There is no denying the fact that the Maliki regime committed atrocities against Sunnis in the north. You're not able to explain the support the ISIL/ISIS get from the locals.

Posted by: g_h | Jun 19 2014 17:09 utc | 1

If this is true it is one of the stupidest fucking moves possible on the part of the American brain trust. Sunni Islam can not be appeased, controlled or bought off. Makes me wonder if the Kingdom has more agents in Washington than Tel Aviv.
Did anyone else note the complete silence on the increasing rate of Islamist murder in Africa? What will DC do when an Islamic Army conspiracy in Nigeria tries an Armenian solution of that countries Christian population. Leader of the free world my ass.

Posted by: Northern Observer | Jun 19 2014 17:22 utc | 2

And this time France is not against
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/104194/World/Region/France-discusses-military-options-for-Iraq,-Syria.aspx
"The war that (Syrian President Bashar Assad) is pursuing against his own people promotes the creation of a zone between Syria and Iraq that is open to terrorists," Hollande said in the statement."

As usual they are not ashamed of their illogical behaviour. Haven't they created such zone in Libya? Are they doing anything to fix it?

Posted by: Mina | Jun 19 2014 17:28 utc | 3

What's the perspective of the analysis? If it's being conducted from the perspective of the MSM and its official storyline in regards to Iraq, then I see nothing wrong with Washington and The West refusing to provide military aid and cover to Maliki who has snubbed The West in favor of Syria, Iran, Russia and China. Afterall, The West and America are not a humanitarian mission and no longer even feign to be.

It's perfectly logical and acceptable, from a MSM storyline analytical perspective, for America and The West to want a regime more amenable than Maliki's if they're going to commit to significant military aid. Otherwise, it would be throwing good money after bad — once again — at least according to the official storyline parroted by the MSM. What would be interesting is if The West and America got that regime change, would they then turn on ISIS and demolish the joint venture that provided dividends, or would they drive it into hibernation or fracture it into a thousand splinters, each with its own respective potential to coalesce into another insurgency to strike when the zeitgeist manifests sometime in the near or distant future.

Now Was That, Then Is This

Posted by: Cold N. Holefield | Jun 19 2014 17:29 utc | 4

http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2014/6/syriakurd1243.htm
11 ISIS members, including foreigners, killed in Kobanê, Syrian Kurdistan

Kobane: 11 al-Qaeda linked Islamic-jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham ISIS have been reported killed after ISIS gunmen attacking two villages were tackled by YPG forces Wednesday. Clashes went on until this morning. Yemenis and Tunisians are reported to be amongst the dead.

According to reports the ISIS attacked the Değirmen and Boraz villages of Kobanê region last night. After the Kurdish YPG forces responded, clashes continued until this morning. At least 11 Islamic gunmen were killed and many others were wounded. There are said to be Yemenis and Tunisians amongst the dead. Local reports stated that the ISIS gunmen took their dead and wounded in tanks to the town of Jarablus on the border with Turkey. firatnews.com

Posted by: Mina | Jun 19 2014 17:29 utc | 5

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-06-17/not-going-planned-iraq-prime-minister-defies-us-accuses-saudi-arabia-genocide

This should figure in the post

Posted by: Mina | Jun 19 2014 17:36 utc | 6

Where is the good-old b who spent about four years devoted to publishing the juicy conspiracy that the US actually created sectarianism in Iraq, and that, really, the "Iraqis" were "nationalists"?

You don't know what you're talking about. For about 10 years.

Posted by: slothrop | Jun 19 2014 18:06 utc | 7

b - i agree with you.. this quote of yours sums up the approach taken in ukraine as well..

"When the elections confirmed him, other methods had to be introduced. Thus the insurgency started and is now used as a pretext for "regime change"."

Posted by: james | Jun 19 2014 18:11 utc | 8

I disagree
Al Maliki should keep asking for the USA support, even if he does not get it. I even wonder if he really wants it. He probably prefer to have free hand to deal with the fate of the rebels without being watched. The USA umbrella gives him all the legitimacy he needs.
He knows that if he asks for help to Russia or China, he will fall into a huge campaign of demonization. Saudi Arabia will be perfectly happy.
No, he should ask for help from the USA to oblige it to control the wild beasts that are its allies: Saudi Arabia and Qatar

By its schizophrenic support of Al Qaeada and other Islamists fighters, Saudi Arabia is clearly recognized as the main moral and financial supporter not only of Al Qaeeda but of the Saddam Hossein's nostalgic baathists.
They are both in the same pocket now.
Crushing Al Qaeda will mean crushing once for all the Sunni old guard of Sadddam Hossein. Like Egypt is sending the Moslem Brotherhood leadership to death, the Iraq governement will send ex-Saddam Hossein generals who delivered Mossoul to Al Qaeda as well as others Sunni militia leaders to the gallows for treason.
Something the USA should have done a long time ago and were not able to because they did not want to displease Saudi Arabia.
Obviously the USA seems to care less about making Saudi Arabia happy. It is giving a free hand to Al Maliki to do what they could not: amputate the Sunni Iraqi rebels from their leaders one for all and give a huge blow to Sunni Islamists fighters in the region.

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 19 2014 18:22 utc | 9

It's possible that this is all a grand conspiracy running from DC to Riyadh but that doesn't mean it's probable. If these actors wanted to remove Maliki for a more pliable leader there are surely much simpler and safer ways to do so than to unleash religious fanatics to conquer half the country with no means to reign them in? No?

Maybe we should consider that ISIS aren't a bunch of dummies, and similar to Hezbollah have been steadily learning, adapting, and refining their craft over the years. I'm sure that Riyadh certainly tries to influence them, but influence is not the same thing as control. As for DC, they're dumb enough to have been arming ISIS in Syria thinking they could control them and/or not realizing they were actually arming them given the chaos in the country as well as how porous the area is for foreign fighters and arms cross flow. But again, thinking you can control and actually controlling are two different things.

This doesn't seem like a planned DC event, I live in the northern virginia area and there's a definite whiff of shock and panic wafting over the potomac. To put it another way, why would Obama and/or the deep state give the go ahead to set in motion a chain of events that make them look powerless, foolish, assigns blame to the current administration for ALL of the Iraq stumbles, polarize public opinion against both Obama and the deep state as incompetent at best, all just to remove a mostly powerless figurehead in a failed state? One they can simply bribe and coerce to enact the majority of what they want any way? Also add in that DC's best efforts to pivot to Asia while containing Russia via the Ukraine debacle just got completely monkeywrenched by events in Iraq. If the deep state wanted to go after Iran, they'd just go after Iran. period, dot. The chaos in Iraq will make it absolutely impossible for the US to go after Iran militarily.

The attempt now to remove Maliki isn't the fruition of some grand plot. It's the feeble last gasp of an administration that's lost control of events in the Middle east, has no other viable options to pursue, and is desperately trying to keep the world from noticing how powerless it has become in the region.

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19 2014 18:23 utc | 10

When Malaki met with Sunni and Kurd leaders earlier in the week, the Sunni price for their support was creation of their own Sunni army. When Malaki refused he was branded as being intransigent. The U.S., Saudi and ex-Baathists who are aiding ISIS in Nineveh are reading from the same script, the one that says all the violence is due to Malaki's sectarianism.

Now the U.S. coup is out in the open with Obama promising nothing more than 300 military advisers (less than even a few Reaper strikes) and Ahmad Chalabi being whispered as the next prime minister.

Posted by: Mike Maloney | Jun 19 2014 18:26 utc | 11

Posted by: james | Jun 19, 2014 2:11:01 PM | 7

Yep, I'll second that.

Posted by: jo6pac | Jun 19 2014 18:26 utc | 12

Sorry, b., Maliki asked the US for airstrikes, so it is up to them to decide if they want to support him or not. They would have to trust someone on the ground pointing them to who to strike.
His coalition does not have majority seats in parliament either, so it is up to Iraqi parliamentarians to decide if they want him or not.
The problem with the Iraqi parliament and Iraqi election is US stupidity when they forced the constitution through.
This here actually was a good idea

On June 15, 2004, in response to a recommendation by Carina Perelli, director of the UN's Electoral Assistance Division, Coalition Provisional Authority administrator L. Paul Bremer decreed that Iraq would be a single electoral constituency, with seats allocated through proportional representation (PR) based on national lists.

and here it suddenly becomes a bad idea

Such a system is bad for Iraq. Voting is only one aspect of democracy; another is accountability. Under a PR system, parliamentarians are not tied to a specific district, but rather to a party list. Instead of being responsible to a town's voters, representatives will be loyal to party leaders. The pitfalls of such a system have led Poles to seek a constitutional amendment to replace PR with districts. While more than ninety countries use some form of PR, its application to single national districts is seldom without complication. Many Israelis complain that single-district PR allows radical small parties to hold their political system hostage. In Germany's Weimar Republic, single-district PR helped bring the Nazis to power.

Yep, the reference to Israel is strange and the reference to Weimar Germany is even stranger and a misrepresentation. Germany's parliament today is a mix of direct vote for a district representative and a vote for a party list.
It gets down from here

In Iraq, PR will breed radicalism. It is easier to forbid women from taking certain jobs, for example, if a politician need not answer to women in his district. If elections are based on 275 different districts, then each district would have only 87,000 people. Representatives would be closer to the people. Districts already exist, although Iraqis are keen to reverse Baathist gerrymandering. Even in disputed areas like Kirkuk, Iraqis say they can reach consensus to put Kurdish, Arab, and Turkoman neighborhoods into different districts.

In 2013 we are here

Most parties agree that each province be a single electoral district and that its number of seats be proportional with its population. But the Kurds disagree with that and want Iraq to be a single electoral district.

Iraq has 19 provinces - this here is a list of electoral alliances from 2006

It is utter madness. They have a parliament of "local representatives", not of national political movements. It is completely unworkable. As is they spend the time before elections on deciding on a new electoral law and the time after election on forming a government.

