Sen. Feinstein: Iraqi PM al-Maliki on Last Legs; Moqtada al Sadr is in the Wings
Last night at a meeting of the Pacific Council in Los Angeles, Senator Dianne Feinstein offered an alarming assessment of the rapidly deteriorating political situation in Iraq and a sober perspective on the limited ability of the Congress to stop a president still bent on war.
Sen. Feinstein agreed with Hillary Clinton's statement before the VFW convention yesterday that the security situation in Al Anbar province was improving; but she pointedly added that there is no military solution to the Iraq mess, only a diplomatic and political one.
And here there is little cause for immediate hope. In the California Senator's view, Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, "is on his last legs," the Iraqi majority is yearning for a strong man and the militant Shiite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr is waiting in the wings. According to Feinstein, an Iranian poll shows him to be the most popular political figure in Iraq.
Why the political impasse? In her view the Shiite majority has become intractable because, after centuries of waiting, they are finally in power and are not about to give that up.
Mike Medavoy, head of Phoenix Pictures, asked how she and others in the Democratic majority defend allowing this war to continue when their electoral mandate and public opinion generally clearly wants an end to it now.
Feinstein responded that the Democrats had no magic wand, but needed 60 votes in the Senate to cut off funding, which they don't have. And that is largely because no one wants to cut the funds for armor in the field of an army at war, even if it is difficult to accept that the current mission of U.S. forces in Iraq is in the national interest.
The best that could be hoped for, she said, was to force the president to sign onto a new mission for Iraq attached to any funding bill. Instead of providing security for Iraq, that new mission would have three pillars: force protection, counter-terrorism and training of Iraqis. For that, there would be 60 votes.
When asked if U.S. withdrawal or even draw back would invite a bloodbath, Feinstein argued that a bloodbath is already underway, with 1,000 Iraqis killed each month, and the U.S. can do nothing to stop it.
Comments for this post are now closed
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Diane Feinstein is right. Bush Co can send in as many PR firms as they wish to push for Allawi, another docile puppet, but Iraqis are craving their own strong leader:al Sadr. Even Sunnis are sick and tired of the lawlessness and bloodshed. They're the minority, and will have to either go along with a Shia leadership or suffer even more humiliation. America cannot assume they can continue to steer a sinking ship.
Maybe the Joint Chiefs of Staff should just tell your President.
Regarding Vietnam, let me say this, as a veteran:
after more than 10 years in Vietnam, even Nixon finally realised that the only way we could get the country "pacified" and "democratised" was if we killed all the Vietnamese and made a parking lot of the whole country.
Letting more than 58,000 Americans die there, and hundreds of thousands get injured (many of them my friends), and over 1,000,000 Vietnamese die, accomplished nothing, since it did not educate draft-dodger Bush to the folly of exporting "democracy" at the end of a gun.
Regarding Bush's stint in the National Gaurd during that era: everyone in the service at that time knew that you couldn't get into the National Gaurd unless you had connections. Since Bush Jr.'s daddy was a big mucky-muck in the Republican Party, Lil Bush didn't have to worry about going to Nam, and he sure as hell didn't volunteer. And, unlike most National Gaurdsmen of that era, he didn't even have to worry about attending meetings. I guess his daddy took care of that too.
According to the NYT, a majority of the democratically elected Iraqi legislature signed a petition in May of this year asking the U.S. government to set a date for withdrawal, and then to work with them to accomplish it. Sounds simple to me, simple enough that even Bush should be able to understand it.
So, why is our Decider not listening to the democratically elected leaders of Iraq? Maybe for the same reason that he is not listening to the voice of the American people, when they elected the opposition party to majorities in both houses of Congress?
It is not enough that he led us into this war based on lies, now he has to keep the war going based on lies and, what?, stupidity? How many more soldiers have to die before dubya gets it?
This war is all about making money. They will not stop the war because the re-election campaigns need the PAC money. There is no incentive to stop the war.
All of the government officials we have supported in loosing wars are now retired millionaires living the good life. How can a government official retire if he brings order to his country; he will have to continue working with an unclear future. Most of the Government officials we support hardly ever die in bed.
