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Escalation In Iraq

Comment by Larry Ross, May 30, 2007

Double the US troops in Iraq by Christmas, according to Robert Parry. Some have suggested that increased US troops are to cope with increasing resistance if Bush attacks Iran. They may be used against Iran after Bush launches a bombing attack.

In any case the doubling of US troops and lack of significant counter action by the Democratic Congress is another indication that this Congress under Pelosi makes out that it is helpless to oppose Bush. He is allowed to do as he pleases. While it is true that Pelosi mumbles a few words of opposition, the substance is missing. The war funding is always approved by this Congress. It reasons that it must support our US troops with whatever funds the leader wants, for whatever illegal war activity the war and power-mad leader and his administration desire. The damage they may do to the US from this moronic behaviour and imbecilic reasoning is almost beyond imagination. But obviously it is not a Congressional concern.

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Grieving Moms vs. Washington Pols

by Robert Parry , May 22, 2007

Every other month, Gold Star mother Teresa Arciola drives from her home in Westchester County, New York, to Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, sits on her son's grave and reads aloud from "Corduroy," his favorite baby book. Another mother spent winter afternoons in a sleeping bag stretched across her son's final resting place.

    The unspeakable suffering of these parents of dead soldiers stands in marked contrast to the maneuvering over the Iraq War now underway across the river in Washington. There, George W. Bush appears quietly planning another escalation of the Iraq War - possibly doubling U.S. combat troops by Christmas - and many members of Congress are frightened of the political repercussions if they stand up to him.

    A possible compromise could come from a bill passed by the Democratic-controlled House granting Bush only two months of the additional war spending that he wants, rather than the full amount through the end of September.

    At least requiring a second vote sometime in the summer might force serious thinking about alternatives to continuing the war indefinitely and creating many more fresh graves at Arlington Cemetery.

    But Senate Democrats - faced with a near-solid phalanx of Republicans standing behind the President - appear eager to run up the white flag, give Bush pretty much whatever he wants, and break for the Memorial Day recess.

    The Democrats didn't help themselves when they started their "negotiations" with the White House by announcing that they would eventually give Bush a bill that was acceptable to him. That's a bit like going into a car dealership, declaring that you intend to pay the full sticker price and then trying to bargain.

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