The Secret Handshake

[Cantankerous 0]

There are over 175 different security contract companies in Iraq, hardly a secret handshake club, other than Blackwater getting one of the best contracts on a no bid deal.

Blackwater is involved in 1.4 shootings per week makes a good headline when you leave out the total number of incidents in the entire country and then the number becomes something like they are involved in 0.28% of the weekly shootings.

Propaganda galore, nevermind all of the facts, just write an interesting headline and sell more anti US in Iraq BS ... The US is certainly the bad guys ...

Oh please...can we stop this, any criticism of anything from the U.S. as anti-American? For f##ks sake, it's a goddam private company and it's the current Administration that decided to go with using a private contractor for security of US diplomats. To point out another no bid contract (which is factual) is not a condemnation of America or our values...sh!t. If some of you think that is synomous with what is 'America' then this country is deeply divided ideologically as to what is or isn't America.

I loved all the criticism that was aimed at the Clinton Administration, even military foibles - and not once did I ever hear someone from the Left accusing the critics from the Right as being anti-American for it. What gutless piece of horsesh!t.

Who said anything about anyone being anti-American?

My message was in response to the following (not your original post starting this thread) and I should have quoted it. It's like you can't have a discussion on a single topic like Blackwater getting a contract without someone saying everything in Iraq is the fault of the US. The "anti US in Iraq" comment is about the news headlines and the people selling stories by saying everything is the fault of the US. It's not about you or your headline of this thread ...

Our mistakes pretty much lead directly to the increase in sectarian polarization. Shouldn't be too surprising, thats pretty much the way Republicans conduct their politics in the US.

The biggest problem, is we went in to make Iraq into a country that the conservatives in our country wanted, not an Iraq that the Iraqi people wanted. We totally ignored public diplomacy which eventually polarized many of the people in Iraq against the US. Everything from the conduct of our soldiers and contractors to being slow about restoring services, and disbanding the army creating a power vacuum.

Now we don't really have any chance of restoring democracy in the country unless we continue to occupy Iraq for the next 10-20 years we will keep the level of violence pretty low, but at a cost of trillions. Or we can leave, and risk the conflict spilling over into other countries. Causing supply problems for oil. Or maybe they will get their fighting over with and form a new government, may not be democratic though. Too bad a several trillion dollar mistake is not impeachable. But regardless its going to effect our economy for the worse.

[Dan J 277]

Shoot first and ask questions later doesn't make you very popular with the people. If anything, Blackwater is one of the reasons why things have gone so poorly.

I know, I know, they should wait until they are fired upon and then worry about protecting the people in their charge. I do not agree that 1,000 Blackwater employees responsible for security around the US Embassy and the transportation of officials are one of the reasons anything has gone poorly. I think Iraq's sectarian violence is the reason things have gone poorly.

Our mistakes pretty much lead directly to the increase in sectarian polarization. Shouldn't be too surprising, thats pretty much the way Republicans conduct their politics in the US.

The biggest problem, is we went in to make Iraq into a country that the conservatives in our country wanted, not an Iraq that the Iraqi people wanted. We totally ignored public diplomacy which eventually polarized many of the people in Iraq against the US. Everything from the conduct of our soldiers and contractors to being slow about restoring services, and disbanding the army creating a power vacuum.

Now we don't really have any chance of restoring democracy in the country unless we continue to occupy Iraq for the next 10-20 years we will keep the level of violence pretty low, but at a cost of trillions. Or we can leave, and risk the conflict spilling over into other countries. Causing supply problems for oil. Or maybe they will get their fighting over with and form a new government, may not be democratic though. Too bad a several trillion dollar mistake is not impeachable. But regardless its going to effect our economy for the worse.

You obviously do not understand the fibre of the parties. I have to say that I am not a Democrat, nor Republican. I am an American that can look at things without putting an ideology to it.

the Democratic party maintains a big government ideology whereas the Republican party maintains smaller government, more privatization. I do not agree with either completely. But to blame this on one party is not the right thing to do.

As far as using private companies to provide protection, they are less of a target then a bunch of guys in uniforms and Hummers. So our Diplomats are for safer with the private security firms than with the Military protecting them.

So where have you been the last 7 years? Under a rock? The Republican party threw away fiscal conservatism for social conservatism. They are just as big spenders as anybody, but instead of spending money to benefit the American people, they spend money on no-bid contract, to companies which were contributors to the Republican party. You don't save any money in dealing out contracts, if the companies are not required to bid and compete against other companies.

As for Fiscal conservatism, Clinton did much more to balance the budget and reduce the national debt than Bush ever will.

[John & Annie 0]

Shoot first and ask questions later doesn't make you very popular with the people. If anything, Blackwater is one of the reasons why things have gone so poorly.

I know, I know, they should wait until they are fired upon and then worry about protecting the people in their charge. I do not agree that 1,000 Blackwater employees responsible for security around the US Embassy and the transportation of officials are one of the reasons anything has gone poorly. I think Iraq's sectarian violence is the reason things have gone poorly.

Our mistakes pretty much lead directly to the increase in sectarian polarization. Shouldn't be too surprising, thats pretty much the way Republicans conduct their politics in the US.

The biggest problem, is we went in to make Iraq into a country that the conservatives in our country wanted, not an Iraq that the Iraqi people wanted. We totally ignored public diplomacy which eventually polarized many of the people in Iraq against the US. Everything from the conduct of our soldiers and contractors to being slow about restoring services, and disbanding the army creating a power vacuum.

Now we don't really have any chance of restoring democracy in the country unless we continue to occupy Iraq for the next 10-20 years we will keep the level of violence pretty low, but at a cost of trillions. Or we can leave, and risk the conflict spilling over into other countries. Causing supply problems for oil. Or maybe they will get their fighting over with and form a new government, may not be democratic though. Too bad a several trillion dollar mistake is not impeachable. But regardless its going to effect our economy for the worse.

You obviously do not understand the fibre of the parties. I have to say that I am not a Democrat, nor Republican. I am an American that can look at things without putting an ideology to it.

the Democratic party maintains a big government ideology whereas the Republican party maintains smaller government, more privatization. I do not agree with either completely. But to blame this on one party is not the right thing to do.

As far as using private companies to provide protection, they are less of a target then a bunch of guys in uniforms and Hummers. So our Diplomats are for safer with the private security firms than with the Military protecting them.

So where have you been the last 7 years? Under a rock? The Republican party threw away fiscal conservatism for social conservatism. They are just as big spenders as anybody, but instead of spending money to benefit the American people, they spend money on no-bid contract, to companies which were contributors to the Republican party. You don't save any money in dealing out contracts, if the companies are not required to bid and compete against other companies.

As for Fiscal conservatism, Clinton did much more to balance the budget and reduce the national debt than Bush ever will.

Your right he was much more fiscally conservative than GW, but also remember that Clinton also used a lot of 'no-bid' contracts as well, including several to Haliburton.

I never said one was better than the other, I try to look at them in same light.