In September 2002, I sent letters to multiple heads of states, including President George Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and even President Saddam Hussein, urging them each to resolve their issues with civil negotiation and not war.
I received a few responses. Blair's office was notable in that he didn't even send out a form letter with his signature on it. His response came from Stuart Mortlock of the Direct Communications Unit at 10 Downing Street and gave no explanation of the Prime Minister's position, saying only, "He [Mr. Blair] does appreciate the time people take to write to him and has asked me to assure you that the points you make will be carefully considered."
President Bush didn't respond for quite a few months, until after the war was underway, but at least he gave his reasons, writing, "In Iraq, we sought to remove a threat to our security and to free the Iraqi people from oppression. Saddam Hussein's regime has ended and the Iraqi people are regaining control of their own country and future. Pockets of resistance still remain."
Ah, yes. Just a few pesky pockets to button up, and then all will be right with the world...
It makes me cry to look at my original letter--and see that every concern that I had about war against Iraq happened--exactly as I was afraid that it might...
IMEMC , the publisher of this article, had its office raided in Beit Sahoura in the Occupied Territories by the IDF at 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning on 10/11/15.
Blair is one of the most disastrous politicians in modern British history. Not only did he jump on board Bush's Iraq fraud, but he also reduced the Labor Party to ruins.
Don't think Syrian Arab Sunnis will be as upset with the US as their Iraqi Sunni counterparts if the Kurds roll in Raqqa as compared to Shiites rolling into Mosul. Greater religious animosity in Iraq than there is ethnic animosity in Syria, I think at least from what I read in regards to their attitudes to different groups like Kurds compared to Shiites...
What I like reading in your comments is not only your often different perspective and your years of knowledge, but that you always remind us of the religious and tribal factors that must be taken into consideration with everything in the Middle East.
Many in the U.S. just want to simply ramp-up America's military involvement in the region, but they fail to understand what that means in terms of who America is attacking and supporting (Shia and/or Sunni) and what that would mean to the broader religious populations.
When I gave up eating meat 45 years ago, some of my closest friends warned me that if I went on with it I would probably be dead within the year. 'It's the Law of Nature' they told me, 'kill or be killed'. ' I don't like it', I told them 'all the cruelty involved, I don't care if I die, I just don't want it to go on and I'll have no part of it'. Well 45 years later I am still alive, but there was a 'downside' : I still have the same weight that I had 45 years ago while my friends have gotten very fat.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu has recently announced his readiness to re-enter negotiations"
Anyone who believes that is extraordinarily naive .... netanyahu believes in greater Israel ... he is also a thief (having stolen parts for nuclear weapons) and a liar (having said for 20 years that Iran is "weeks" away from having a nuclear bomb. His and the likud ambition is to destroy their neighbours using US money and US lives and when that is accomplished mossad will create a false flag to justify expelling Palestinians and expanding their borders. All political analysts know this apart from those who are paid to deflect and mislead public understanding of the truth.
If nothing else this plan should be more cost-effective than the recently closed $500 million training of five Syrian fighters. That is, if we don't factor in the costs of escalation. Who knows what they will be?
SATSQ: No. "Category One" just means that some risk has been proven. The risk is estimated at about 15% of that of cigarettes and is higher from processed meat.
The US has decided to bomb Syria without an invitation or a Security Council Resolution. That makes it as illegal under international law as the Iraq invasion.
The Syrians found themselves in the same positon as anyone who finds their home invaded by armed thugs - best to acquiesce to their presence lest you further irritate them Especially if some factions amongst the thugs are openly advocating shooting the homeowner.
The Russians are there now - if the foreign minister reversed his blessing, would the Western coalition obediently withdraw?
As for the special ops - the press after initial scathing remarks on Russian military ineptitude have now gone quiet. Could it be the pressure is on the US to match Russian success?
The report was highly misleading. The 18% increase (for example) is 18% of a very small number since most people die of things other than colon cancer.
