The Iraq Invasion Occupation Disaster
"In June, the President declared, 'The Iraqi people have their
country back.' Just last week, he told us: 'This country is
headed toward democracy... Freedom is on the march.'
But the administration's own official intelligence estimate,
given to the President last July, tells a very different story.
According to press reports, the intelligence estimate totally
contradicts what the President is saying to the American
people.
So do the facts on the ground.
Security is deteriorating, for us and for the Iraqis.
42 Americans died in Iraq in June -- the month before the
handover. But 54 died in July...66 in August... and already 54
halfway through September.
And more than 1,100 Americans were wounded in August -
more than in any other month since the invasion.
We are fighting a growing insurgency in an ever widening
war-zone. In March, insurgents attacked our forces 700
times. In August, they attacked 2,700 times - a 400%
increase.
Falluja...Ramadi... Samarra ... even parts of Baghdad - are
now 'no go zones'... breeding grounds for terrorists who are
free to plot and launch attacks against our soldiers. The
radical Shi'a cleric, Moktada al-Sadr, who's accused of
complicity in the murder of Americans, holds more sway in
the suburbs of Baghdad.
Violence against Iraqis... from bombings to kidnappings to
intimidation ... is on the rise.
Basic living conditions are also deteriorating.
Residents of Baghdad are suffering electricity blackouts
lasting up to 14 hours a day.
Raw sewage fills the streets, rising above the hubcaps of our
Humvees. Children wade through garbage on their way to
school.
Unemployment is over 50 percent. Insurgents are able to find
plenty of people willing to take $150 for tossing grenades at
passing U.S. convoys.
Today, warlords again control much of [Afghanistan], the
Taliban is regrouping, opium production is at an all time high
and the Al Qaeda leadership still plots and plans, not only
there but in 60 other nations. Instead of using U.S. forces, we
relied on the warlords to capture Osama bin Laden when he
was cornered in the mountains. He slipped away. We then
diverted our focus and forces from the hunt for those
responsible for September 11th in order invade Iraq.
We know Iraq played no part in September 11 and had no
operational ties to Al Qaeda."
Demo Presidential Candidate John Kerry
"Leading members of President George W. Bush's Republican
party have criticised mistakes and 'incompetence' in his Iraq
policy and called for an urgent ground offensive to retake
insurgent sanctuaries.
In appearances on news talk shows, Republican senators also
urged Bush to be more open with the American public after
the disclosure of a classified CIA report that gave a gloomy
outlook for Iraq and raised the possibility of civil war.
"The fact is, we're in deep trouble in Iraq ... and I think we're
going to have to look at some recalibration of policy,"
Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said on CBS's
"Face the Nation" on Sunday.
"We made serious mistakes," said Senator John McCain, an
Arizona Republican who has campaigned at Bush's side this
year after patching up a bitter rivalry.
Reuters UK
Intuitive*Analysis
Pray For All The Innocents Who Are Caught Up In This
Incredible Human Hardship May Democracy Freedom
Peace And Intelligent Leadership Move Into This
Situation Now
10:37:42 PM
