How the US turned Iraq into Hell!

[medicineman]

Iraqis want US out as soon as possible: US commander


Monday Dec 26 10:38 AEDT

The top US military commander admitted Sunday that Iraqis wanted US and other foreign troops to leave the country "as soon as possible," and said US troop levels in Iraq were now being re-assessed on a monthly basis.
The admission by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Marine General Peter Pace followed a decision by the Pentagon to reduce the current level of 160,000 soldiers in Iraq by two army brigades, which amounts to about 7,000 soldiers.
"Understandably, Iraqis themselves would prefer to have coalition forces leave their country as soon as possible," Pace said in a Christmas Day interview on Fox News Sunday. "They don't want us to leave tomorrow, but they do want us to leave as soon as possible."

Iraqis want US out as soon as possible: US commander

 

[medicineman]

Iraq worse off now than under Saddam


Published: April 24, 2006 at 4:48 PM
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WASHINGTON, April 24 (UPI) -- After spending more than $57 billion on development in Iraq, Iraq is producing less oil, has less electricity and less water than before Saddam Hussein fell, a new report states.

The report, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says the slow pace and achievement of reconstruction cannot be blamed on the violent insurgency but instead is a result of bad planning and poor execution on the part of the United States government.

"U.S. authorities did not conduct a survey of the country's capabilities and needs, and did not develop a strategically integrated national development plan for Iraq. It did not realistically plan to deal with the challenges posed by a state-run economy and corruption, what effectively had become a 'command kleptocracy,'" write Anthony Cordesman and Onur Ozlu.

The Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S.-led civilian administration in Iraq, attempted to make rapid changes to transform Iraq into an open, capitalistic economy, but did so haphazardly and without a master plan.

"The failure to plan for security in the face of a rising insurgency made things far worse, but shortcomings in aid planning of the reconstruction were exacerbated by inefficient execution. The U.S. personnel in charge of the reconstruction often lack experience and basic competence," the report states.

The United States has spent roughly $20 billion in reconstruction funds, and the United Nations administrated Development Fund for Iraq -- culled from seized bank accounts and other funds - has spent $37 billion so far.

The authors warn of more economic upheaval to come as the international reconstruction fund will expire in 2007, and the Iraqi government and civilian institutions are in no way prepared to complete ongoing projects and sustain those that have been completed, particularly with declining oil production.

Iraq worse off now than under Saddam - UPI.com

 

[medicineman]

Iraq is worse off than before the war began, GAO reports

By Seth Borenstein
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - In a few key areas - electricity, the judicial system and overall security - the Iraq that America handed back to its residents Monday is worse off than before the war began last year, according to calculations in a new General Accounting Office report released Tuesday.

The 105-page report by Congress' investigative arm offers a bleak assessment of Iraq after 14 months of U.S. military occupation. Among its findings:

-In 13 of Iraq's 18 provinces, electricity was available fewer hours per day on average last month than before the war. Nearly 20 million of Iraq's 26 million people live in those provinces.

-Only $13.7 billion of the $58 billion pledged and allocated worldwide to rebuild Iraq has been spent, with another $10 billion about to be spent. The biggest chunk of that money has been used to run Iraq's ministry operations.

-The country's court system is more clogged than before the war, and judges are frequent targets of assassination attempts.

-The new Iraqi civil defense, police and overall security units are suffering from mass desertions, are poorly trained and ill-equipped.

-The number of what the now-disbanded Coalition Provisional Authority called significant insurgent attacks skyrocketed from 411 in February to 1,169 in May.

The report was released on the same day that the CPA's inspector general issued three reports that highlighted serious management difficulties at the CPA. The reports found that the CPA wasted millions of dollars at a Hilton resort hotel in Kuwait because it didn't have guidelines for who could stay there, lost track of how many employees it had in Iraq and didn't track reconstruction projects funded by international donors to ensure they didn't duplicate U.S. projects.

Both the GAO report and the CPA report said that the CPA was seriously understaffed for the gargantuan task of rebuilding Iraq. The GAO report suggested the agency needed three times more employees than what it had. The CPA report said the agency believed it had 1,196 employees, when it was authorized to have 2,117. But the inspector general said CPA's records were so disorganized that it couldn't verify its actual number of employees.

GAO Comptroller General David Walker blamed insurgent attacks for many of the problems in Iraq. "The unstable security environment has served to slow down our rebuilding and reconstruction efforts and it's going to be of critical importance to provide more stable security," Walker told Knight Ridder Newspapers in a telephone interview Tuesday.

