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The Iraqi handover was meant to occur on June 30th; spitting in the face of convention and promises to that effect, the Bush administration caved in to Iraqi demands, and handed over Iraqi sovereignty this morning at 2:30am.

The move is being criticized by Bush opponents as underhanded, secretive, and utterly contemptuous of international opinion.

"This really shows what the Bush administration is all about. Nothing has changed," said Jean-Luc Rovell-Michard, student of Paris' International Study. "You see? The American imperialists don't care what anyone thinks."

Hassan Elan Ravin Muhammed Al-Jezra of Baghdad had a similar opinion. "The 30th, says everyone! That is when we take sovereignty! And now they want to push it on us earlier! It is all confusion, everything the Americans have done, lies and confusion!"

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I don't know that I'll be able to support Bush now. To lie so blatantly, to thumb his nose so flagrantly at world opinion and international convention. . .

It comes down to this-- when you say you're going to do something you do it. If you stick me in a corner, and I give my word that I'm never going to leave it, can I leave it? NEVER! I'll die first.

A country is only as good as the word of its leader, and this time Bush served the world a plate of bold-face lies. I've heard Paul Bremmer is already coming back to the US, I'm sure because he's so disgusted with the manipulating, lying, cheating way his country has dealt with the handover.

It looks like Frenken was right after all. . . Lying liars, telling lies.

I'm voting for Nader.
 

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Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
 
What the heck?

June 30, as I understood it, was a date we meant to turn sovereignty over no later than, not no sooner than. (In terms of the purpose, that is--I don't know if those words were used.) At that we have been subject to criticism for taking so long, and the Iraqis wanted it sooner. No one has complained that we are moving too fast. So if we are ready a couple of days early, what is the terrible problem with doing it now?
 

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Posted by slacker (Member # 2559) on :
 
Why throw your vote away - vote Calvin & Hobbes into office!
 

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Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
 
My irony-detector is blaring! Waahhaaa-wahhhaaa-weoooww!!!

Heheh, good'un Scott:)
 

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Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
 
Oops. Thank you, Rakeesh. I have been subjected to so many ridiculous arguments about why Bush is an evil conspirator and Saddam liked to play with fuzzy bunnies that I didn't catch the sarcasm this time.
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
Scott,



Just gotta question - did you write that yourself or is that from a website? It's pretty good.

(for the record, I'm not a Bush fan, but I have to admit this early turnover looks to be a very shrewd move - especially in terms of confounding whatever plans insurgents were making to coincide with the date.)
 

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Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
 


Wrote it myself. Tell the Onion I'm available.

Edit: Sndrake, I'm not sure if the insurgents are going to be particularly wowed about this. "Oooh, dastardly Bush! But now, my seven Heavenly virgins will get the pleasure of my presence a whole two days early!"

How much planning does it take to duct tape a CO2 cannister and a box of nails to your chest and find the nearest police station? If they didn't have something lined up before now. . .

"Hassan! Where is that *%%#@# plastique!"

"On its way, boss. M0mmas_4_M155l35 promised he'd ship it Overnight International."

"Wha--?? Who is the supplier? Where are you getting the explosives from?"

"Ebay. You know, because armament is so expensive nowadays. Thought we'd save the Saudis a buck or two. . ."



[ June 28, 2004, 08:48 AM: Message edited by: Scott R ]
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 

quote:

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especially in terms of confounding whatever plans insurgents were making to coincide with the date.

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You, my friend, understand the politics of power very well. Now go post that in the other thread on this topic - it'll sound more credible from you than me.

Dagonee
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
Dag,

Done!
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
Thanks. I'll return the favor someday.
 

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
 
Scott,

I don't want to overstate the impact. Everyone expects things to be pretty ugly in Iraq over the summer.

But it's a pretty good bet that there were plans to have some coordinated attacks, abductions, etc. on the day of the turnover, for the purpose of making a mockery of it. (I think that some of the strategic planners in these groups are probably pretty astute when it comes to media manipulation - a fact we should appreciate.)

It won't stop the insurgents in their tracks - but it robbed them of a great media moment.
 

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Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
Yep. The early hand-off was a nice idea -- although it's worth noting that there was at least one actual lie involved, when Bremer said that we were handing "full sovereignity" to the Iraqi transitional government, and that our occupation was "over."

That would be, yes, a lie. But it's a pretty one.
 

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Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
 
:pouting bump:
 

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Posted by Shepherdess (Member # 6115) on :
 
Scott,
I read your post in a hurry on the way out the door this morning. I then thought about it a few times at work. In brief, these were my thoughts:

1: Were you just mad because you didn't get a personal call from the President to inform you of the early handover?

2: Were you really looking forward to the fireworks, and since there wasn't enough time to plan for them, there just weren't any?

3: You do realize that 2:30 AM is 10:30 AM there, or do you expect them to wait until prime time so you can watch it live? Let's see, they could do it around 6:30 pm here--what a coincidence, that would be 2:30AM there! Perfect.

Then I got home tonight and read it again--and found myself LOL. Just goes to show you how much my sense of humor can improve throughout the day

Thanks for the laughs--you would do well at the Onion.
 

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Posted by Book (Member # 5500) on :
 
Seriously, I didn't know it was a joke for a while. You just can't tell.
 

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Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
 
Any time you see a Frenchman in the newspaper with the name 'Jean-Luc' you can safely assume that the author is trying to be funny.
 

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Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :
 
I knew ST: TNG was a joke!
 

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
 
Prime Minister Allawi: Legal Proceedings Against Deposed Ruler to Begin Thursday

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"We will show that justice will prevail," he said, "regardless of how long it will take to be implemented. . . . We want to put this bad history behind us and to move with the spirit and national unity and reconciliation," Allawi said.

While Allawi said the trial of Hussein would be public, it was not clear that his arraignment on Thursday would be open as well. If it is, it would be the world's first glimpse of the ex-dictator since he was captured by U.S. troops on Dec. 13, 2003.

Allawi said Hussein will be entitled to a lawyer. If he cannot afford a lawyer, Allawi said, smiling, the government will pay the fees.

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