Iraq's last census by the way stems from 1987. So we do not really know if Shiites are in the majority. If Kurds get counted as Sunni the proportion presumably is 50/50. We also do not know if the proportional seats of the provinces are fair.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 19 2014 18:39 utc | 13

The Iraqi military's air offensive capability is 3 Cessna light planes with hellfire missiles, that they may or may not have, and a few lightly armed helicopters.

I wonder how this ISIS assault would have progressed had the US not destroyed all of Iraq's jets after the fall of Saddam.

Posted by: Crest | Jun 19 2014 18:41 utc | 14

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19, 2014 2:23:59 PM | 9: The attempt now to remove Maliki isn't the fruition of some grand plot. It's the feeble last gasp of an administration that's lost control of events in the Middle east, has no other viable options to pursue, and is desperately trying to keep the world from noticing how powerless it has become in the region.

Exactly right. US foreign policy in general has been a series of reactions to one unforeseen circumstance after another. Each crisis based on previous failed actions by the US.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 19 2014 18:44 utc | 15

Link to ACLU

Selected entries:

"18th June: A tweet purported to belong to Saudi National Abdullah Al Turki:
Getting rid of Kafir Shia in Syria and Iraq is more important than getting rid of Zionist
We will dig up the grave of Ali ibn Abi Talib inshallah and bring out the Mahdi from the underground and kill him. This is not a threat but a uprise.
It's a wish to dig up the grave of Zainab too
(Not sure if this is genuine or propaganda)

18th June: Hillary Clinton has expressed her view that it was a mistake on the part of Iraq to ask for the withdrawal of US military personnel.

18th June: Pro government Afaq TV is airing commercials calling for the boycott of Turkish and Saudi goods.

19th June: The US has started reconnaissance sorties over Iraqi Air Space with F-18 Hornets.

19th June: the Turks expect that with Baiji refinery out of action, Iraq will be forced to import refined petroleum products from, surprise-surprise, Turkey. Baiji refinery used to meet 25% of Iraqi refined petroleum needs.

19th June: Iranians are now sure that disinformation played a major role in the fall of Mosul. Rumours of the fall of the city were spread before it had actually fallen. Something similar was planned for other parts and prompted the Iraqi government to curtail phone and internet access.

19th June: Indian media reports from an escaped Indian worker who fled Mosul a month before it fell, Ahmad (Indian Worker): Around a month ago, a friend of mine told me that it was better that we got out of Mosul as a major invasion was being planned by the Al Qaeda-offshoot Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. He also told me that Mosul would be taken over and after that it would be living hell to be here... I am being told that in the days to come even Bhagdad will not be safe.
Ahmad: All stories about those barbaric acts that you hear are true. The ISIS are not human beings; they butcher people at will. It is fun for them to kill people and as long as they are around no part of Iraq is safe.

19th June: Petro China is now evacuating a limited number of staff from Iraq. It has renewed its offer to assist the government in Baghdad but not specified if military assistance would be forth coming. China is the largest investor in Iraq's oil sector and also the largest customer of Iraq's oil. This could explain why Iraq is now facing this crisis.

19th June: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has tweeted that Daash is an instrument of US policy"

See also the previous sitrep:

June 18th IRAQ SITREP by Mindfriedo

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 19 2014 18:56 utc | 16

"Link to ACLU" it links to the article OK, but the title should be: June 19th IRAQ SITREP by Mindfriedo.

There is also an earlier sitrep:

June 17th IRAQ SITREP by Mindfriedo

These sitreps by Mindfriedo are all packed full of information and useful commentary.

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 19 2014 19:02 utc | 17

Exactly right. US foreign policy in general has been a series of reactions to one unforeseen circumstance after another. Each crisis based on previous failed actions by the US.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 19, 2014 2:44:18 PM | 14

Yeah sure

the US never plans anything in advance, according to our local "experts", the same experts that still think ISIS is merely an "rogue" group of jihadis accidentally financed by the US-Satraps in the region - all the result of incompetence or ineptitude - not a nefarious plan in sight, just tons and tons of ineptitude - it's ALL a coincidence, according to these geniuses, so the rest of ya can all go back to sleep because the local MOA genius group has it ALL under control

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 19:05 utc | 18

Will the US MSM EVER stop fellating the Zionist donkey and do 5 fucking seconds of research on that little thing called the Interwebs?

Nope.

Here, I'll show you fucking Zionist whores and retards just how easy it is.

Oh, so Ahmed "Zionist Fucking Whore " Chalabi's name is being bandied about to replace Maliki, huh?

As it is becoming clearer and fucking clearer every GD day that the ENTIRE rollout - both military and propagandistic - of ISIS is nothing but the furtherance of the Yinon Plan, Clean Break, PNAC and other sundry Zionist strategies - dating back 3 decades - to balkanize the ME all for the benefit of the apartheid genocidal state of Israel MAYBE we should review Chalabi's past once again seeing as he's ALSO a retread of the uber-Zionist neocons.

Hey, fuckers, there's this shit-ass site called Wikipedia that calls itself an online encyclopedia but as OMFG showed a day or two go even THAT crap site can provide interesting information from time to time. It might be a nice launching pad if any of you fucking dbags wanted to do some research once in your pitiful fucking lives. Here's how to use it.

Type in "wikipedia" in your browser - you know what THAT is I'm assuming, you fucks - and then when you get there, type in "Ahmed Chalabi".

Now you can read through the article and remind yourself of salient facts such as:

Initially, Chalabi enjoyed close political and business relationships with some members of the U.S. government, including some prominent neoconservatives within the Pentagon. Chalabi is said to have had political contacts within the Project for the New American Century, most notably with Paul Wolfowitz, a student of nuclear strategist Albert Wohlstetter, and Richard Perle. He also enjoyed considerable support among politicians and political pundits in the United States, most notably Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post, who held him up as a notable force for democracy in Iraq.

Wow, so what this fuckshit site is telling me is that Chalabi was great friends and business partners with some of the MAJOR PLAYERS/AUTHORS of the Zionist strategies - i.e., Clean Break, PNAC - to split up the ME of which we are now seeing made manifest in real time, huh? The same exact people that the MSM are now trying to tell me are responsible for the "mistake" of the Iraq War, huh?

That's fucking weird, huh? So, they're blaming the neocons once again but they might put one of their neocon buddies back into power in Iraq? Nah, that sounds TOTALLY legit or at LEAST coincidental, right?

But wait, didn't Chalabi feel like the neocons sold him out after the war?

Hmmm, that's what the official story SEEMED to be but doing 3 seconds more of research - that means putting down the Zionist donkey dong for a minute - it seems in this NYT expose on Chalabi from 2006 - when he also attended the Bilderberg circle jerk, btw - he's still "friends" with BOTH Wolfie AND Perle. Sure, they may have their difference but donkey dong seems to heal all wounds, right guys?

Isn't that just fucking amazing, though? That the SAME EXACT people who AUTHORED the plans to break up the ME for the benefit of the apartheid genocidal state of Israel - and their friends like Chalabi - are back to witness and/or take active part in the breaking up of Iraq - and Syria? - by a mysterious group of jihadist accountant bank-robbers who just appeared out of Juan Cole's knife-hole?

Yup, this is all just ANOTHER big incompetent "fuck up" on the part of the neocons and their buddies ONCE AGAIN!!!

Just remember, kids, if the neocons and their allies are put back into power in Iraq and it ends up being partitioned it ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY has NOTHING to do with ANY of the plans and strategies that these same people cooked up previously.

Nope, it's all just a complex mish-mash of incompetence and lack of foresight on their part. Stupid fucking neocon idiots.

Holy fuck.

Posted by: JSorrentine | Jun 19 2014 19:12 utc | 19

So again we have US interefering and the whole west applaude them.
But when it comes to Russia, oh no, they cannot do what US are doing.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 19 2014 19:12 utc | 20

ISIS is nothing but the furtherance of the Yinon Plan, Clean Break, PNAC and other sundry Zionist strategies - dating back 3 decades -

Posted by: JSorrentine | Jun 19, 2014 3:12:05 PM | 18

BUT JS how can THAT be??

after all our local "experts" have assured us that the US, and by extension I sposse we must include the US-Zionist contingent, is incapable of planning anything in advance.

The Empire is run by "Total F'n incompetent morons" if the local "experts" are to be believed.

Surely you're not suggesting that the local "experts" don't know their ass from their elbow when it comes to this stuff, are you?

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 19:23 utc | 21

that means putting down the Zionist donkey dong for a minute

Now, really!!

I think you're asking waaaaaay too much of these Guys, JS

"Zionist donkey dong " seems to one of their addictions, from what I can see

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 19:25 utc | 22

So again we have US interefering and the whole west applaude them.
But when it comes to Russia, oh no, they cannot do what US are doing.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 19, 2014 3:12:56 PM | 19

Can you show me where Maliki asked Russia, specifically, for help? Why America and The West? Where are the two other emerging Superpowers, China and Russia? Still flat on their backs in their cribs sucking on oil-soaked pacifiers? If Maliki and Iraq have to wait for these newborn Superpowers to crawl, walk and then run, well, it will be too late. As it is, it's too late already. Maliki better have an exit plan — an Oil Parachute versus the Golden variety.

Posted by: Cold N. Holefield | Jun 19 2014 19:27 utc | 23

OMFG,

When the deep state wants regime change they do it in a way that makes them look good, not bad to the public and world. Ukraine gives a good example of the DC M.O. Stage peaceful demonstrations in the capitol city using NGOs and civil liberty groups as fronts for funds distribution for years in preparation first. Publicly claim how wonderful the demonstrators are for enacting peaceful democratic values and dare/provoke the current regime into taking action against the "peaceful" demonstrators. Meanwhile work the system internally to prep for a shadow follow on govt IE Nuland and her released conversations. When the regime takes action against the peaceful demonstrators you gain the cassus belli to shove the regime out of power either via internal means (Ukraine) or try to gain multi-national pressure to do so (Syria). See in all this the US gets to be the hero and look good to the world. Let's compare and contrast with Iraq shall we?

