Lessons Learned?

According to Fabius Maximus:

Lessons learned #2: The necessity for courage and integrity in our officers

The German General staff was as perfect a system as we can ever devise, but it could not compensate for the moral flaws of the officers who comprised it.

By 1943 Hitler’s insanity was obvious. Germany’s senior officers should have drawn straws, with the loser to walk up and shoot Hitler. After which would follow his trial and execution for murder and treason. A bad end for him, but the salvation of the Wehrmacht and Germany.

Instead, the small minority that had the will to act undertook assassination attempts suitable only for comic opera. All, of course, were unsuccessful.

The Wehrmacht and Germany were almost destroyed by the cowardliness of the Army’s leaders, the inexcusable flaw in an officer.

Scharnhorst and von Moltke the Elder would have despaired to see their descendents’ failure.

I hope our officers prove of higher quality when our time of testing comes. Considering the physical power wielded by the US military, the rest of the world should also pray for this.

The run-up to the Iraq war gave hints of what we can expect – for good and for ill.

On a small scale, we should applaud LtGen Paul Van Riper (U.S. Marine Corps-Ret.), who refused to continue with an obviously rigged war game in preparation for the Iraq War.

Link

More importantly, if the rumors are correct, General Eric Shinseki -- then Army Chief of Staff -- boldly spoke the truth to Rumsfeld about the number of troops required for the Iraq Expedition. This effectively ended Shinseki’s career.

If this story is true, we can speculate about its implications.

Shinseki’s sacrifice was, unfortunately, in vain. His peers failed to support him, so Rumsfeld ignored his recommendations.

An act of conscience by the Army Chief of Staff should not become a career opportunity for a fellow officer.

Our senior generals should understand the importance of collective action. Together they might have, on a matter of military strategy, successfully confronted their political leaders.

Bravery is important when privates are under gunfire, and equally so when generals are under political fire.

Hmmm...

More on the M3

Here's a Post I ran across discussing the M3(aggragate money supply) index. Is the dollar in trouble?

Pop Goes the Bubble!

As related in Pop Goes the Bubble! by Mike Whitney, the housing bubble has finally burst:

In November the sales of new homes plunged by the largest amount in 12 years. The 11.5% decline from October was 4 points higher than expected by Wall Street analysts, fueling the belief that the red-hot housing market is headed for the dumpster.

This sudden downturn is expected to slow the wave of speculation that has kept the market booming for the last few years. According to an Associated Press report, sales dropped by "22% in the West, the biggest decline in the region since February 1995."

As someone who owns no property, and generally has had no desire to own any (at least in the inner city where I have lived for about a dozen years--I want land), I will be happy to profit off of other people's misery. In addition, I can wave good-by (when I would rather put my foot up their asses) to all the gentrifying yuppies. Of course, their parting will be bitter-sweet, as I will probably be moving soon as well (because I can't afford to commute any longer). At least, I'll be happy in the knowledge that the pimps, whores, pushers and drug addicts will have someplace worth living in again.

Blues in the Green Zone on Christmas

Blues in the Green Zone on Christmas it may be, but not as blue as for Others.

Blowback

Election Blowback: Has US Policy Created 2 Talibans in Iraq?? Way to go.

Almost the Shortest Day

Doctor Who returns to CBC on Monday. My nerdish leanings will become full-blown.

Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice (assuming you live in the Northern Hemisphere).

Capital Blue is hated by both Republicans and Democrats. Now those are credentials.

Iraq Election Spells Total Defeat for US. Iran was the big winner. (Try the Main Page if it doesn't load.)

Saddam: Americans tortured me. My ass bleeds.

Creeping Neo-Fascism

Anything with the title Creeping Neo-Fascism is worth checking out.

From Two False Options By William S. Lind:

Victory is not an option, and it never was. The strategic objectives the Bush administration set for this war – a peaceful, democratic Iraq that would be an American ally, a friend of Israel, a source of unlimited oil and of basing rights for large American forces – were never attainable, no matter what we did. Strategies invented in Fairyland cannot be implemented in the real world. Pity the military that is ordered to try.

Hilarious

Evo Morales, is the US 'nightmare' set to win Bolivian vote. It's pretty damn hilarious. He just says no to the drug war.

Should Not

Air Force Pilot Accused of Anti-Bush Graffiti. A discharge? He should get a another medal. Meanwhile, Bush admits he authorised spying and whines about the USA FASCIST Act. (To their discredit, the New York Times Sat on the story for a year. So much for the "paper of record.") He really shouldn't be allowed to speak unscripted. His stupidity illustrates that although anyone can be president, it doesn't mean they should.

Never Underestimate the Power of Delusion

As related in US Trade Deficit Threatens Growth, the US trade deficit hit a new record in October. The deficit in goods and services rose to a record $68.9bn in October, the Commerce Department reported, driven by imports of energy, cars and industrial goods. Meanwhile, the price of gold is over $500 per ounce. Yet, we keep hearing how great the economy is doing. Perhaps, those making such pronoucements have a vested interest in saying so? However, when I've mentioned such things, people seem surprised.

Meanwhile, we keep hearing about the "historic" Iraqi Elections. Perhaps, those making such pronoucements have a vested interest in saying so? Yet, the same people mentioned above, have no problem believing it a farce. So why is one accepted, but the other not? Never underestimate the power of delusion when someone's interests are at stake.

Looking Around

1000 Days of Getting It Wrong and counting. See also Superpower vulnerability.

Nine injured in protests at trade summit. Kick a pig for me!

