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paddler13
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1 year ago
in ‘Like A Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone’ on The Washington Independent
And the further irony of that no-man's land that fosterd the much touted terrorist camp in Iraq rhetoric used before the war is that it was under the Northern No-Fly zone, protected by US warplanes from attack by Saddam. The same No-Fly zone that also fostered the Kurdish revival in Northern Iraq along the Turkish border. So really, that AQ influence in Iraq would not have been there had Saddam been able to get at that camp and that group, but he couldn't because we were unwittingly, or unintenionally, protecting them with our air cover. So really they do exist in Iraq because of us, not because of anything to do with the Iraqi government before we invaded.
But yeah, I hear you on the differences between groups, and I understand those differences though maybe not to the depth you do. However, my point was the ridiculous conflation by our adminstration for political purposes and how easily that can be used. A Hamas/Hamas connection would be easy to make if they wished but right not it is not politically useful, most Americans don't know the difference and wouldn't make the distinction and would thus buy into, with the same gullibility as the Saddam/9-11 connection (which still lingers).
But yeah, I hear you on the differences between groups, and I understand those differences though maybe not to the depth you do. However, my point was the ridiculous conflation by our adminstration for political purposes and how easily that can be used. A Hamas/Hamas connection would be easy to make if they wished but right not it is not politically useful, most Americans don't know the difference and wouldn't make the distinction and would thus buy into, with the same gullibility as the Saddam/9-11 connection (which still lingers).
1 year ago
in ‘Like A Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone’ on The Washington Independent
I understand your point but my reference was more to the larger issue of conflating AQ in Iraq with bin Laden's AQ, an absurdity since AQI wasn't created until we invaded and not created by ABL, and using them as "proof" that we are "fighting terrorists" but completely ignoring the same apparent connection (which also may or may not be valid, that isn't really the point though) between Hamas and Hamas of Iraq. The connection is convenient in terms of AQ so it is made but inconvenient in terms of Hamas so it is ignored.
Of course their loyalty is in doubt, everybody's loyalty in Iraq is in doubt, even ours (in terms of loyalty to groups within Iraq).
Of course their loyalty is in doubt, everybody's loyalty in Iraq is in doubt, even ours (in terms of loyalty to groups within Iraq).
1 year ago
in ‘Like A Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone’ on The Washington Independent
Whoa, notice that interesting little tidbit buried in the Colonel's comments?
It's this one: "There are four major political groups in Baquba with [Sons of Iraq militias]: Saladin, the 1920s Revolution, the Mujahideen and Hamas of Iraq."
HAMAS IN IRAQ???? Hello? Let's see, Al Qaeda in Iraq is a dangerous terrorist group that is part of the larger evil, vicious, international terrorist group Al Qaeda, and...Hamas of Iraq is what? A Cub Scout troop? We're funding HAMAS IN IRAQ?
If you ask me that's the headline out of this story.
It's this one: "There are four major political groups in Baquba with [Sons of Iraq militias]: Saladin, the 1920s Revolution, the Mujahideen and Hamas of Iraq."
HAMAS IN IRAQ???? Hello? Let's see, Al Qaeda in Iraq is a dangerous terrorist group that is part of the larger evil, vicious, international terrorist group Al Qaeda, and...Hamas of Iraq is what? A Cub Scout troop? We're funding HAMAS IN IRAQ?
If you ask me that's the headline out of this story.
