just part of a continuing pattern.... Seems that on a weekly basis at least we hear of yet another bombing, many of which...

now with Obama in office, the amount of soldiers has been decreasing. But the question is, what now with Iraq? Staying there until there is a stability which may never come? replacing us soldiers with UN peacekeepers, which would lead to Bosnia x10? immediate withdrawal with the middle east...

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/12/14/vo.bush.shoe.pool.cnn

The Iraqi Parliament has approved the Status of Force Agreement negotiated over the last year by the Maliki and Bush administrations, meaning that all coalition troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011 at the latest. Story here...

http://www.theage.com.au/world/bush-very-pleased-with-iraq-war-outcome-report-20081123-6eqo.html I guess that, as a politician, he has to say that.

If this story is true is this illegal? http://www.nypost.com/seven/09152008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_tried_to_stall_gis_iraq_withdrawal_129150.htm Should a presidential candidate be trying to negotiate with countries even before being elected?

I'm not saying that that U.S. does or doesn't apply a double standard when it comes to terrorism, but I can certainly see why other countries can easily (and with some validity) make that claim. After all this administration does apply a double standard when it comes to the Bill of Rights...

So, what do you think would kill more people? Chlorine gas attacks or cholera? Shipments of chlorine are being held up at the Iraq border for fear that the insurgents will somehow aquire it and use in attacks. That same chlorine is desperately needed to purify the nation's water supply. Story...

Who in the US government was the ultimate source of the order to Paul Bremmer for him to disband the Iraqi Army? It would seem obvious that a decision of this importance would ultimately have derived from the president of the US, but the POTUS says it wasn't him. This article does a pretty...

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/am-cheney0813,0,6494986.story Ipsissima verba. If only 2003 Cheney listened to 1994 Cheney. I am amazed that these guys tried to lowball the required number of troops. They knew what could happen and yet they stepped into a situation from which it...

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1956573.ece 1. Yes,justice. 2. No,vengence, opening the door to hell.

What's the worse implication: that he says non-sensical things off-the-cuff, or that he was actually prep'd with this tripe by the vaunted team he's surrounded himself with? Just like the people of the United States voted against civil war in 1860?

Add Paul Bremer to the list of people in the extreme know who are critical of the Iraq effort. wa post

Washington Post Article 54 of the Geneva Convention says, "2. It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&e=9&u=/ap/cheney_terrorism HUH? WHA?!!! Is this new information? Why didn't we know this before? Are they making this up? Or do they have new evidence? Or are they merely playing to a wishful-thinking base? Where is the truth???

All things considered, the choice of a US ambassador to Iraq is a pretty important one in the grand scheme of post June 30 relations between the US and Iraq, which makes me wonder what the heck the US administration was thinking in giving the appointment to John Negroponte. Appointing someone...

Iraqi security forces not ready : US While I don't think anyone is surprised by Bremer's announcement, it will be interesting to see what response it receives in Iraq.

During the last week of chaos in Iraq, it has become clear that the Iraqi governing council, the iraqi police and the iraqi army are not singing from the same hymn sheet as the US military. The police and army refused to fight against the sunni rebels in Fallujah or against the Shia militia...

Just a rumour at present, but remember, you heard it here first. The US realises that the democracy it had thought would appear by magic isn't going to work that easily. Especially since the Iraqis are probably going to elect an Islamist government. So it will just appoint it's own leader...

Haven't seen this brought up yet here. From Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/gulfwar.asp As stated there, if only Dubya could read...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/09/14/sprj.irq.main/index.html He goes down a notch in my eyes.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2083485/ ..full article I am a cautious optimist.

From the Washington Post. Less than an hour ago.