Uncontrollable jihadis launch a blitzkrieg offensive that topples multiple cities while working with the disaffected sunni population that hates America's guts due to the previous carnage in Iraq. Heads are sawed off, mass executions follow, along with attacks on oil infrastructure, and a very real threat of a jihadi caliphate forming out of the chaos of Syria and Iraq that finally kills close to 100 years of trying to enforce the arbitrary country boundaries in the region. During all this the deep state looks simultaneously incompetent, feckless, and powerless. It reinforces to the world that the US deep state failed utterly to rebuild Iraq, reinforces to the US domestic population that the 10+ years of American troops dying in the middle east has not only accomplished nothing but has made things worse, and has hardened US domestic opinion even further against foreign adventurism. Across the board, ISIS in Iraq makes the deep state look very, very, very bad and that's most certainly not how the deep state operates.

Consider that it's not just INcompetence on our part but also the competence of ISIS to plan, build, prepare, and enact their campaign. This happens in history. The western world was shocked when in their eyes a bunch of smelly, uncivilized, brutal, nomadic, unlettered, horsemen from the east (Genghis Khan) very nearly rode western christiandom out of business. ISIS may still cut their own throats in Iraq, but if they can keep their religious fervor under control and build support with the local populations then they may keep the land they took. And that is a very, very dangerous threat to the middle east and the deep state. Certainly not worth getting rid of a corrupt sock puppet while trying to contain both Russia and China simultaneously and with a shaky economy that can't handle higher oil prices.

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19 2014 19:32 utc | 24

"We have had advisers in Iraq through our embassy and we are prepared to send a small number of additional American military advisers -- up to 300 -- to assess how we can best train, advise and support Iraqi security forces going forward," the President said.

Translation: We're sending in special forces to protect valuable infrastructure. Nothing more.

"Going forward, we will be prepared to take targeted and precise military action if and when we determine that the situation on the ground requires it."

Translation: [clearly directed towards ISIS], don't dare to attack these instillations, otherwise we'll be forced to choose sides and bomb you back to Syria.

Posted by: never mind | Jun 19 2014 19:33 utc | 25

Just a quick piece of background information:

Brett McGuirk is a typical case of failing upwards and winning promotions despite fucking up everything. He was one of the main State Department guys stationed in Iraq during the 2003-2007 period (already a pretty incompetent thing to have on anyones CV). He was then assigned the led negotiator in the Status of Forces agreement to keep US soldiers in Iraq. Maliki tricked McGuirk on that deal and its collapse almost sunk McGuirk's attempts to be nominated US ambassador to Iraq.

Another case that almost sunk his chance of being US ambassador was the sex tape of McGuirk receiving oral sex on the roof of one of Saddams Palaces that emerged. Featuring one of the State Department women that worked under him and considering he was married at the time, that became a large scandel during the nomination process.

Finally once it emerged that he traded "Access to Confidential Information for Sex" with a Wall Street Journal Reporter Gina Chon he was forced to drop out of consideration for the Ambassadorship. She also resigned for the WSJ.

All that however didn't stop Obama naming him Assistant Secetary of State for Iraq and Iran.

Posted by: Colm O' Toole | Jun 19 2014 19:40 utc | 26

after all our local "experts" have assured us that the US, and by extension I sposse we must include the US-Zionist contingent, is incapable of planning anything in advance.

One of the big tells is this:

Nearly IMMEDIATELY as soon the whole ISIS parade started every motherfucking journo and war criminal MSM mouthpiece had an INTRICATELY DETAILED analysis describing the complexities of this or that jihadist group/sect, the history of all of the participants, the names of the various leaders of each group/sect and on and on and on and on.

Overnight there were all sorts of scary Arabic sounding names being blithely tossed back and forth, back and forth as the great journos SEEMINGLY tried so very very hard - or so we were supposed to believe - to discern just what was going on.

A second round/wave of propaganda began with the old red/blue "blame game": the neocons blame Obama and that back and forth, back and forth....

If you're senses are not inundated/saturated with all of the complex analysis of the Cockburn/Parry/Cole camp, why then you might like to head on over to DailyKos and defend the poor O-man against the smears of the Cheney family.

How fucking fun.

All while this nonsense is going on, NOT A FUCKING PERSON in the Establishment seems to find fit to mention that what we are witnessing bears STRIKING similarities to PUBLISHED and QUOTABLE strategies cooked up by the SAME FUCKING PEOPLE who are being trotted out on TV to blame Obama and engage in sundry other propagandistic activities.

Nope, even though one can read PNAC, Clean Break, the Yinon Plan etc etc and discover so many similarities as to what's going on right now, it's probably just a better use of everyone's time to speculate on minutiae or the blame game.

Gee, how fucking clever.

Posted by: JSorrentine | Jun 19 2014 19:41 utc | 27

Ok so the milquetoast counterpunch contingent concensus seems to be "it was initially a nerfarious and cunning plan, but now its just a fuck up"

Which is frankly just retarded, tbh. Trying to have the best of both worlds by acknowledging the obvious conspiracy, so obvious even THEY, blind ancient dinosaurs that they are, can see it, or at least can no longer credibly claim it does not exist, which is what they'd really like to do.

So acknowledge they must, otherwise theyll just look stupid. But then they immediately slip back into jaun-cole-reading-moron mode by then claiming, even though they just acknowledged the consiracy, that is all just ineptitude once again, and "phew" the poor dears are back on safe ground again

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 19:45 utc | 28

@23

You seem to have missed the part where the deep state stopped giving a fuck what the oi polloi think

Your comments regarding Ukraine, and how the DS pr game is different there, are laughably ignorant. The DS has been exposed quite effectively there but they don't care and continue on regradless

And guess what? Hasnt made any difference whatsoever on the domestic scene, this exposure of the lenghts the DS wil go to achieve its aim.

You really dont seem to understand at all what has happened in Ukraine, if you think the DS has successfully kept its cover there.

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 19:52 utc | 29

@23
i have to agree with omfg. the 'deep state' looked terrible in the ukraine and they look just as bad and worse here.. if you think isis isn't the new al qaeda and that the same gang including the usa aren't behind them, well no amount of the obvious is going to change your mind!

Posted by: james | Jun 19 2014 20:05 utc | 30

Nearly IMMEDIATELY as soon the whole ISIS parade started every motherfucking journo and war criminal MSM mouthpiece had an INTRICATELY DETAILED analysis describing the complexities of this or that jihadist group/sect, the history of all of the participants, the names of the various leaders of each group/sect and on and on and on and on.

So true. It's like horse racing — in fact, it's taking the place of horse racing ever so steadily. Soon enough these Jihadists will be wearing certain colors and numbers for the Glitterati to be able to distinguish the various contestants down in the parched and unforgiving desert while they rub each other's padded, dandruff-flecked shoulders positioned nicely in their posh and air-conditioned satellite-feed grandstands. Brochures with all the statistics for the latest siege will be provided free of charge in an effort to enable more informative wagers on the evening's fixed-outcome events.

But hey, if the Arabs are willing to oblige and kill each other for the Elite's viewing pleasure, who are you, or who am I, to get in the way of that arrangement? All I can do is provide commentary from the cheap seats of the internet with big, fat, blockyhead, popcorn and corndog snorting cretins obstructing my view and no free program guide. Still, it's better than nothing and I'm grateful for what little I do have and get.

Posted by: Cold N. Holefield | Jun 19 2014 20:09 utc | 31

Cold N Holefield

AS the nazi you are as you justify wars by invition, you surely supported Afghanistan's invitation to Soviet in the 80s?

Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 19 2014 20:17 utc | 32

if you think isis isn't the new al qaeda and that the same gang including the usa aren't behind them, well no amount of the obvious is going to change your mind!

Posted by: james | Jun 19, 2014 4:05:13 PM | 29

it sure is amazing how woefully stubborn and wilfully blind some people are, and seemingly wish to be.

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 20:19 utc | 33

Dont know if this been posted:
kiev soldiers caught
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e30_1403190323

Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 19 2014 20:32 utc | 34

OMFG,

All german shepards are dogs, that doesn't mean all dogs are german shepards. Likewise the DS will act and use black ops, but not every event in the world is a black op. So how many world events are black ops? I have no idea, the possibility exists that any event is but the probability of each event is up for debate.

Facts don't back up your positions. For instance public opinion still matters and is necessary to manufacture consent. Obama wanted to bomb the syrian govt, either alone or preferably at the head of a inter-national coalition. Public opinion was strongly against, so Obama went to Congress, and since public opinion was against it they told him to pound sand. The airstrikes didn't happen did they?

Likwise the desire for a war with Iran has been there for years, and no amount of Israeli agitation has been able to overcome US reluctance to start a war there as public opinion is soundly against it.

The last poll I saw for boots on the ground in Iraq had 75% public opposition to it. Thus Obama is slipping in a few hundred and is very, very carefully try to keep the public thinking they're advisors only. God help him if any of them die or get captured, his roasting over Benghazi will look like a day at the beach. I haven't seen the poll numbers for air strikes but I bet they'll be similar to the numbers for Syria.

The DS is normally pretty open about their goals. It normally takes years to formulate the policy, get people on board, get plans together and updated for the DOD, yada, yada. Pivoting to Asia, containing Russia, etc. are pretty clear goals. Re-igniting a ground war in Iraq that makes everyone remember how badly you failed there previously and with zero public support...not so much.

As for Ukraine, it follows the colored revolution MO to the letter and has DS fingerprints all over it. But even there western public opinion most certainly does constrain action as the DS has had to rely on mercs, local thugs, right sector and other assorted nazis, and have managed to lose Crimea completely, been unable to provoke russia to intercede, and have been unable to retake the eastern cities. So again the bilderburg group, freemasons, or alien lizard overlords certainly seem constrained by public opinion and unable to even get events with their fingerprints all over it to work the way they want.