A few monuments of silence for the dead who had supported us:
Khalil Jalil Hamza,
Archbishop Oscar Romero
Gov. Mohammed Ali al-Hassani
Fassal al-Guood
Rahim al-Maliki,
Shapour Bakhtiar
Dr. Qassemlu in Vienna
Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar Dariush Foruhar
Parvaneh Foruhar
Said Emami
Sheik Younis al-Shimari,
Major-General Suleiman Mohammad
Sheikh Abdullah Falak
Gebran Tueni
I haven't time to read all the comments, but the one I miss is what I consider the real reason both Dems and Repubs in Congress are not talking about is that we are trading the lives of our soldiers while trying to force the Iraqis to give up all rights to their oil to the American oil companies. Maliki has said as much, but of course our MSM won't address the issue, either. This administration, along with members of both sides of Congress are playing "chicken" with the Iraqis over the ownership of their resources and letting our troops die while they play this dirty game. We were told once, "Well, it's not about oil!" Right, and I believe in the Tooth Fairy, too! This is the real reason that the Dems, also largely controlled by Big Oil, cannot seem to find a way to stop funding this war. They all want American control of Iraqi oil so as to have a hammer over the rest of the world's oil producers. Simple is as simple does, according to Forrest Gump, and that's about as simple as it gets.
Obviously I am in the minority, but I say "Thank You, Madame Senator" for a pretty well thought out and reasoned statement. By the way, I too would love to see Bush impeached.
There will never be consensus on something as emotional as Bush's Iraq War, but Sen. Feinstein is one of the good guys, I think.
There is a way to end the war. Just attach to any bill funding the troops a tax increase, preferably on carbon and capital gains, to pay for the war. After all, Bush has never argued that the war was worth paying real money (not borrowed from our children) for.
The IRAQ ISSUE continues to be:
OUR AMERICAN SONS/DAUGH
all because our incompetent, insolent and impudent President reacts from his 'dry-drunk' arrogant addictive personality rather than from the spiritual values he retorts and reports for public influence and NOT private devotion to the Savior he commends whose values, purpose and policies are 180 degrees different than the ones this President encourages
If JESUS is his savior, why is he lying to the American public to bolster his own arrogance?
lets all close our eyes and count to 60...
Sen. Feinstein should join the Republic Party. Then the voters could vote in a real Democratic Party senator.
Hey Nathan,
Has The United States Of America forgotten their 1,2,3's and their ABC's?????? Iraq is 60% Shiite, Iran is 100% Shiite, now if we breakup Iraq and tell them to form a Democratic Government, what Einstein in our Government can tell us what would happen?
You're right Einstein, IRAQ AND IRAN WILL BECOME ONE-STATE-UNITED IN THEIR HATRED FOR ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In the middle East it is said if you repeat something 3 times it takes on added significance. So let me say it again IRAQ AND IRA WILL BECOME ONE STATE, ONE STATE, ONE STATE!
Does it take much brain power to understand a Shiite would rather embrace a Shiite rather than embrace a Sunni? Hello politician, if you can't figure that one out just check out the over 1300 year history of Shiite and Sunni. By the way they hate each other over the blood line of their prophet Mohammad.
As a matter of fact you Government geniuses, The UK's Main policy was to keep a Sunni in power, let him rule with an iron fist to keep the lid on the Shiite majority. In our out of balance hatred for Saddam, we gave the Shiites the golden key to our worst case night mare.
Let's ask the hypocritical holy religious right a relevant question. If some occupying power came in among you and would not permit the Eastern Christians to share and act on common ideas with the Western Christians, What would they think about that? Maybe when you come up with an honest answer, you will stop trying to sanctify Bush's war. Or is God a co-conspirator to the murder of 1000's of innocent Iraqis?
A STRONG MAN IS WHAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE DEFINITELY NEED. SADDAM WAS ONE, EVEN THO' AN IMPERFECT BY FAR ONE. IT SEEMS THESE PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE DEMOCRACY AT ALL. AS I ONCE READ, THEY NEED AND ARE USED TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO. THIS WAR HAS ONLY BREED MORE TERRORISTS THAN EVER....DU
FoxyLady. Somebody mind telling me WHEN the IRAQI people asked for democracy? I don't seem to recollect that be a reason for this little spat. At least not one that was publicly touted.
Feinstein: Lieberman's West Coast doppelganger!
First she votes FOR CONTINUED FUNDING of the Iraq War. Months ago her committee decided that voting machine integrity won't be ready until the "2012" election ("not enough time"). Then she votes to cut FISA off at the knees and give Alberto wiretapping access to American citizen's conversations. When is she up for reelection Californians?
The Dems have no clue how far they are reveling their true colors. I'm finding it hard to keep up with who's on what team anymore.
i'm hoping the primaries & the general have a great Americna Twist at the end- you know like Seabiscuit
Let's "Shock & Awe " them this election.
Loading comments…
Posted August 22, 2007 | 01:35 PM (EST)