"There are a number of significant questions that need to be asked and answered dealing with the transition (to self-sovereignty)," Walker said. "A lot has been accomplished and a lot remains to be done."

The GAO report is the first government assessment of conditions in Iraq at the end of the U.S. occupation. It outlined what it called "key challenges that will affect the political transition" in 10 specific areas.

The GAO gave a draft of the report to several different government agencies, but only the CPA offered a major comment: It said the report "was not sufficiently critical of the judicial reconstruction effort."

Iraq is worse off than before the war began, GAO reports - Mac Forums


(more)

 

[medicineman]

Barely a quarter of Iraqis say their security has improved in the past six months, a negative assessment of the surge in U.S. forces that reflects worsening public attitudes across a range of measures, even as authorities report some progress curtailing violence.
Apart from a few scattered gains, a new national survey by ABC News, the BBC and the Japanese broadcaster NHK finds deepening dissatisfaction with conditions in Iraq, lower ratings for the national government and growing rejection of the U.S. role there.

Click here for a sidebar on how the poll was done.


Story
Iraq Sidebar: How The Poll Was Done

Click here for full report with charts and questionnaire.

More Iraqis say security in their local area has gotten worse in the last six months than say it's gotten better, 31 percent to 24 percent, with the rest reporting no change. Far more, six in 10, say security in the country overall has worsened since the surge began, while just one in 10 sees improvement.
More directly assessing the surge itself -- a measure that necessarily includes views of the United States, which are highly negative -- 65 to 70 percent of Iraqis say it's worsened rather than improved security, political stability and the pace of redevelopment alike.
There are some improvements, but they're sparse and inconsistent. Thirty-eight percent in Anbar province, a focal point of the surge, now rate local security positively; none did so six months ago. In Baghdad fewer now describe themselves as feeling completely unsafe in their own neighborhoods -- 58 percent, down from 84 percent. Yet other assessments of security in these locales have not improved, nor has the view nationally.
Overall, 41 percent report security as their greatest personal problem, down seven points from 48 percent in March. But there's been essentially no change in the number who call it the nation's top problem (56 percent, with an additional 28 percent citing political or military issues). And there are other problems aplenty to sour the public's outlook -- lack of jobs, poor power and fuel supply, poor medical services and many more.

ABC News: National Poll of Iraq

I guess these last posts are all bullshit, eh. Just keep your rose colored glasses on and the world is all cumbaya.

 

[LION~of~ZION]

Makes sense.

The United States Government seem to have no plans whatsoever of releasing any authority they've gained in Iraq from the beginning. Just as they had no hopes of finding nuclear weapons or nuclear facilities in Iraq from the beginning either.

The U.N. inspectors kept denying weapons of mass destructions existence yet the United States Government invaded anyway for those of you with short term memory loss. Well I'll be damned the U.N. inspectors were right!... Imagine that

Remember the huge U.N. ordeal, the lack of support for the invasion by multiple countries. Dont eat french fries... freedom fries... lmao

After we realized we were killing more Iraqis then we are saving what was the excuse then? I cant remember there have been so many excuses after all.

You must remember the words of George W. Bush... "He tried to kill my Dad!"... (referring to saddam) as just one of the lame excuses for the invasion. This statement was televised as well....how soon we forget


Perfect excuse for sending everyone elses sons and daughters to war isnt it?

When analysts predicted this invasion would cause a huge civil war that would kill hundreds of thousands of innocents what did the pro war mongers say? yet here we are with an iraqi civil war on our hands just as the analysts predicted...imagine that LOL


Any how it wouldnt surprise me if what youre saying is true medicineman. In fact it sounds exactly like what the United States Government would attempt in order to retain some form of covert control over the region.

 

[ZenMaster]

and when did you go to iraq and ask them,
or did you let fox news ask them

this is an earlier post by me, you must not have read it.

Originally Posted by ZenMaster
I'm not even going to go to those links cause I know for a FUCKING FACT that its COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT. You know my sources? My dad and my 2 best friends. They tell me that Iraqies come and thank them on the street for risking their lives so they might shop without fear.

Fuck you.

This is to you and med, my family is there so I'm pretty much up to date with whats goin on there, so again, Fuck you.

 

[LION~of~ZION]

this is an earlier post by me, you must not have read it.

Originally Posted by ZenMaster
I'm not even going to go to those links cause I know for a FUCKING FACT that its COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT. You know my sources? My dad and my 2 best friends. They tell me that Iraqies come and thank them on the street for risking their lives so they might shop without fear.

Fuck you.