By contrast, according to NBC News last night, the increased risk of smoking, I don't recall if it was a pack a day but something like that, is 2000%. Even on a very small number (nonsmokers don't often contract lung cancer) that's a huge increase and is one of the several reasons why a lifelong smoking habit is one of the leading preventable causes of death.
in the meantime, Turkish troops have attacked YPG positions IN Syria. What one member of NATO does is undone by another. It would serve USA interests to convince its Turkish allies to limit themselves to attack PKK IN Turkey, rather than risk sending troops to Syria and Iraq.
They are apparently still 'deliberations' and will probably stay that way. My reading is Obama is slipping his hand under Putin's blanket while seeking to appear to be busily engaged in something quite other.
It is certainly more sincere and useful than anything the Axis of Jihad has to offer. ( The Axis of Jihad is composed of the DC FedRegime, the European Capitals, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and all their little head-chopping cannibal liver-eating rebel mascots currently operating in Syria.
Such an offer by Russia is at least as plausible as the US pretense to promote democracy everywhere it has in fact left its signature of murder, destruction, and oligarchy. But clearly that is no more likely in Syria than in Iraq or Afghanistan. And it is no more likely in the US gangster state, where only corrupt opportunists gain power with the mass media and elections controlled by the oligarchy of money.
"Utopian public justice" maybe virtuous. On balance, however, a partial body shot is reasonably sustainable, given the pervasive ramifications on a knocked-out status quo.
I think you nailed it.
In September 2002, I sent letters to multiple heads of states, including President George Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and even President Saddam Hussein, urging them each to resolve their issues with civil negotiation and not war.
I received a few responses. Blair's office was notable in that he didn't even send out a form letter with his signature on it. His response came from Stuart Mortlock of the Direct Communications Unit at 10 Downing Street and gave no explanation of the Prime Minister's position, saying only, "He [Mr. Blair] does appreciate the time people take to write to him and has asked me to assure you that the points you make will be carefully considered."
President Bush didn't respond for quite a few months, until after the war was underway, but at least he gave his reasons, writing, "In Iraq, we sought to remove a threat to our security and to free the Iraqi people from oppression. Saddam Hussein's regime has ended and the Iraqi people are regaining control of their own country and future. Pockets of resistance still remain."
Ah, yes. Just a few pesky pockets to button up, and then all will be right with the world...
It makes me cry to look at my original letter--and see that every concern that I had about war against Iraq happened--exactly as I was afraid that it might...
IMEMC , the publisher of this article, had its office raided in Beit Sahoura in the Occupied Territories by the IDF at 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning on 10/11/15.
The event was recorded by a surveillance camera:
link to imemc.org
IMEMC is the most prolific English-language news source covering the Israel-Palestine conflict and a frequent target of cyber-attacks.
They are urgently seeking donations.
Get off your high horse. There is no standard way of Anglicizing Arabic names.
Blair is one of the most disastrous politicians in modern British history. Not only did he jump on board Bush's Iraq fraud, but he also reduced the Labor Party to ruins.
Proposed "imbedded" special-ops are also to be engaged as "human shields" to contra current Russian attacks on US-backed rebels.
Don't think Syrian Arab Sunnis will be as upset with the US as their Iraqi Sunni counterparts if the Kurds roll in Raqqa as compared to Shiites rolling into Mosul. Greater religious animosity in Iraq than there is ethnic animosity in Syria, I think at least from what I read in regards to their attitudes to different groups like Kurds compared to Shiites...
Juan,
What I like reading in your comments is not only your often different perspective and your years of knowledge, but that you always remind us of the religious and tribal factors that must be taken into consideration with everything in the Middle East.
Many in the U.S. just want to simply ramp-up America's military involvement in the region, but they fail to understand what that means in terms of who America is attacking and supporting (Shia and/or Sunni) and what that would mean to the broader religious populations.
