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Iraq

A Second Look | Iraqi Forces Assume Control Over Cities From US Troops

Jun 29th, 2009
by Tom.
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via Iraqi Forces Assume Control Over Cities From US Troops

BAGHDAD — AP Iraqi forces assumed formal control of Baghdad and other cities Tuesday after American troops handed over security in urban areas in a defining step toward ending the U.S. combat role in the country. A countdown clock broadcast on Iraqi TV ticked to zero as the midnight deadline passed for U.S. combat troops to finish their pullback to bases outside cities.

(snip)In a ceremony rich with symbolism, the top U.S. military commander in Baghdad, Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger, gave his Iraqi counterpart the keys to the former defense ministry building, which had served as a joint base.

(snip)The withdrawal, required under a U.S.-Iraqi security pact, marks the first major step toward withdrawing all American forces from the country by Dec. 31, 2011. Obama has said all combat troops will be gone by the end of August 2010.

Bush and McCain - Warmongers

Iraq will soon be over. This is another major step to freeing the United States from the dictatorial oppression of George W. Bush. Bush’s war for oil cost more lives than was taken on 9/11, one of many excuses Bush used to “stay the course” in Iraq.

We will stay the course set by Obama now, ending this six year nightmare.

I am sad that this celebration in Iraq isn’t front page news all over the world. It should be.

This is a big deal! Don’t let it go unnoticed!

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A Second Look | Obama’s First 100 Days: ABC News Poll

Apr 26th, 2009
by Tom.
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via Obama’s First 100 Days: Rising Hopes, Partisan Politics – ABC News.

Barack Obama approaches the 100-day mark with rising economic hopes, the best job approval rating at this point in 20 years, the broadest personal popularity since Ronald Reagan and half of Americans now saying the country’s headed in the right direction.

Click here for a PDF with charts and questionnaire.

For all he and his supporters have to celebrate, overcoming political divisions — an Obama pledge — is not among them.

Overall approval by party: Democrats – 93%  Republicans – 36%

Country headed in right direction: 50%, up from 19% on day 1.  Highest “right direction” in 6 years.

55% optimistic about economy – above 50% for first time in 3 years.

58% percent approve of Obama’s work on the economy.

Who’s better to lead the economy? Obama versus Republicans: 61-24%. Largest lead since 1994.

First 100 days: Better than expected – 54% (far above either Bush or Bill Clinton at the 100-day mark) Much or great deal accomplished? – 63% Keeping campaign promises? – 60%

Overall favorability? – 72%

Strong Leader? – 77%  (nearly matching Bush’s best a few months after 9/11)

Comparisons are in approve/disapprove format.

Torture: Obama’s blanket ban on torture? – 49-48% Down among Republicans/conservatives who listened to Cheney talk up torture. Release of secret Bush documents? – 53-44% Investigate Bush administration about torture? – 51-47%

Overall campaign against terrorism? – 62% favorable.

Federal budget defict? – 51-43%

Auto bailouts? – 41-53%

Reduced political partisanship? 37-54% (Can’t say he hasn’t tried. Identical to Bush’s numbers at 100 days.)

Brought change to Washington? – 62%

Approve of Obama’s willingness to meet with aggressive leaders? – 71%

Situation in Iraq? – 71%

General foreign issues? – 67%

Handling of Iran? – 54-35%

Strongly approve of his work overall? – 42%  Strongly disapprove of his work overall – 18%

Honest and trustworthy? – 74%

Trusted in a crisis? – 73%

Willing to listen to different points of view? – 90%

Understands the problems of people like you? – 73%

Shares your values? – 60-38%

Good commander-in-chief of the military? – 56-34%

Obama’s views on most issues? Too liberal – 33% Too conservative – 4% About right – 62%

That’s where I’m at. Obama is about right.

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A Second Look: New Torture Photos Being Released By Obama

Apr 24th, 2009
by Tom.
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via New Torture Photos Being Released By Obama.

The Obama administration will release more photos of Bush era prisoner abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan to satisfy demands from an ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, according to a Thursday ACLU press release.

From the ACLU press release:

(snip) Since the ACLU’s FOIA request in 2003, the Bush administration had refused to disclose these images by attempting to radically expand the exemptions allowed under the FOIA for withholding records. The administration claimed that the public disclosure of such evidence would generate outrage and would violate U.S. obligations towards detainees under the Geneva Conventions.

However, a three judge panel of the appeals court in September 2008 rejected the Bush administration’s attempt to use exemptions to the FOIA as “an all-purpose damper on global controversy” and recognized the “significant public interest in the disclosure of these photographs” in light of government misconduct. The court also recognized that releasing the photographs is likely to prevent “further abuse of prisoners.” The Bush administration subsequently requested that the full Court of Appeals rehear the case. That request was denied on March 11, 2009.

It is astounding to me that the Bush administration used the flimsy defense that they could not release certain information because it would cause public outrage. That is tantamount to an admission of guilt. They knew what they were doing would produce recriminations – lawsuits and such.

Slave trade.

It has been this kind of thinking that kept slave trade alive for hundreds of years. What happens on the plantation, stays on the plantation. But once Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published depicting the torture of slaves – violà – public outrage. The parallel here is a strong one. All this was bound to surface no matter how crafty the Bush administration thought it was it surfaced anyway just as the mistreatment of slaves surfaced. You can’t hide a crime forever.

Bush and Co®. did everything under the sun to try to hold information from the public. Project Censored has published a concise recap of the Bush administration’s methods of secrecy and denial of FOIA requests. They used delay tactics, instructed their agency heads to deny all FOIA requests if there was a technical reason to do so, and also engaged in “an aggressive policy of questioning, challenging and denying FOIA requesters’ eligibility for fee waivers, using a variety of tactics. Measures include narrowing the definition of “representative of news media,” claiming information would not contribute to public understanding”.

Personally, I am proud that the Obama administration has made a strong commitment to transparency and openness. It is fitting to assume that they have nothing to hide, while the previous administration hid everything. :-)

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