A New President of the USA and The Chain of Command in Iraq marches in step. Odd. Isn't it?

Gates to Bush, "I don't know what Rumsfeld was thinking, we can't fight a two front war."


Admiral Michael Mullens
Gates wants more troops for Afghanistan in shift of priorities (click here)


Iraq eyes full security control
BAGHDAD: Iraq hopes to have security control of all its provinces by the year-end, the national security adviser said yesterday, underscoring the government's growing confidence in its own forces.
Mowaffaq Al Rubaie was speaking at a ceremony where US-led troops transferred security responsibilities for the southern Shi'ite Diwaniya province to Iraqi forces.
The handover puts Baghdad in control of security in 10 of the country's 18 provinces, all mainly Shi'ite areas.
"We aspire to reach to the 18th province before the end of this year. God willing, all provinces will be under the control of the Iraqi security authorities before the end of this year," said Rubaie.
US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and military commander General David Petraeus, said the transfer reflected the improved capabilities of Iraqi security forces in the province.
US military officials have been much more cautious about timeframes for handing security control of some of the remaining provinces back, especially in the north and Baghdad....


Bush’s mistake in Iraq was not to go, but to stay: Jonas (click here)
George Jonas, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
...Five years ago, at the high noon of his presidency, Mr. Bush appeared to be doing the right thing. Today, as his presidency is winding down, his global policies have fewer and fewer supporters inside or outside the United States. Some old allies, like Britain's Tony Blair, have withdrawn from the arena altogether. Those who remain or have newly entered, like Canada's Stephen Harper or France's Nicolas Sarkozy, are busy with their own agendas. Bush cannot count on his current allies as reliable supporters on any issue, be it the missile shield, the Far East or the Persian Gulf.
Domestically, his situation is better but also worse. Better, because as president he can implement certain foreign policy items without anyone's support, and worse because his support at home is even less than it is internationally....

Let's see if I get this right. There was no criminal charges, BUT, nothing was done right. Sounds like Republican Neocon administration at work to me !

Cases against Iraq IG, deputy, end without charges (click here)
By LARA JAKES JORDAN – 12 hours ago

...Bowen's office polices an uneven reconstruction effort in Iraq that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion. His latest report, issued in April, found that millions of dollars of lucrative Iraq reconstruction contracts were never finished because of excessive delays, poor performance or other factors — including failed projects that are being falsely described by the U.S. government as complete.

Cheney claims to be part of the legislative branch of the government because his paycheck is generated from that division of the government accounting office. So, he need Georgie to 'cover his back.' Contempt charges to follow.

Bush claims executive privilege to keep CIA leak records from Congress; contempt vote delayed (click here)
By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press Writer
4:43 AM CDT, July 17, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Bush invoked executive privilege to keep Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in 2003.The president's decision drew a sharp protest Wednesday from Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of House Oversight Committee, which had subpoenaed Attorney General Michael Mukasey to turn over the documents."This unfounded assertion of executive privilege does not protect a principle; it protects a person," the California Democrat said. "If the vice president did nothing wrong, what is there to hide?"Waxman left little doubt he would soon move for a committee vote to hold Mukasey in contempt of Congress....

Sudan is not that big ! The dye is cast. The world must act.

Bush doesn't recognize The World Courts either. He does that to justify his policies in Gitmo, torture and rendition. Maybe he'll even send help to protect al-Bashir. You think?

Let me see if I get this right. Bush doesn't believe in The World Court, won't participate in UN peacekeeping efforts (feels it is a waste of USA military potential), doesn't believe in the UN (basically), sees the "Oil for Food Program" of the former Iraq as a scam, believes he can throw his weight around militarily no matter what the UN Security Council states, BUT, he recognizes the genocide of al-Bashir as human rights violations and believes the UN should instill more African Union troops into Sudan.

? Hm ?

Sounds like a real zealot to me. No policy really, just shoot from the hip to justify his lack of will and interest. Has to look like a good guy as he is an American after all. Not really such a puzzle, really. Mostly. Bush is a fraud ! Unfortunately he was born in the USA, but, his roots really belong in Saudi Arabia, right? There. And China.


Bush Wants to Keep Working With Sudanese President (click here)
By Scott Stearns White House15 July 2008
Stearns report - Download (MP3) Stearns report - Listen (MP3)
President Bush has long criticized Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for permitting many of the same human rights abuses included in his ICC indictment.But the United States is not part of that court and has long questioned its jurisdiction to prosecute government officials or military personnel serving as peacekeepers.Asked about President Bashir's indictment, President Bush told a White House news conference that the court's action should not affect ongoing negotiations with Khartoum to get more African Union troops into Darfur....


WANTED :: Omar al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity. "I do not recognize the World Court" But. It recognizes him. The beginning of the end of the terror to Darfur. The International War Crimes Court has done its work, now it is time for the Global Community to bring the genocidist to justice. The people of Darfur are in greater peril today and need the global community to act to protect them.



170+ UN members leave Darfur (click title to entry, thank you)
16/07/2008 21:07 - (SA)
Khartoum - The UN has flown more than 170 staff members out of Darfur with peacekeepers on alert following a deadly attack and moves to charge Sudan's president with war crimes, an official said on Wednesday.
"Today we had about 100 people who left. One flight in the morning and one flight in the afternoon from Darfur and they travelled to Entebbe," said Josephine Guerrero, spokesperson for the UN-led mission called UNAMID.
Another 46 were air-lifted from El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state where the joint AU-UN mission is based, bound for Al-Obeid, the capital of Northern Kordofan in central Sudan.
Thirty-two staff members left Nyala, the capital of South Darfur on Tuesday, bringing the total to around 178 in the last two days.
The numbers leaving are a fraction of the some 10 000 UNAMID staff deployed the western region of Sudan. Officials said staff could return within days or weeks if the mission downgrades its security alert.
UNAMID is flying out non-essential staff following months of worsening security despite assurances from Sudan that it would protect peacekeepers.
Officials feared a violent backlash after International Criminal Court chief prosecutor on Monday sought an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on 10 counts including war crimes and genocide in Darfur.
Seven UNAMID peacekeepers died and 22 wounded in an ambush by heavily armed militia on July 8, the deadliest in a series of attacks since the UN assumed command of peacekeeping in the region last December.