It's more comforting to think that everything bad happening in the world is the result of a guiding hand of nefarious cabalists. The idea that shit happens and that the world is actually always in a state of barely restrained chaos is much scarier.

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19 2014 20:51 utc | 35

The DS is normally pretty open about their goals.

Yeah,

Like with the Yinon plan ineptitude Plan (what are you lot calling it, these days?) which according to JS above, has been around for 30 yrs.

Yeah?

So this is that plan playing out.

It not really that hard to figure out

Im surprised anyone even halfway intelligent would be having such massive problems seeing it, but whatever . . . .

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 21:18 utc | 36

its more comforting to think that everything bad happening in the world is the result of a guiding hand of nefarious cabalists. The idea that shit happens and that the world is actually always in a state of barely restrained chaos is much scarier.

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19, 2014 4:51:32 PM | 34

Well for you it appears to be much more comforting to deny what even the blind should be able to see.

Anyone still with their head in the sand regarding US intentions in their use of their proxy ISIS at this late stage, is a bit foolish imo.

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 21:22 utc | 37

My, my. It's at times like these that I like to refer to a particularly....piquant, shall we say, quote by the esteemed Conservative godhead William Kristol: to wit,

"And on this issue of the Shia in Iraq, I think there's been a certain amount of, frankly, Terry, a kind of pop sociology in America that, you know, somehow the Shia can't get along with the Sunni and the Shia in Iraq just want to establish some kind of Islamic fundamentalist regime. There's almost no evidence of that at all. Iraq's always been very secular."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/apr/24/william-kristol-bradley-prize-iraq

Excuse me - Bradley Prize winner William Kristol, I should have said. Do tell, Billy. And it would be tremendous fun to pile on Billy if he had been the only one who was a boundless font of the purest shite where the U.S. invasion of Iraq was concerned. Was he? Oh, dear, no. He was merely one of the mouthiest. Much quieter but every bit as much a pegger of the bullshit meter was Paul Wolfowitz - you remember him, he was punished for being wrong about everything he said on Iraq by being made head of the World Bank. From which he promptly got fired for giving his girlfriend (yes, I know, it's difficult to imagine someone who looks as much like the front view of a Volkswagen beetle with both doors open as Paul Wolfowitz does could actually have a girlfriend, although she looked quite a bit like him with smaller ears) juicy pay raises.

And now, again, Ahmed Chalabi. Bad pennies always turn up, they say, and Chalabi is everything Sorrentine describes him as and more. Here's a treasure-trove of links on the wretched Chalabi, from which his appeal to the U.S. government is instantly explained.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3040.htm

"American oil companies will have a big shot at Iraqi oil" gushed Chalabi in the Washington Post. Music to corporate America's ears, as was his appointment as Iraqi oil minister in 2005.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001307.html

And now Chalabi's chickens have come home to roost at last, at least according to this somewhat hysterical squawk:

http://mriqd.com/2014/06/16/breaking-maliki-out-chalabi-in-as-iraqs-new-prime-minister/

At present that still looks a little optimistic, but wouldn't it be fortuitous just as Europe is looking for a new energy partner so that it can kiss off Russia? Iraq does not produce much natural gas - most of it is flared off - but it is OPEC's second-biggest oil producer and twelfth in the world for natural gas reserves.

Posted by: Mark | Jun 19 2014 21:31 utc | 38

THE IRAQI MESS IS OBAMAS WATERLOO; IRANS YARMOUK

"Some of you may have heard a recent declaration emanating from Mosul that ISIS now has a unified command with Al-Doori at the helm. This is true. Al-Doori was a former military man in Iraq who rose to prominence under Saddam and became the only man capable of spitting in the fearsome leaders face without so much as a raised eyebrow. However, Al-Doori has no substantial military experience as a field commander and can be expected to flop fairly soon. He is furthermore riddled with poor health, suffering from a spectrum of respiratory and nephrogenous conditions which will take his life soon.

That a Nakhshabandi/Ba’athist (read: Sufist) like Al-Doori could ally with Abu Bakr Al-Baghdaadi is proof positive that the whole ISIS movement is an American proxy fattened up with Saudi lucre and tarted up with Jihadist terrorist platitudes. The pretense by Obama that he is willing to send in air power to Iraq to help Al-Maliki is a mere Trojan Horse or Jaleela’s Dowry, a method to dislodge Prime Minister Al-Maliki after it became clear the disgraced American president couldn’t oust our Dr. Bashar Al-Assad. The Zionist plan, concocted and promoted by the Neo-Con traitors, is that the Fatimid Crescent is more like a necklace with beads than a true crescent. If you can’t rid yourself of the Syrian bead, go after the Iraqi one. That this is a Zionist plan is evident from the fact that only they would proffer such a sociopathic vision that would entail the extermination of the indigenous Christians of Iraq and Syria.

The Neo-Con traitors’ scheme is like this: In order to smother Hizbollah, you must bisect its lifeline to Iran. That means destroy Syria or Iraq. They targeted Syria first since it seemed to be the weakest of the 2 links. But, Syria was not the weakest given the immense support it received from both the Russian Federation and Iran. This left Iraq as a target in order to push back Iranian regional machinations and isolate Hizbollah. If Iraq could be put back into the hands of the Saddamists, like Al-Doori, Iraq would once again become a buffer against Iran and a black hole for Hizbollah. I want to mention here, also, that Saudi Arabia’s recent admonition that foreign forces should stay out of the Iraqi conflict is only meant to deflect accusations of its own incontrovertible involvement in financing this ISIS monster in both Syria and Iraq.

Three realities have now emerged from all this for the Zionist leeches: 1. The Bush campaign against Saddam was a disaster of historic proportions which must be corrected; 2. Hizbollah is one of the most menacing forces that the Zionist Settler State must face in any future conflict; 3. The same disastrous plan used against Syria could still work in Iraq with proper planning.

Note General Qaassem ‘Ata’s statements to the press yesterday in Baghdad. He warned citizens and the public at large to beware of the “biased” reporting in those media sources who have started to spew out lies and propaganda. It is the same situation as that in Syria with the one proviso that the Iraqis are fully aware of the media campaign in Syria and are prepared to counteract it.

And even more interesting, note how ISIS and its Iraqi Ba’ath allies are making sophisticated use of the Internet in order to manipulate popular opinion. The way these savages are using the Internet points clearly to tutelage from the U.S. and its British allies in Turkey and elsewhere. HINT: Watch carefully how the BBC covers the events in Iraq and you will know who is behind this entire mess."

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 19 2014 21:38 utc | 39

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19, 2014 3:32:28 PM | 23

Yes.
The entire MIHOP conceit (but not the LIHOP) is an Ameri-centric zio-centric supremacist "view" with innate condescension toward the Arb world's ability to fight back against imperialism.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19 2014 21:47 utc | 40

Relavent comment from mindfriedo (writer of the sitreps I posted earlier)

"Regarding Obama and contradiction:

The Iraqis have asked for air strikes. Why? Cause it would have sent an immediate message to Daash, the Military Council, the Naqshabandi Order and their allies. American actions more than American firepower would have affected their morale. American allies in the region, Turkey, Israel, and Saudi Arabia were against these airstrikes for this reason.

This situation is very similar to when the Iran Iraq war ended. Saddam wanted to claim his prize (Kuwait) after he had done his master’s bidding. The words and actions of the United States egged him on.

By making these statements, the ones Obama did today, Obama has legitimized the actions of Daash, the Sunni tribes, the military council, and ex Bathist. They are carrying arms against the central government, be it repressive, unrepresentative, corrupt etc etc etc. But once you carry arms, the state has no choice. It will have to fight you. There can’t be two or three centers of power in one state.

Daash is a terrorist organization. Sure the terrorist seem better to work with than the thugs of Maliki for the local Sunnis. But they are terrorist. And the United States has just legitimized their takeover on sectarian grounds.

In this conflict a few actors are benefiting the most: the Kurds (maybe not intentionally but territorialy), the Turks (deceptively, financially), Israel (politically and militarily), the Jordanians (brownie points), Saudi Arabia (no Shia neighbor, humiliation for Iran).

On the losing side: Iraq (Wealth, Sovereignty, Human Resource, Natural Resource, Infrastructure), Iran (human resource, finance, influence, flexibility, an ally), China (access to energy, a level playing field, investment), Hizballah (manpower, prestige) and in the medium to long run, the Sunnis of Iraq will lose a lot. Because the Shias will crush them as far as they can. Not because they want to all the time, but because the divide of us and them will widen. And because the allies of the Sunnis from without will egg them on. And one big looser is going to be Turkey. I believe that this conflict will cause a break up of Turkey as well.

The solution for Iraq I feel has to be from within. But it can come only after a lot of conflict. Sadr was fiery at first and antagonistic to Sistani, Sistani saved his life in Najaf; he has now matured. Sistani has just saved Maliki Baghdad; Maliki or his possible successor need to reach out to the Sunnis; give them jobs, a future in Iraq, even if they never gave the Shias any. If Iraq has to remain one, then a political solution will have to follow a military one. But I doubt America will let any of this happen. America thrives on perpetual conflict."

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 19 2014 21:51 utc | 41

Yes.
The entire MIHOP conceit (but not the LIHOP) is an Ameri-centric zio-centric supremacist "view" with innate condescension toward the Arb world's ability to fight back against imperialism.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19, 2014 5:47:44 PM | 38

I knew it wouldn't be long before one of the more dishonest Donkey-Dongers started to pathetically accuse others of something akin to racism.

That it was Mr unTruth himself is no surprise

this bullshit of his about " the Arab world's ability to fight back against imperialism." is laughably moronic considering the training, supplying and financing of ISIS that has been arranged by the F'n Imperilaists themselves.

some people really are hopeless, not even slightly logical with your pretend selective ignorance

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 21:57 utc | 42

OMFG,

I'm noticing a dearth of supporting facts in your opinions.