This is to you and med, my family is there so I'm pretty much up to date with whats goin on there, so again, Fuck you.

I have a Brother in Law serving his second tour of duty (Tank Commander U.S.Army)

a Cousin serving his second tour of duty (Apache LongBow pilot U.S. Army)

a nephew serving his second tour of duty (U.S. Army Infantry)

and a step daughter her first tour of duty (Operating Room techinician U.S. Army)


all serving in Iraq at the moment tough guy. Think I may have some insider info too?

 

[ZenMaster]

I have a Brother in Law serving his second tour of duty (Tank Commander U.S.Army)

a Cousin serving his second tour of duty (Apache LongBow pilot U.S. Army)

a nephew serving his second tour of duty (U.S. Army Infantry)

and a step daughter her first tour of duty (Operating Room techinician U.S. Army)


all serving in Iraq at the moment tough guy. Think I may have so insider info too?

I don't even know who you are or where you came from on this thread, but sure.

Why I said that was because growrebel's and med's sources are these websites that are not controlled, are not regulated or their validity even challenged. Thats what pisses me off about this the most, they are linking me websites and blogs from writers who probably never left america but seem to have an opinion on iraq and these gullible sheep read it and assume 100% its true. I trust what I see with my own eyes than some dude with a blog. Don't believe everything you read.

My family is saying that the Iraqies are very grateful and understand what we are trying to acheive for them and they understand and want a stable country where they do not have to fear for their lives constantly.

Does your family disagree?

 

[LION~of~ZION]

I don't even know who you are or where you came from on this thread, but sure.

Why I said that was because growrebel's and med's sources are these websites that are not controlled, are not regulated or their validity even challenged. Thats what pisses me off about this the most, they are linking me websites and blogs from writers who probably never left america but seem to have an opinion on iraq and these gullible sheep read it and assume 100% its true. I trust what I see with my own eyes than some dude with a blog. Don't believe everything you read.

My family is saying that the Iraqies are very grateful and understand what we are trying to acheive for them and they understand and want a stable country where they do not have to fear for their lives constantly.

Does your family disagree?

Let me put it to you this way most of the people in my family (other then my step daughter) are serving their second tour of duty in Iraq.

If youve read what they do in Iraq you will know that all of them hold positions where they have seen alot of action (combat)...other then my step daughter who is an operating room technician she just see's alot of blood.

None of the men Ive mentioned are particularly happy about serving a second tour and they will be the first to tell you they want the war to be over with.

They dont trust the Iraqis and also dont believe that most of them want them there.

Now before you judge the bravery and commitment of my family I want you to understand something

To become a Tank commander in the U.S. Army and Apache LongBow Pilot as well as an operating room technician and infantry soldier means nothing but commitment

To serve a second tour of duty in those positions means nothing but commitment as well...tread lightly before you judge my family over their opinions....peace

 

[ZenMaster]

Let me put it to you this way most of the people in my family (other then my step daughter) are serving their second tour of duty in Iraq.

If youve read what they do in Iraq you will know that all of them hold positions where they have seen alot of action (combat)...other then my step daughter who is an operating room technician she just see's alot of blood.

None of the men Ive mentioned are particularly happy about serving a second tour and they will be the first to tell you they want the war to be over with.

They dont trust the Iraqis and also dont believe that most of them want them there.

Now before you judge the bravery and commitment of my family I want you to understand something

To become a Tank commander in the U.S. Army and Apache LongBow Pilot as well as an operating room technician and infantry soldier means nothing but commitment

To serve a second tour of duty in those positions means nothing but commitment as well...tread lightly before you judge my family over their opinions....peace

You really need to chill out, tough guy.

I didn't say shit about your family, you are being way to defensive. And even more preemptive defensive.

Your entitled to your opinion and their's too, however different they are.

 

[LION~of~ZION]

You really need to chill out, tough guy.

I didn't say shit about your family, you are being way to defensive. And even more preemptive defensive.

Your entitled to your opinion and their's too, however different they are.

Absolutely... the point being many skilled soldiers are not happy about this war. And I'm not getting this warm and fuzzy feeling that the Iraqis are so pleased with us being there either.

These are pretty hardened soldiers I've told you about 38 and 40 years old. Theyve both been deployed to action over 5 times a piece. both served in

1.The Gulf war
2. Kosovo
3. Somalia
4. Iraqi Freedom
AND
5. a Second tour Iraqi Freedom

This would be my brother in law(tank commander) and Cousin(apache longbow pilot)...these guys have earned every bit of the respect they are given

both of them Dont agree with BUSH at this point. They dont appreciate serving under what they describe as a 'subpar leader' both of them are still alive(fortunately) and have seen more then their fair share of action during every single one of these deployments.

