Monday, August 27, 2007
Iraq may need a "strongman" to pursue U.S. interests. Anybody got a problem with that?
The Bush Administration 
Yes, there's nothing like a good mixed message to win some hearts and minds - and if you think the Vietnam thing was bad, wait till you get a load of this. It turns out that George W. Bush is such a big fan of Iraq's elected leader Nouri al-Maliki that last week the White House posted a new page on their website "setting the record straight" on Bush's views:
The page was put up around the same time that Our Great Leader was out and about reminding everyone hows much he digs his bro Maliki. According to AFP:
So why would people be getting a "sense that Washington has been distancing itself from the beleaguered government in Baghdad?" Maybe because:
I see. But that's not all - despite Bush's public proclamations of support for the Maliki government, Time magazine reported last week that:
Hmm... a dictatorship under a military strongman who is acceptable to Sunnis and willing to pursue U.S. interests? Now where have I heard that before...?
Yes, there's nothing like a good mixed message to win some hearts and minds - and if you think the Vietnam thing was bad, wait till you get a load of this. It turns out that George W. Bush is such a big fan of Iraq's elected leader Nouri al-Maliki that last week the White House posted a new page on their website "setting the record straight" on Bush's views:
Trying to underscore the administration's commitment to al-Maliki, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters that Bush continued to have confidence in the prime minister and that his level of support had not changed.
The page was put up around the same time that Our Great Leader was out and about reminding everyone hows much he digs his bro Maliki. According to AFP:
US President George W. Bush on Wednesday reaffirmed his support for embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, calling him a "good man with a difficult job." "Prime Minister Maliki's a good guy, good man, with a difficult job, and I support him," said Bush, who was seeking to dispel any sense that Washington has been distancing itself from the beleaguered government in Baghdad.
So why would people be getting a "sense that Washington has been distancing itself from the beleaguered government in Baghdad?" Maybe because:
A powerhouse Republican lobbying firm with close ties to the White House has begun a public campaign to undermine the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, CNN has confirmed.
I see. But that's not all - despite Bush's public proclamations of support for the Maliki government, Time magazine reported last week that:
Some analysts have begun to talk about the "Musharraf option" - a Pakistan-style military dictatorship under a strongman willing to pursue U.S. interests. Sunni politicians have openly said they would prefer this to a Prime Minister from the Shi'ite Islamist parties.
Hmm... a dictatorship under a military strongman who is acceptable to Sunnis and willing to pursue U.S. interests? Now where have I heard that before...?
# posted by The Punisher @ Monday, August 27, 2007 