When I gave up eating meat 45 years ago, some of my closest friends warned me that if I went on with it I would probably be dead within the year. 'It's the Law of Nature' they told me, 'kill or be killed'. ' I don't like it', I told them 'all the cruelty involved, I don't care if I die, I just don't want it to go on and I'll have no part of it'. Well 45 years later I am still alive, but there was a 'downside' : I still have the same weight that I had 45 years ago while my friends have gotten very fat.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu has recently announced his readiness to re-enter negotiations"
Anyone who believes that is extraordinarily naive .... netanyahu believes in greater Israel ... he is also a thief (having stolen parts for nuclear weapons) and a liar (having said for 20 years that Iran is "weeks" away from having a nuclear bomb. His and the likud ambition is to destroy their neighbours using US money and US lives and when that is accomplished mossad will create a false flag to justify expelling Palestinians and expanding their borders. All political analysts know this apart from those who are paid to deflect and mislead public understanding of the truth.
If nothing else this plan should be more cost-effective than the recently closed $500 million training of five Syrian fighters. That is, if we don't factor in the costs of escalation. Who knows what they will be?
We’ve seen the maps of Syria with large areas occupied by ISIS. If the US can defeat/dislodge them, what then?
The Petraeus-McCain-Condi Rice ‘clear, hold, & build’ strategy that worked so well in Iraq? and after that, what then?
SATSQ: No. "Category One" just means that some risk has been proven. The risk is estimated at about 15% of that of cigarettes and is higher from processed meat.
See: link to statschat.org.nz
The US has decided to bomb Syria without an invitation or a Security Council Resolution. That makes it as illegal under international law as the Iraq invasion.
The Syrians found themselves in the same positon as anyone who finds their home invaded by armed thugs - best to acquiesce to their presence lest you further irritate them Especially if some factions amongst the thugs are openly advocating shooting the homeowner.
The Russians are there now - if the foreign minister reversed his blessing, would the Western coalition obediently withdraw?
As for the special ops - the press after initial scathing remarks on Russian military ineptitude have now gone quiet. Could it be the pressure is on the US to match Russian success?
Quagmire.
The report was highly misleading. The 18% increase (for example) is 18% of a very small number since most people die of things other than colon cancer.
By contrast, according to NBC News last night, the increased risk of smoking, I don't recall if it was a pack a day but something like that, is 2000%. Even on a very small number (nonsmokers don't often contract lung cancer) that's a huge increase and is one of the several reasons why a lifelong smoking habit is one of the leading preventable causes of death.
I have wondered why Obama appointed Hagel, then fired him and appointed Carter.
link to newrepublic.com
in the meantime, Turkish troops have attacked YPG positions IN Syria. What one member of NATO does is undone by another. It would serve USA interests to convince its Turkish allies to limit themselves to attack PKK IN Turkey, rather than risk sending troops to Syria and Iraq.
They are apparently still 'deliberations' and will probably stay that way. My reading is Obama is slipping his hand under Putin's blanket while seeking to appear to be busily engaged in something quite other.
Is it "the meat"? Or is it the modern petrochemical synthetic chemicals IN "the meat"?
It is certainly more sincere and useful than anything the Axis of Jihad has to offer. ( The Axis of Jihad is composed of the DC FedRegime, the European Capitals, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and all their little head-chopping cannibal liver-eating rebel mascots currently operating in Syria.
Such an offer by Russia is at least as plausible as the US pretense to promote democracy everywhere it has in fact left its signature of murder, destruction, and oligarchy. But clearly that is no more likely in Syria than in Iraq or Afghanistan. And it is no more likely in the US gangster state, where only corrupt opportunists gain power with the mass media and elections controlled by the oligarchy of money.
Good stuff! I thought I was reading The Onion! The billionaires that run the US will never let any of this happen.
Bread and circuses
"Utopian public justice" maybe virtuous. On balance, however, a partial body shot is reasonably sustainable, given the pervasive ramifications on a knocked-out status quo.
Mr stumped is an idiot hahaha