They arent telling me the Iraqis are loving this U.S. occupation. My nephew 2 tours (Iraqi Freedom) infantry isnt giving me that information either.

Youre correct opinions are just that...opinions. I can only go by what I'm being told by those living it.

Its time we end this war in my opinion.

 

[ccodiane]

Iraq worse off now than under Saddam


Published: April 24, 2006 at 4:48 PM
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WASHINGTON, April 24 (UPI) -- After spending more than $57 billion on development in Iraq, Iraq is producing less oil, has less electricity and less water than before Saddam Hussein fell, a new report states.

The report, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says the slow pace and achievement of reconstruction cannot be blamed on the violent insurgency but instead is a result of bad planning and poor execution on the part of the United States government.

"U.S. authorities did not conduct a survey of the country's capabilities and needs, and did not develop a strategically integrated national development plan for Iraq. It did not realistically plan to deal with the challenges posed by a state-run economy and corruption, what effectively had become a 'command kleptocracy,'" write Anthony Cordesman and Onur Ozlu.

The Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S.-led civilian administration in Iraq, attempted to make rapid changes to transform Iraq into an open, capitalistic economy, but did so haphazardly and without a master plan.

"The failure to plan for security in the face of a rising insurgency made things far worse, but shortcomings in aid planning of the reconstruction were exacerbated by inefficient execution. The U.S. personnel in charge of the reconstruction often lack experience and basic competence," the report states.

The United States has spent roughly $20 billion in reconstruction funds, and the United Nations administrated Development Fund for Iraq -- culled from seized bank accounts and other funds - has spent $37 billion so far.

The authors warn of more economic upheaval to come as the international reconstruction fund will expire in 2007, and the Iraqi government and civilian institutions are in no way prepared to complete ongoing projects and sustain those that have been completed, particularly with declining oil production.

Iraq worse off now than under Saddam - UPI.com

Every thing I see, your siting, is years old. Where are your recent articles? 2007, 2008? Help me to believe......

 

[ccodiane]

Absolutely... the point being many skilled soldiers are not happy about this war. And I'm not getting this warm and fuzzy feeling that the Iraqis are so pleased with us being there either.

These are pretty hardened soldiers I've told you about 38 and 40 years old. Theyve both been deployed to action over 5 times a piece. both served in

1.The Gulf war
2. Kosovo
3. Somalia
4. Iraqi Freedom
AND
5. a Second tour Iraqi Freedom

This would be my brother in law(tank commander) and Cousin(apache longbow pilot)...these guys have earned every bit of the respect they are given

both of them Dont agree with BUSH at this point. They dont appreciate serving under what they describe as a 'subpar leader' both of them are still alive(fortunately) and have seen more then their fair share of action during every single one of these deployments.

They arent telling me the Iraqis are loving this U.S. occupation. My nephew 2 tours (Iraqi Freedom) infantry isnt giving me that information either.

Youre correct opinions are just that...opinions. I can only go by what I'm being told by those living it.

Its time we end this war in my opinion.

Blah, blah, blah. Your entitled to your opinion. I think we all agree. Stop referring to, and "defending", everyone else you knows opinions. That's blind trust, for anyone to believe you accurately represent anyone else's opinions but your own, and you aren't entitled to that, blind trust, in my opinion.

 

[LION~of~ZION]

Blah, blah, blah. Your entitled to your opinion. I think we all agree. Stop referring to, and "defending", everyone else you knows opinions. That's blind trust, for anyone to believe you accurately represent anyone else's opinions but your own, and you aren't entitled to that, blind trust, in my opinion.

I agree its blind trust. Simply sharing a point of view based on the reality our family is living in.

Whether you take it or leave it the world wont stop revolving on this end.

 

[ccodiane]

I agree its blind trust. Simply sharing a point of view based on the reality our family is living in.

Whether you take it or leave it the world wont stop revolving on this end.

On the same note, things won't stop improving in Iraq because you will it to be so.

 

[Chrisuperfly]

A couple of hours ago I had an interesting conversation with a young lady who is in the Iowa National Guard. She just returned from Iraq after her deployment. She is here in D.C. to talk to members of congress about veterans rights. Its refreshing to get the news from people that actually know what they are talking about. She said;

"Do not buy into what you see on the news", "It's not even close to as bad as the reporters would like you to think it is". "Democracy is being restored" (These are foot notes people). She went on about how she is disgusted with the way the MSM is hoping we lose this war." HOPING WE LOSE THIS WAR, this is how our soldiers see the media coverage. And I agree with her 100% becaseu as a vet I see it the same way.