So the DS plan is to let jihadi extremists take and hold territory and create a de facto modern caliphate that manages to erase the boundaries of countries the west has painstakenly spent close to 100 years trying to enforce to the best of their ability. All in the attempts to get rid of a powerless sock puppet, in order to diminish Iranian power in the region and/or finally get to go to war with Iran? (In spite of the fact that the DS has been forced to openly discuss the possibility of allying with Iran to contain ISIS, which is a humiliation to the DS in and of itself.)Also in spite of the fact that the demographics in Iraq don't change based on which sock puppet is in power and the Shia holy sites and influence don't magically disappear in the face of a new, powerless unity government.

Let's think that through a second, so does the DS go to war with Iran with ISIS at it's back? Most nations prefer not to fight a war with an enemy in their flank for..oh..the last 5,000 years or so.

But that must be because the DS tells ISIS to back off which they do, because all evidence to the contrary, they actually aren't religious true believers willing to die in the pursuit of their belief of a reborn caliphate stretching from the Mediterranean to the mouth of the Persian Gulf, but instead are very, very concerned with following orders from the infidels in the west and the decadent, weak, failing noble family that allowed infidels to base troops on their holy land and murder their religious brothers in other countries for decades.

I would personally bet money that most ISIS members would gleefully saw off the heads of the saudi ruling family just as readily as a Shia or an Infidel. I also bet the Saudi royal family knows it and probably isn't too keen on letting them permanently set up shop virtually next door in Iraq. So the likelihood of them greenlighting the invasion and take over of a nearby country with no long term means to control ISIS seems slightly suicidal and quite un-Saudi like. The Saudi ruling family hasn't stayed in power so long by being stupid, reckless, and suicidal. Wahhibiism is like herpes you know, fun to spread, but you try not to do it in your own back yard...

I could go on but why bother? If this is a bilderburg plot it is literally the most risky, poorly thought out, dumbest plot in the history of the planet. It's all huge, huge incredible risks with marginal rewards. It's the equivalent of wanting a day off from work and instead of just calling in sick you instead saw off your own legs with a rusty hacksaw covered in lemon juice. Quite overly elaborate and extreme for a day off...

Our elites are stupid and feckless but even they don't take the entirety of their billions, walk into a casino and place it all on red 5. How many penniless billionaires have you seen on the street lately?

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19 2014 21:59 utc | 43

There's more to this story... the COIN [counter-insurgency] doctrine is in and of itself an 'instant gratification' tool with multiple flaws. How those flaws (and by who) are exploited is a spy versus spy game between multiple competing factions and some of those factions are threats that go beyond the common greed exercised by numerous corporate boards vying for slices of the military industrial pie. It was COIN specialist General Petraeus set up what we see in Iraq today, and his interests differ considerably to other players who merely wish to manipulate for profit

http://ronaldthomaswest.com/2014/05/26/counterfeit-coin/

^ As well "Coin is a military-industrial employment insurance package that means you will never be out of a job"

Posted by: Ronald Thomas West | Jun 19 2014 22:10 utc | 44

@41

actually what you are noticing is that I dont actually read 90% of the crap you write.

I have not read more than the first sentences or 2 of the crap you posted, cos life's just too damn short to read any more crap from the clueless than absolutely necessary.

Lots of people have provided lots and lots of evidence the sort of thing you seem to be seeking, go and find it and read it, if you haven't already done so. And if you have then your inability to understand any of it is your own problem

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 22:16 utc | 45

#41 There are some people here that are incapable of believing in unexpected consequences for poorly thought out plans. In their world of politics and war there is always omnipotent central controlling authority or deep state that is directing events. It never errs. If it looks like Bush or Obama did indeed err, we are told they are mere puppets of the DS and do not know the big picture. It is a perfect theory -- it cannot be falsified, it explains everything. Of course it is invisible to us mere mortals but the priests of DS theory can see how it works.

You are quite correct that Bush and Obama ME policies have led directly to this current fiasco in Iraq, but it was never their plan. There may be factions within western imperialism that are delighted with what has happened -- Israel and the Saudis come to mind -- but neither of them had the power to make it happen. For those of us who engage in rational analysis we have to admit that we do not yet understand what happened or why, though some glimpses are coming through. For sure, we can see some current US actions in response to the crisis to try to salvage some face. However, this is no more than if all you have is lemons, then make lemonade.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 19 2014 22:22 utc | 46

'unity governments' are what FUKUS never apply to their own states, just to those who govts are a bit too independent, altho it can be said US is always a unitary govt state with currently a democract president and neocon advisors

Posted by: brian | Jun 19 2014 22:24 utc | 47

So the likelihood of them greenlighting the invasion and take over of a nearby country with no long term means to control ISIS seems slightly suicidal and quite un-Saudi like

this is moronic

You act as if ISIS isn't riddled with Imperialist agents

I even showed you one here in the last 24hrs.

the info came from Penny's site . . . .

But you go ahead and pretend none of that exists if you want to

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 22:26 utc | 48

"The war that (Syrian President Bashar Assad) is pursuing against his own people promotes the creation of a zone between Syria and Iraq that is open to terrorists," Hollande said in the statement."

As usual they are not ashamed of their illogical behaviour. Haven't they created such zone in Libya? Are they doing anything to fix it?

Posted by: Mina | Jun 19, 2014 1:28:08 PM | 3

what amazing cheek! do the french like it when their 'representative' makes such outrageous lies? Over and Over we see that 'democracy' delivers bad government, with the likes of Obama of Bush or Blair or Hollande snake oiling their way to power

Posted by: brian | Jun 19 2014 22:28 utc | 49

Especially for the Donkey-Donging-Dullards of the "Imperial Ineptitude" Counterpunching contingent here it is again, complete with links to photos of the agent in question

http://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.de/2014/06/the-fall-of-mosul-and-who-benefits.html

EXCERPT: "Now, let's meet for the first time ever, a beneficiary & possible participant in the attack on Mosul!

Just kidding!

Readers here met this man quite some time ago.

Remember?

Meet the Rebel Commander in Syria That Assad, Russia and the U.S. All Fear

Tarkhan Batirashvili- I have the strangest feeling, going by "the gut" here, we are going to be hearing and reading more about this man in the near future. "An ethnic Chechen who learned all his war skills in the US funded Georgian Army" but we are supposed to believe he is deeply at odds with the more mainstream rebels (there are no mainstream rebels) Tarkhan Batirashvili or Umar al-Shishani

Link to Photo showing: Tarkhan Batirashvili better known or rebranded/ reoutfitted/recostumed as Umar al-Shishani


When I expressed suspicion we would all be hearing or reading more about this man, I had know idea just what that would involve. Just knew he was getting the star treatment for some reason.

• -He served in an intelligence unit of the Georgian army
  
  
• - He distinguished himself as master of various weaponry and maps, said Mr. Topuria, his former commander, who recruited him into a special reconnaissance group.
  
  
• - He views the (Syrian) war as a chance to strike a blow against one of the Kremlin's allies-putting him firmly in league with NATO
  
  
• -He hails from Pankisi Gorge

Mr Umar al Shishani is through and through US/ NATO's boy-



Check out the grinnin' Mr Shishani yesterday in either Mosul, Iraq or Syria (not clear) as he inspects the conveniently captured US Humvees

Militants Parade Captured US-Supplied Humvees in Syria

Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (Isis) insurgents are transporting US-supplied Humvees across the border into war-torn Syria after capturing Iraq's second city of Mosul.

Militants were seen riding in the vehicles around Mosul and other areas under their control but photos have emerged on social media outlets of the military vehicles being inspected by senior Isis commander Umar al Shishani in Syria.

Shishani, who was born in Georgia and acts as commander of the northen sector of Isis in Syria, is considered one of the most influential leaders of the Syrian opposition after a series of assaults on military bases near Aleppo.

It was so good of the US to supply Shishani and ISIS with Humvees, no?

ISIS Syria Iraq

Link to Photo showing Isis commander Umar al Shishani appears thrilled with a captured US Humvee.

ISIS Iraq Syria

Link to Photo showing: Isis commander Umar al Shishani Loves him some US-supplied Humvees

Isis Syria Iraq

Link to Photo: Why is this face hidden?

The US State Department has released a statement saying that it is "deeply concerned" by the Islamist militants' siege of Mosul.

"deeply concerned" wondering why it is that a bunch of US humvees were left for the ISIS crew when it should have been obvious that they were on the move

=======

Nothing to see here, folks.

Move along! Move Along there!!

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19, 2014 8:04:47 AM | 114

===========

Like I said, you just go on pretending none of that is real, if you want to, since that seems to be what it takes to make you less insecure, in this big bad world of ours

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 22:30 utc | 50

Posted by: Colm O' Toole | Jun 19, 2014 3:40:50 PM | 25

interesting sample of the political process and even 'the candidate for the change you can believe in' is not immune....corruption is nowhere more evident than in the US.

Posted by: brian | Jun 19 2014 22:31 utc | 51

Next years arrival of a probe at Pluto after a journey of over ten years proves that the USA can and does plan well ahead. Fortunately for the rest of us they and their so called deep state -the permanent in crowd - have no divine right. Neither do any others. If you want to win you got to play, there are others in the game and they will not just walk away when the blood starts flowing.

Posted by: bridger | Jun 19 2014 22:33 utc | 52

Here, ya go, dipshits. Here's your fucking incompetence blah blah.

ISIS Discovers Saddam's Old Chemical Weapons Stockpile!!!!

From the article:

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commander of Britain’s chemical weapons regiment, said that al-Muthanna has large stores of weaponized and bulk mustard gas and sarin, most of which has been put beyond ready use in concrete stores.

“It is doubtful that Isis have the expertise to use a fully functioning chemical munition but there are materials on site that could be used in an improvised explosive device,” he told the Telegraph. “We have seen that Isis has used chemicals in explosions in Iraq before and has carried out experiments in Syria.”

Doubtful that ISIS - a group that has military experts, safe-crackers, archeologists, film crews and hosts of other specialists in addition to $50 QUADRILLION at its disposal - can find a way to put to use?!! What, haven't you been paying attention?!