Their real God is money. Christian Fundamentalists aren't even honest whores.

Iraq: the Beginning of the End

Here's a report from The Independent by Patrick Cockburn in Baghdad. He describes the situation in Iraq as follows:

Iraq is disintegrating as a united state. The election for the National Assembly this week may mark the point of no return. "A Bosnian solution to the Iraq crisis is now on the agenda," says Ghassan Attiyah, a veteran Iraqi commentator. The election is decisive because the Shia and Sunni Arabs and the Kurds - the three main Iraqi communities - show every sign of voting along ethnic and religious lines. Secular and nationalist groups looking for support beyond their own community have their backs to the wall.

So despite everything we keep hearing about Iraq approaching another turning point, in actuality it will never be a functioning entity again. It is worth watching to see how it will play out. The details may prove enlightening as a guide to the end of the nation state elsewhere.

Just Another Day

Just another day in Iraq, but we'll never see it in the papers. More can be found Here.

At Least the Republicans are Sluts

As if the Democratic Party couldn't get any Worse, it proves over and over its status as whores. At least the Republicans are sluts.

Ass/U/Me

In Questionable Assumptions By William S. Lind, the author lists the Bush administration's assumptions from the 35-page document titled, “National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.”

First, the terrorists, Saddamists, and rejectionists do not have the manpower or firepower to achieve a military victory over the Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces. They can win only if we surrender.

Second, our own political will is steadfast and will allow America to keep troops in Iraq - - to fight terrorists while training and mentoring Iraqi forces - - until the mission is done, increasing or decreasing troop levels only as conditions warrant.

Third, progress on the political front will improve the intelligence picture by helping distinguish those who can be won over to support the new Iraqi state from the terrorists and insurgents who must either be killed or captured, detained and prosecuted.

Fourth, the training, equipping, and mentoring of Iraqi Security Forces will produce an army and police force capable of independently providing security and maintaining public order in Iraq.

Fifth, regional meddling and infiltrations can be contained and/or neutralized.

Sixth, while we can help, assist, and train, Iraqis will ultimately be the ones to eliminate their security threats over the long term.

The author concludes:

Not only does this [the Sixth Assumption] ignore the fact that most of those security threats are made up of Iraqis, it misses the all-important fact that whatever we “help, assist, and train” automatically loses its legitimacy because of our involvement. Indeed, nowhere does the white paper come to grips with this central problem, namely that as an invader and occupier, we cannot confer legitimacy on anything. On the contrary, we have the reverse Midas touch; when it comes to legitimacy, that all-important factor in Fourth Generation war, anything we touch turns to crap.

There is an old military saying that “assume” makes an ass of you and me. In this case, the Bush administration has explicitly based its “security track” in Iraq on six assumptions, not one of which is self-evident. If we accept those assumptions, what would that make us?

Indeed.

Condoleeza is Indeed a Skeeza

As Paul Craig Roberts explains Condoleeza is indeed a Skeeza.

Suzanne Goldenberg would appear to agree.

Everytime she opens her mouth, she only shames herself.

What is FRATRICIDE all about?

So What is FRATRICIDE all about? Tell me. I want to know.

Don't Believe the Job Hype!

In Don't Confuse the Jobs Hype with the Facts Paul Craig Roberts points out the following:

The November payrolls job report was announced Friday with the usual misleading hype. Spinmeisters made the most out of the 215,000 jobs. Looking beyond the glitter at the real facts, this is what we see. 21,000 of those jobs were government jobs supported by taxpayers. There were only 194,000 new jobs in the private sector. Of those new jobs, 37,000 are in construction and only 11,000 are in manufacturing. The bulk of the new jobs--144,000--are in domestic services.

Wholesale and retail trade account for 20,000. Food services and drinking places (waitresses and bar tenders) account for 38,000. Health care and social assistance account for 27,000. Professional and business services account for 29,000. Financial activities gained 13,000 jobs. Transportation and warehousing gained 8,000 jobs.

Very few of these jobs result in tradable services that can be exported or help to close the growing gap in the US balance of trade.

Reading this article, it got me thinking back to 1999. It makes me glad I spent a week six years ago harassing the cops into a nervous breakdown. During the WTO in Seattle, I got a little pissed after being tear gassed by a bunch of worthless pigs for doing nothing. (I was coming out of the Olympic Diner at Second Avenue and Pike at the time.) I therefore spent the entire week conducting my own war of propaganda against the police.[1] I take pride into driving many pigs into therapy. For starters, I told them, "after all these tourists leave, I'll still be here and if I see you lying bleeding to death on the street, I'll piss down your throat before I'll call 9-11." I also asked the police lines, "How come if someone smashes a store window downtown, you tear gas half the fucking city, but when someone gets shot in front of my house in the Central District, by the time you show up the body is already gone." I'd still like the answer to that one. You can tell where the priorities of the SPD lie.

I didn't care much about the issues, but have found myself in agreement since. The fact is the worst agitators were people such as myself. Again, don't believe the hype.

[1] The irony is I actually dissuaded someone from planting a bomb because "the pigs haven't actually shot anyone." I did more for peace on the streets than any stupid pig that week.

It's propaganda (shock, horror)!

It's propaganda (shock, horror)! By David Isenberg is an interesting piece concerning the "news of a US military operation that pays Iraqi newspapers to run stories written by "information operations" troops about how wonderfully things are going in the war." Yet, the Congress and Administaration are "concerned." I wonder if anyone actually believes it. Sadly, I would have to say yes.

Own or share?

Here's a little piece concerning Intellectual Property from a French perspective.