It was amazing how similiar our views were, but then again I hear this same sentiment coming from a lot of the veterans I talk to. Its almost as if we think the same. Its almost as if the MSM is reporting agenda or the status quo as suppose to the news. But, thats fine. You have your version and I have the truth. And I am pretty content with the truth.

 

[ccodiane]

A couple of hours ago I had an interesting conversation with a young lady who is in the Iowa National Guard. She just returned from Iraq after her deployment. She is here in D.C. to talk to members of congress about veterans rights. Its refreshing to get the news from people that actually know what they are talking about. She said;

"Do not buy into what you see on the news", "It's not even close to as bad as the reporters would like you to think it is". "Democracy is being restored" (These are foot notes people). She went on about how she is disgusted with the way the MSM is hoping we lose this war." HOPING WE LOSE THIS WAR, this is how our soldiers see the media coverage. And I agree with her 100% becaseu as a vet I see it the same way.

It was amazing how similiar our views were, but then again I hear this same sentiment coming from a lot of the veterans I talk to. Its almost as if we think the same. Its almost as if the MSM is reporting agenda or the status quo as suppose to the news. But, thats fine. You have your version and I have the truth. And I am pretty content with the truth.

As of recent, the media has little to report about Iraq. I wonder why? Is it because things are looking so positive? Infrastructure and building progress is really starting to pick up? Insurgents are being driven out by the people of Iraq? Sectarian reconciliation has begun? Military injuries and deaths are way down? Or, is it just the election, and the fact that most Americans, despite what the polls tell them, deep down inside know that victory is the only decent option we have? ...........................? Nah. probably just tired of seeing the carnage. Normal human beings can only take so much negativity.

 

[medicineman]

By GARY LANGER
Sept. 10, 2007
Barely a quarter of Iraqis say their security has improved in the past six months, a negative assessment of the surge in U.S. forces that reflects worsening public attitudes across a range of measures, even as authorities report some progress curtailing violence.


In Dahuk, Wasit, Maysan and Najaf provinces, "No major events." But in Tamim, Basra and Dhi Qar, interviewers reported, "Intense fighting, suicide bombs." And in Baghdad, "Intense fighting, suicide bombs, major U.S. military operations, assaults to civilians, assaults to security forces."
Such is polling in Iraq.

The remarkable thing is that despite the violence and disarray it's possible to obtain a random, representative national sample of the opinions of ordinary Iraqi citizens, interviewed in their homes about their living conditions, assessments of security and other attitudes. And again, as in the previous three ABC News-sponsored polls in Iraq, all interviewers returned safely from their work.
Their experiences reflected the conditions they encountered. In Anbar, "It is very sensitive and if a stranger comes here and asks some questions everybody will be aware that a stranger is in the neighborhood," one field worker reported. "We are very local interviewers so we did not face many problems." In Baghdad, related another, "People in this area are afraid of everything, it was hard to do the work."
Yet in Muthanna province, where just "some fighting" was reported, "Respondents were very positive about our visits to their houses, especially the women. They thanked us for visiting them and asking their opinion," an interviewer there said. "Generally, people accepted to participate in the survey," she added. "But refusals went up after the assassination of the governor."
Field work for the latest survey, this one co-sponsored with ABC News by the BBC and the Japanese broadcaster NHK, was managed by D3 Systems of Vienna, Va. and KA Research Ltd. of Istanbul, which have been jointly polling in Iraq since summer 2004. D3, which specializes in polling in difficult conditions, also has managed the field work for two ABC News polls (one with the BBC World Service) in Afghanistan.
In Iraq, D3/KARL works with an in-country, all-Iraqi staff of about 200 interviewers on call to 19 district offices scattered across the country. Interviewers are familiar with their local area, enabling them to navigate the geographical and administrative terrain alike. It comes in handy: As in previous surveys, several teams were detained during the field work for questioning about their work, either by government or militia forces, then were released.

 

[ccodiane]

Exactly my point. Thanks Med.

 

[medicineman]

Exactly my point. Thanks Med.

That was post surge news. Kinda says it all, the Iraq thingy is fucked, has been and continues to be. you're right wing dream of a democratic stroll in the park Iraq is a pipe dream and will never happen, it's not Boston 1776. It's not tea they want to throw overboard, it's US. Idiota-Assholio.