Anyone sick of this retarded fucking shit yet?

Posted by: JSorrentine | Jun 19 2014 22:34 utc | 53

Here, ya go, dipshits. Here's your fucking incompetence blah blah.

ISIS Discovers Saddam's Old Chemical Weapons Stockpile!!!!

LOL

they ya go Donkey-Dongers, a veritable feast oi Zio-Donkey-Dong in that one for you lot to bounce/munch on

No one could find but by golly the completely-nothing-to-do-with-the-Imperilaists group called ISIS found em!!

Good old "homegrown Arab" ingenuity

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 22:41 utc | 54

@38

In what way is Arabs killing other arabs 'fighting against imperialism'?

Posted by: Massinissa | Jun 19 2014 22:49 utc | 55

The Yinon Plan is in effect, even Atzmon says so.
The Yinon Plan even said Israel was going to have to take matters into its own hand because the USSR was too much of a long term
equal or superior to the USA. Fail.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19 2014 22:51 utc | 56

So we understand the Yinon Plan is in general effect but cannot be read like an Ozark Bible College grad reads the Book of Revelation.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19 2014 22:53 utc | 57

@38

In what way is Arabs killing other arabs 'fighting against imperialism'?

Posted by: Massinissa | Jun 19, 2014 6:49:18 PM | 53

can't speak for the man himself, but surely it must have something to do with that "Imperial Ineptitude" thingy he keeps rubbing himself against while addressing us alleged-know-nothings

Yep - THAT'S IT!

that "Imperial Ineptitude" thingy is what makes the Arabs fight other Arabs!!!

Apparently it's the super-duper seekrit "Ineptitude" ingredients that make all the difference

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 22:53 utc | 58

Even if the hypothesis laid forth by OMFG and Sorrentine is wrong, noone here has been able to explain how, if this is a 'fuckup', how all of this seems, to me, to be a godsend for the plans of the United States?

Usually when someone 'fucks up', bad things happen to the fuckup. Not really good things.

And so far I dont see how this supposed 'fuck-up' is in any way bad for the United States. The only thing anyone has said is that it looks bad on Americas image, but when in the last 50 years has America given two shits about its image abroad? Much more embarassing things like Newland sponsoring a coup in Ukraine are totally overlooked.

Posted by: Massinissa | Jun 19 2014 22:56 utc | 59

I just cant understand this 'imperial ineptitude' hypothesis.

Ineptitude usually creates disadvantageous situations, and the situation for the united states is HIGHLY advantageous.

If the Empire is Inept, then by god the ineptitude is working heavily in its favor this time around.

Posted by: Massinissa | Jun 19 2014 22:58 utc | 60

The reference Massinna was to 9-11-2001, but let's widen the perspective.
Israel has been cajoled by its well-wishers that for its own strategic sake it should not oppress the Palestinians
and behave as it has generally behaved toward its neighbors.
Nevertheless it has continued behaving very badly.
We can say then that even the Israeli Elite is inept as it is evil, particularly if Hezbollah's whipping was a harbinger.
The question of whether it is more inept than evil is best left to those advanced in both ethics and geopolitical strategy.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19 2014 22:59 utc | 61

noone here has been able to explain how, if this is a 'fuckup', how all of this seems, to me, to be a godsend for the plans of the United States? [And don't forget also for Israel for where the Yinon Plan was conceived]

I think it must go something like this

"It's the Ineptitude!! See? If they were not so inept then they would not be well positioned to benefit from this. See if they were smarter they wouldn't be so inept, and since they are inept then they can't be smart, can they, and if they were smart well they wouldn't be able to benefit. and so if they were smarter they wouldn't be so inept, and wouldn't be able to benefit. . . . etc etc ad infinitum blah blah blah"

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 23:04 utc | 62

I just cant understand this 'imperial ineptitude' hypothesis.

Posted by: Massinissa | Jun 19, 2014 6:58:24 PM | 58

No neither can most of the other honest people here, but the provably dishonest ones like Mr unTruthbetold (or even Mr TruthbeNOTtold, if you prefer) seem to have no problem at all with that ridiculous hypothesis

If the Empire is Inept, then by god the ineptitude is working heavily in its favor this time around.

Naw that's just coincidence - couldn't ever possibly be anything else because it is apparently Gospel truth and scientifimic fact that the Elite are inept. Ergo is simply MUST be nothing more than mere coincidence.

Couldn't possibly be anything else.

Nope.

Not a chance.

Honest

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 23:09 utc | 63

Iran's leadership would tell you, right now, they are markedly stronger in the Mideast than they were on 9-10-2001.
If the US splits Iraq into three benign regions while Israel in fact expands, Iran and Hezbollah helpless to counter effectively,
then and only then can you crow about successful conspiracy.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 19 2014 23:17 utc | 64

I want to second thepanzer comments.

Right now feels just like the collapse of South Vietnam in April 1975, the same confusion and disbelief. The Vietnam defeat led directly to the Regan Revolution, the rise of the Neo-Cons and the current American Corporatist State; except, the fallout from 1975 was not as catastrophic as what is happening today. NATO is in a warm war with Russia in Ukraine which can easily escalate to WWIII. Iraq is partitioned. The Iranian Army will likely invade Iraq to save the Shiite government. This escalation of the Sunni Shiite Jihad from Lebanon to Pakistan will lead to the cut off of oil from the Middle East collapsing the Global Economy. The Sunni Caliphate in the Levant is up and running.

This is incompetency that can destroy our lives. If this is the deep state’s intentions, all along, we are doomed because that means that they are insane.

Posted by: VietnamVet | Jun 19 2014 23:43 utc | 65

63

and if THAT don't put every one to sleep, nothing will

It's like you're a human propaganda-swallowing machine.

bits of every MSM force-fed meme are in your 2nd paragraph

and it's possibly the most misleading piece of nonsense I've heard yet

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 19 2014 23:54 utc | 66

Turkey historic shift on Kurds?
Turkey gives a direct blow to Iraq Central government by accepting that Iraqi Kurds get their own country. Don't they risk to awake the same desire from Turkish Kurds?

Turkey Would Support Iraqi Kurds' Bid For Self-Rule, Spokesman Says In Historic Remark
...
The statement has been relatively overlooked so far, but could signal a shift in policy as Turkey has long been a principal opponent of Kurdish independence, which would mean a partitioning of Iraq.

"The Kurds of Iraq can decide for themselves the name and type of the entity they are living in," Huseyin Celik, a spokesman for the Justice and Development Party, told the Kurdish online news outlet Rudaw last week.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/17/turkey-kurdistan_n_5504309.html

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 20 2014 0:03 utc | 67

The USA umbrella gives him all the legitimacy he needs.

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 19, 2014 2:22:28 PM | 8

That's a joke, right?

The attempt now to remove Maliki isn't the fruition of some grand plot. It's the feeble last gasp of an administration that's lost control of events in the Middle east, has no other viable options to pursue, and is desperately trying to keep the world from noticing how powerless it has become in the region.

Posted by: thepanzer | Jun 19, 2014 2:23:59 PM | 9

I think that's close. Obama has been the CIA's 'covert' president for so long that the CIA's moronic plans are starting to come home to roost on his watch. He was supposed to be out of office and clipping coupons when all this happened. I wonder if he's figured out that the CIA are not 'the smartest guys in the room' yet?

I wonder how long it will be before he discovers that neither is Jamie Demon the 'smartest guy in the room'?

I saved a couple of images from the Whisky Bar originally posted by saleh. Plus ça change ...

Posted by: john francis lee | Jun 20 2014 0:04 utc | 68

@13 "The Iraqi military's air offensive capability is 3 Cessna light planes with hellfire missiles, that they may or may not have, and a few lightly armed helicopters."

I guess he can always ask for air support from Assad. The Syrian airforce is perfectly capable of taking out ground targets.

Assad can always claim that the air strikes are launched as "hot pursuit" across the border, and Maliki can (correctly) point out that Iraq and Syria are fighting the same enemy so it makes perfect sense for them to assist each other.

If nothing else it would present Obama with yet another unintended consequence of western policy.

After all, if Maliki requests Syrian air support then there really is no reason to complain about it: the concept of "collective self-defence" is enshrined in the UN Charter, and the entire rationale behind NATO is that it is a collective defence organization.

Posted by: Johnboy | Jun 20 2014 0:07 utc | 69

Chalabi;Oh,no!How many toimes have they tried to implant this slimy creep?The Iraqis hate him,other than some fellow bribees.
And people should remember that our callow and feckless leader is probably unaware he's being played a fool by these Ziomonsters.I'm not defending the asshole,just pointing out the possibility he actually believes their 70 year old diatribe of lies and hate,and he actually thinks they are the good guys,belied by their poison fruits.

Posted by: dahoit | Jun 20 2014 0:20 utc | 70

#67 Syria certainly has the right under rules of war to attack any armored columns (taken by ISIS from the Iraqi army) headed towards the Syrian border.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20 2014 0:22 utc | 71

Breyer;An American citizen(right?)thrown to the wolves of historical amnesia.A fall guy for German guilt,and Merkels ancestors.
Oh,and sanctions on Uganda,for their anti-gay laws(guardian).Go ahead morons piss off another nation,as we try to implant legal buggering where it aint (officially) wanted.Do these finger pointers realize they put these Ugandan gay people more at risk by inflaming public opinion?
Braindead assholes.

Posted by: dahoit | Jun 20 2014 0:26 utc | 72

Dahoit

No. I'm afraid Obama had too many Palestinian and Arab acquaintances in Chicago who trusted him and whom he has essentially cast aside long ago.

Posted by: truthbetold | Jun 20 2014 0:35 utc | 73

@23

The western world was shocked when in their eyes a bunch of smelly, uncivilized, brutal, nomadic, unlettered, horsemen from the east (Genghis Khan) very nearly rode western christiandom out of business.

