I’ve been browsing reviews of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s speech before Congress on Tuesday, looking for something in his remarks I could sympathize with or support. I haven’t found anything like that yet.
Under the fold: fix my fix…
From Kate Zernike of the New York Times:
Addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq described his country as the “front line” in the fight against terrorism and vowed to make Iraq an “active player” in the security and stability of the Middle East.
Iraq isn’t the “front line” in the fight against terrorism. It’s the front line in the Iraqi civil war. Iraq as an “active player” in the security and stability of the Middle East? Iraq is the major factor in the chaos of the Gulf region. For Malaki to stand in front of the U.S. Congress and say his country will be a big dog in the process of stabilizing the Middle East was a Cheney-class piece of delusional chutzpah.
“Iraqis are your allies in the war on terror,” Maliki said. Yeah, and Italians were Hitler’s allies in World War II. Look how that worked out for Hitler.
Aping his sponsor George W. Bush, Maliki invoked 9/11 and said that Americans and Iraqis are united in a “common struggle.” There’s a grain of truth to that. Iraqis and Americans are both struggling to find a way to get Americans out of Iraq.
Ten minutes into his speech, Maliki was interrupted by a protester who chanted, “Iraqis want the troops to leave! Bring them home now!” House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) ordered the Capitol Police to remove the protester. He let Maliki stay and finish his speech. That gives you a clear example of where GOP priorities lie: first amendment rights extend to an Iraqi, but not to an American citizen. I’d guess that the NSA isn’t allowed to monitor Maliki’s phone calls either.
“Iraq will not forget those who stood with her and continue to stand with her in times of need,” Malaki said.
Baloney. The second Malaki thinks his government is secure, he’ll tell us to pack our hats and gear and take a hike.
The most offensive part of Maliki’s speech was his admonition for America not to abandon Iraq like it did after the first Iraq War. “Let 1991 never be repeated,” he said, “for history will be most unforgiving.”
Kiss my keyster, Mister Maliki. Everything going on in Iraq now is our fault because the elder Bush didn’t thump Hussein out of his palace the first time? How have things worked out since young Mister Bush came back and “finished the job” for you?
Malaki’s Mercenaries
Malaki asked for more foreign aid for fledgling Iraqi companies, complaining that much of the financial aid from America and other countries had been diverted to “security companies.” “Security companies” is a not-so-subtle euphemism for “mercenaries,” who have been hired to do dirty work that Iraqis themselves don’t want to do because they don’t want to fight other Iraqis.
That reality is, in fact, a major reason that U.S. troops aren’t able to “stand down” in Iraq. Iraqi troops don’t want to “stand up” and fight for their own country. America’s military itself has become a de facto mercenary force that’s propping up Malaki’s government on the American taxpayers’ dime because Malaki can’t convince his own people to support the very government they supposedly elected into office.
And this son of a Shiite has the audacity to stand in front of Congress and lay a guilt trip on the American people about not removing Hussein from power after we kicked him out of Kuwait?
Please.
Malaki’s sense of responsibility is every bit as childish as that of the Bush administration. Everything that goes wrong is somebody else’s fault, and somebody else needs to pick up the tab to fix it.
For years, we heard Rovewellian claims of having “turned the corner” in Iraq. Now, creeping into the rhetoric, is the “last chance” gambit. How long will we listen to them play that saw?
The American public needs to tell Messrs Maliki and Bush that we’ve heard “last chance” for the last time.
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Commander Jeff Huber, U.S. Navy (Retired) writes from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Read his commentaries at ePluribus Media and Pen and Sword.
I wouldn’t take any of this too seriously. I think he came prepared to give an honest speech to Congress and the White House talked him out of it, and made it simple by giving him a new prepared script. I believe a close reading would probably bear this hypothesis out. The White House is terrified of American public opinion. Nothing else matters, certainly nothing that is actually happening in Iraq.
refused to deliver it.
speech. It was the biggest bunch of bullshit I’ve heard in ages and it was all too obvious that he wishes and is angling for American troops to stay in Iraq. Why he hasn’t desired or demanded some kind of UN involvement is puzzling to me unless he and the Bush administration have some kind of long term friendship in mind similar to what we did with Saudi Arabia……….and in that case will we help to suppress an entire nation of people again for big oil? I also agreed with Democrats on their dislike of his pro Hezbollah stance and refusing to publicly take Hezbollah to task for its own wrong doings. Neither Israel or Hezbollah is clean in this whole damn mess……they are both filthy but I must be content in knowing that behind the scenes Maliki also holds Hesbollah accountable for its actions. Maliki’s speech was total junk, the only thing that made any sense at all was the code pink demonstrator who spoke the solid truth that the Iraqi people want American troops out of Iraq. Once again though our soldiers are getting the shaft and the new Iraqi administration is now part of that abuse along with America’s. Such Joy!
That was Medea Benjamine, co-founder of CodePink š
Yes, “bullshit” hits the nail on the head.
Malaki’s speech must have been written by someong in Cheney’s office.