Uhh. Not so fast. The one thing Genghis Khan never did was take away the religion of those he conquered. Never.

Posted by: MRW | Jun 20 2014 2:13 utc | 74

@51

bulk mustard gas and sarin

Sarin has a shelf life for potency. And it's short, whether buried in cement or in deep vault on the Marshall Islands. I don't know about mustard gas. But I knew a military guy who dug up the sarin supply on the Marshall Islands and when I asked him if he wasn't afraid of getting killed, he gave me a long detailed explanation about how it lost its juice eons ago.

Posted by: MRW | Jun 20 2014 2:17 utc | 75

Obama appeals Iran to stop exciting sectarian tide

When it comes to hypocrisy, Israel and the USA have no serious rivals.

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20 2014 2:55 utc | 76

Not sure why everyone is appalled that Chalabi is one of the candidates for President that is supported by Iran. After all, he worked with Iranian intelligence while he was encouraging the US to take out Saddam Hussein. Iran was most certainly defending their national interest by doing so. Now they want him to rule Iraq. Why not?

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20 2014 3:00 utc | 77

So the propaganda stench is roughly as follows: See! See! the Baath was working with AQ and had WMD! Certain bearded fellow did mumble something about tragedy followed by farce.

Posted by: Johan Meyer | Jun 20 2014 3:18 utc | 78

@ 75

Last I checked people in Iraq voted for Maliki and not Chalabi. But why bother having elections when the Ziowest already has a great leader picked out for you? It saves you all the trouble associated with picking the wrong guy; a very painful as we've witnessed.

Also, I don't know where this "Chalabi is an Iranian agent" meme came from. The fact that the US is mentioning his name AGAIN 10-12 years later, should be a pretty obvious sign that he is not working for Iran. Maybe they figure they can blame Iran for the Iraq fiasco rather than the neocons.

Posted by: Lysander | Jun 20 2014 3:18 utc | 79

@ Posted by: JSorrentine | Jun 19, 2014 6:34:21 PM | 51

RE: Hamish de Bretton-Gordon

He was indeed the commander of the British CBRN Regiment and also NATO's Rapid Reaction CBRN Battalion so a lot of technical expertise. What is NOW is COO of Secure Bio a private for profit company that he founded on leaving the British army.

Far be it from me to even think the words "conflict of interest".

Dubhaltach

Posted by: Dubhaltach | Jun 20 2014 3:18 utc | 80

Posted by: Lysander | Jun 19, 2014 11:18:42 PM | 77

"Also, I don't know where this "Chalabi is an Iranian agent" meme came from."

With ToivoS making the claim, it's fairly certain to originate with garbage like this:

Intel Agencies Fear Iran Used Chalabi To Lure U.S. Into Iraq

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20 2014 3:34 utc | 81

And Saudis dare deny that they are not behind ISIS?

Iraqis, Saudis call shots in Raqa, ISIL's Syrian 'capital'
...
And there is a very structured hierarchy -- Iraqi, Saudi and to a lesser extent Tunisian fighters and clerics call the shots, while Egyptian, European, Chechen and Syrian extremists are lower down in the ranks.
....
ISIL's top clerics, said activist Abu Ibrahim, are Iraqi, Saudi and Tunisian.

"They espouse and promote the Al-Qaeda ideology, leading Friday prayers with speeches about general religious affairs, and more recently about ISIL's takeover of (Iraq's second city) Mosul,"
.....
YouTube is awash with Islamic-style anasheed (songs) singing the praises of Baghdadi, calling on potential recruits to swear loyalty (bayaa) to him.
....
Thousands of young Syrians, many of them uneducated, have flocked to ISIL, which they see as a radical, potent alternative to the poorly organised, ill-equipped rebel Free Syrian Army.

Part of the allure is the fact that the group is wealthy and well-armed.
http://news.yahoo.com/iraqis-saudis-call-shots-raqa-isils-syrian-capital-175440473.html

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 20 2014 3:34 utc | 82

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 19, 2014 8:03:26 PM | 65

That spokesman just states fact. It is hyped because there is a push by the oil industry for the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan. They cannot freely get at that oil yet., as a matter of fact, Turkey wants/needs this economic backyard, sphere of influence.
The "Sunni insurrection" was organized from Turkey with the cooperation of Kurdistan. Turkey with Qatar were the main drivers.

Since December oil has been flowing from the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region to the Turkish oil terminal of Ceyhan.

Until now, the oil has been stored. But with the terminal depot nearly full, ministers from Ankara and the Kurdistan Regional Government say they expect this month to see the first sales of the oil.

Around 100,000 barrels a day of Iraqi Kurdish oil are being exported to Turkey, a figure that oil industry analyst says is expected to rise.

Diplomatic columnist Kadri Gursel of the Turkish newspaper Milliyet warns the sale could have far reaching consequences.

"It’s a step forward to boost KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] independence, which puts in question the real integrity of post-Saddam Iraq these days," he said. "Oil is the only cement that keeps together today’s Iraq."

Regional analysts say the sale of the oil is seen as strengthening the hand of Iraqi Kurds. With these energy agreements, the Iraqi Kurds are betting that closer cooperation with Ankara will bring economic, and eventually political, independence a step closer. Turkey is also involved in many other development projects in the Kurdish province, from airport construction to hotels, roads, supermarkets.

Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Institute in Brussels, says Ankara benefits as well.

"It will be a very welcome success for Turkish foreign policy," he said. "It has a bearing on Turkey’s energy policy, its security of supply, and its independence from other country’s [supplies]."

However, Emre Iseri, a political scientist and energy expert at Izmir’s Yasar University, says such cooperation threatens to strain relations between Ankara and its strategic ally, Washington.

"The United States is also concerned about the Kurdish intention to bolster its independence," he said. "So Turkey also has [a] problem with the United States in that regard. They are blaming, in a way, Turkey, saying, 'you are in a way supporting KRG’s independence from Iraq'."

Washington has repeatedly criticized Ankara for any energy cooperation with the KRG that excludes Baghdad. The central government of Iraq insists that it has the sole authority under the Iraqi constitution to distribute and sell the country’s energy reserves.

The essence of the "Al Qeida" strategy is that you can set these groups up, facilitate them, and subvert/destroy populations with them. Pakistan created and supported/still supports the Taliban to this day to subvert Paschtun nationalism - the largest part of Pakistan and a very large part of Afghanistan are Pashtun. Al Qeida in Iraq that morphed into ISIL is designed to destroy Iraqi nationalism. The calculation is that these groups are not really a danger to you, you have the means to destroy them along with the population you targeted.
The US certainly has the air power to flatten the "Sunni triangle". But you cannot "control" these groups, especially when they found ways to self fund.
The "Maliki has to step down" is postering as Iraqis are in the - difficult - process of forming a government and whilst this lasts he cannot step down - there is no legitimate heir. As Iran has huge influence the US will have to - again - agree with Iran on an Iraqi government. You can bet Iraq's policies won't change.
Of course, the plan to pulverise Iraq was a Zionist plan in collusion with the oil/arms industry, and of course, this was designed to ensure the recreation of a strong nationalist Iraqi state was impossible. The miscalculation, in Iraq and Afghanistan, was that the US can act like a 19th century colonialist power (this is the fallacy of Zionism, they are no longer in the 19th century). Colonialism was based on superior fire power. Yes the US can flatten what remains of Iraq. They cannot protect themselves from rockets into the Green Zone. Yes, they have the fire power to blow up Gulf countries. They don't have the know how to secure them.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 3:45 utc | 83

Posted by: Virgile | Jun 19, 2014 11:34:51 PM | 80

My hunch is that ISIS/ISIL is a Saudi/Baathist ex-Iraqi secret service concoction directed against the Muslim Brotherhood. The brutality combined with good governance would suggest that.
There were reports in 2012 that Iraqi Baathist refugees in Syria were targeted by Iranian agents and were looking for a new home. I guess they found it. There must be some coordination with Syrian secret services.
It works for all. ISIL takes all the foreign fighters flocking to Syria from the street and employs them fighting Al Nusra/FSA. They give those fighters the ideological environment and the death they come for. They control the border to Turkey and Iraq. They blinded/blackmail Turkey's AKP. They counter Iranian influence in Syria possibly giving Assad some space to breath. They help the Europeans frightened their battle hardened Jihadis might return - let me rephrase - they blackmail the Europeans fearing ...
The "Sunni-Shia" religious analysis is stupid. KSA exports their Wahhabi problem. KSA leaders don't mind Egyptian military, Baathists, US planes or Russian forces taking control of that problem.
We all have to take control of our secret services. Europeans, Middle Eastern, US citizens. Their "best practice" is vile, counterproductive, undemocratic, stupid.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 5:09 utc | 84

Posted by: Lysander | Jun 19, 2014 11:18:42 PM | 77

more possibilities
- only Chalabi and the ousted Mosul governor are prepared to talk to the US
- Neocon plan was to empower Iran all along re Israeli / Shah cooperation - against Arab nationalism
- Chalabi is the alternative to official talks with the Iranians which the US cannot politically afford yet

The US has always cooperated with Iran in Iraq, same goes for Afghanistan. They do not exclusively cooperate with Iran that is all.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 5:51 utc | 85

The Israeli spam is in overdrive...

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20 2014 5:54 utc | 86

Maliki is safe now ... :-)) - Washington Post

Maliki won more votes in the recent election than he did four years ago, and the administration, uneasily, is supporting his rule. In Syria, though, Obama called nearly three years ago for Assad to step down, saying he had lost his legitimacy to govern the country. More than 140,000 Syrians have been killed since then.

Administration officials say that, even though internal concerns are growing that Maliki will be able to lead the country through this crisis, there is a reluctance to withdraw backing for the prime minister given his public support and lack of any other obvious alternatives.

As one official put it: “We don’t want to call for Maliki to step down, then spend years trying to figure out how to get him to.”

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 6:17 utc | 87

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20, 2014 1:54:34 AM | 84

The Israeli spam is in overdrive...

Are trying to make point? Chalabi is an agent for Iran. That has been clear for years. And yes the Israeli press has reported this for years. As much as I dislike Zionism, we should accept that Israel has a very free press and they do report stories that do not show up in the American MSM. That is one of the things that are hard to fathom -- Israel does have an open press.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20 2014 6:59 utc | 88

@ToivoS #86:

Israel does have an open press.

Israel downgraded in press freedom report

NEW YORK – A combination of economic pressures, a rare indictment against a journalist for possession of confidential military documents, and limits on travel to neighboring states are among the reasons cited by the Washington think tank Freedom House for downgrading Israel’s “press freedom” ranking from “free” to “partly free.” …

“Due to Israel’s unresolved conflicts with Palestinian groups and neighboring countries, media outlets are subject to military censorship and journalists can face travel restrictions,” it notes. “Under a 1996 Censorship Agreement between the media and the military, the censor has the power — on the grounds of national security — to penalize, shut down, or halt the printing of a newspaper.”

Posted by: Demian | Jun 20 2014 7:15 utc | 89

re 82

My hunch is that ISIS/ISIL is a Saudi/Baathist ex-Iraqi secret service concoction directed against the Muslim Brotherhood.

Read up about what they're doing in their "capital", Raqqa.

Posted by: Alexno | Jun 20 2014 7:20 utc | 90

Posted by: Demian | Jun 20, 2014 3:15:48 AM | 87
I am not denying that the IDF in Israel engages in many levels of censorship that would not be accepted in the west. However, within those constraints it does manage to report stories that we would never see in major US papers, especially the NY Times and the WaPo.

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20 2014 7:30 utc | 91

from wsws:
Obama exploits Iraq crisis as pretext for war against Syria
By Patrick Martin and Joseph Kishore
20 June 2014
The Obama administration is utilizing the crisis in Iraq as an opportunity to escalate the US war drive throughout the Middle East, with Syria in the crosshairs.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/06/20/iraq-j20.html

Posted by: okie farmer | Jun 20 2014 7:32 utc | 92

Posted by: Alexno | Jun 20, 2014 3:20:23 AM | 88

I commented on this link
Posted by: Virgile | Jun 19, 2014 11:34:51 PM | 80

The top men, he says, are Iraqi, including many who came from the ranks of Saddam Hussein's army, disbanded by the United States during the 2003 invasion.

It all depends on where the families live. And what the networks are. There are lot of Europeans accepting Saudi rules for money, in some employment situations you cannot chose.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 7:59 utc | 93

Toivos

Chalabi is a spy for Iran? Do you have any proof for such a bold statement?

Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 20 2014 8:03 utc | 94

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20, 2014 2:59:30 AM | 86

"Chalabi is an agent for Iran."

Show me some credible evidence proving that, Israeli passport owner. The garbage your Israel regime and media spew out is not credible, BTW.

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20 2014 8:04 utc | 95

Posted by: ToivoS | Jun 20, 2014 2:59:30 AM | 86

"And yes the Israeli press has reported this for years. As much as I dislike Zionism, we should accept that Israel has a very free press and they do report stories that do not show up in the American MSM"

Funny how they expose themselves when flustered. ;) What brought those hysterics from ToiviS was a Forward article I posted from 10 years ago. Forward is an American outfit, at least I thought so. ToivoS has apparently busted their cover.

Oops. ;)

Posted by: scalawag | Jun 20 2014 8:13 utc | 96

@ thepanzer #9--

"This doesn't seem like a planned DC event, I live in the northern virginia area and there's a definite whiff of shock and panic wafting over the potomac".

Thank you for this. When events are as confused as the current situation in Iraq, many mutually conflicting interpretations become plausible. The mood in Washington is real data.

In the case of Maliki, it would not be the first time that the US installed a puppet, made excessive and impossible (for local reasons) demands on their puppet, and then got frustrated at his non-compliance and overthrew him without thinking through the possibility that the resulting chaos would be even less compliant. Diem of South Vietnam comes to mind, of course, but more recently the US has done this at least twice in Pakistan.

So if the US has really failed to understand what it has created in ISIS, that would not be a surprise.

--Gaianne

Posted by: Gaianne | Jun 20 2014 8:36 utc | 97

Well the relationship has been very good - this here is the New York Times - if you prefer that source

The break came on May 20, 2004, when the Americans, accusing Chalabi of telling the Iranian government that the Americans were eavesdropping on their secret communications, swooped in on his Baghdad compound. American troops sealed off Mansour, the neighborhood where Chalabi lived, while scores of Iraqi and American agents kicked in the compound doors. One of the Iraqis, Chalabi said, put a gun to his head.

"Look, I think they tried to kill him," Richard Perle, the former Pentagon adviser and longtime Chalabi friend, said of the American and Iraqi agents. "I think the raid on his house was intended to result in violence. They had sent 20 or 40 Humvees over there. Chalabi was being protected by a force of about 100 guys with machine guns. It is a miracle that it didn't result in a massive shootout."
...
I interviewed Larijani the next morning. "Our relationship with Mr. Chalabi does not have anything to do with his relationship with the neocons," he said. His red-rimmed eyes, when I met him at 7 a.m., betrayed a sleepless night. "He is a very constructive and influential figure. He is a very wise man and a very useful person for the future of Iraq."

Then came the meeting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president. I was with a handful of Iranian reporters who were led into a finely appointed room just outside the president's office. First came Chalabi, dressed in a tailored suit, beaming. Then Ahmadinejad, wearing a face of childlike bewilderment. He was dressed in imitation leather shoes and bulky white athletic socks, and a suit that looked as if it had come from a Soviet department store. Only a few days before, Ahmadinejad publicly called for the destruction of Israel. He and Chalabi, who is several inches taller, stood together for photos, then retired to a private room.

At the time of Chalabi's visit, Iran and the United States were engaged in a complicated diplomatic dance; the American ambassador in Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, had been authorized to open negotiations with the Iranians over their involvement in Iraq. Still, Chalabi insists he carried no note from the Iranians when he flew to Washington the next week. Officially, at least, Iran and the United States never got together.

As ever, Chalabi had multiple agendas. One was to learn whether the Iranians would support his candidacy for the prime ministership (the same reason he traveled to the United States). It makes you wonder, in light of the Baer and Lang thesis: was Chalabi telling the Iranians, or asking them for permission? Or making a deal, based on his presumed leverage in the United States? The possibilities seemed endless.

Chalabi played it cool.

"The fact that Iraq's neighbor is also a country that is majority Shia is no reason for us to accept any interference in our affairs or to compromise the integrity of Iraq," he said after his meeting with Ahmadinejad.

Richard Perle, Chalabi's friend, discounted the idea that Chalabi might be a double agent. "Of course Chalabi has a relationship with the Iranians - you have to have a relationship with the Iranians in order to operate there," Perle said. "The question is what kind of relationship. Is he fooling the Iranians or are the Iranians using him? I think Chalabi has been very shrewd in getting the things he has needed over the years out of the Iranians without giving anything in return."

For all of the skullduggery surrounding the trip to Iran, though, the greatest revelation came later in the day. When the meeting with Ahmadinejad ended, he asked Chalabi if there was anything he could to do to make his stay more comfortable. Chalabi said yes, in fact, there was: would he mind if he, Chalabi, took a tour of the Museum of Contemporary Art?

So there we were, in the middle of the Axis of Evil, strolling past one of the finest collections of Western Modern art outside Europe and the United States: Matisse, Kandinsky, Rothko, Gauguin, Pollock, Klee, Van Gogh, five Warhols, seven Picassos and a sprawling garden of sculpture outside. The collection was assembled by Queen Farah, the shah's wife, with the monarchy's vast oil wealth. And now, with the mullahs in charge, the museum is largely forgotten. The day we were there, the gallery was all but empty. We had the museum's enthusiastic English-speaking tour guide all to ourselves.

"Thank you, thank you, for coming!" Noreen Motamed exclaimed, clapping her hands.

We walked the empty halls. Chalabi moved through the place deliberately, nodding his head, pausing at the Degas and the Pissarro.

"Wow," Chalabi said before Jesus Rafael Soto's painting "Canada." "Look at that."

A retinue of Iranian officials walked with us, unmoved by the splendor. Ahmadinejad had stayed behind.

For all of the furies that emanate from the halls of the Iranian government, it has taken fine care of Queen Farah's collection. Indeed, about the only way you would know you were not in a museum in New York or London was the absence of the middle panel from Francis Bacon's triptych "Two Figures Lying on a Bed With Attendant," which depicts two naked men.

"It is in the basement, covered," Motamed said with disappointed eyes.

Finally, we came across a pair of paintings by Marc Chagall, the 20th-century Modernist and painter of Jewish life. The display contained no mention of this fact.

Chalabi gazed at the Chagalls for a time. Then, with a rueful smile, turned, to no one in particular, and said loudly: "Imagine that. They have two paintings by Marc Chagall in the middle of a museum in Tehran." The Iranian officials seemed not to hear.

It is a multidimensional world.

Posted by: somebody | Jun 20 2014 8:40 utc | 98

Wow, ToiboiS really is exposing himself as the cheap little zionist propagandist many had long suspected him to be.

The little tyke never could get enough of the Zio Donkey Dong, always right there at the front of the line, with his supersized jar of KYJelly, stood little old ToiboiS, just literally gagging for it!

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 20 2014 8:48 utc | 99

Note that the Donkey Donging contingent were loudly clamouring for some "evidence" earlier

So evidence of US/Zio influence on ISIS, in the form of one of the Empire's main agents within ISIS, was presented, with links to photos no less.

Not a word, since it was presented, about any of it from ANY of the Donkey Donging Contingent.

It's as if none of that exists for these blind morons

What a complete bunch of fakes these Counterpunching Donkey-Dongers are - clearly they are here only to constantly mis-direct as many people as they can with their bullshit "Imperial Ineptitude" hypothesis

Posted by: OMFG | Jun 20 2014 9:10 utc | 100