By Joe, March 19 at 11:26 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Shenonymous, Re your thoughts, “There is an implication for action in the original intent of the article. What exactly does anyone think it is?”
and “an American construction of an incorruptible Iraqi government?,” over the course of several Ritter articles, I think the intent is to express the Japanese notion of shimata (sp?), the admission that we have made a mistake. We meaning all of us and, here, Ritter places himself near the top of the list. The implication runs counter to your idea of the US constructing a different Iraqi government. From page 5 of this article, “<cut>the twists of fortune that mark the instability inherent in the disastrous American occupation of Iraq..”
The message is stop what you’re doing. Leave them alone.
By nils cognizant, March 18 at 2:14 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
john, after carefully reading the article, I too was struck by the frankly announced sequence of actions in which Mr. Ritter took part. I’d like to give my more charitable take on this, though. This article must have been a struggle for Ritter to work through. The fact that he is man enough to detail these events is a tribute to him; a man I believe to have grown tremendously since the Chalabi days. I’ve been loosely following Iraq’s travails since the Clinton years and the awful suffering inflicted on the Iraqi population by that President, with needed medical and water filtration supplies stopped before they could be delivered and the careless, frequent use of depleted-uranium anti-armor missiles launched at Iraqi targets (in the South, I think)as we used the Iraqis for target practice.
My observation of Mr. Ritter is that he underwent a spiritual change in the late 90’s, overcoming his Marine Corps aggressive training and finding the Iraqi people to be worthy of rescue rather than rough handling and invasion. He is becoming a model for military men here and abroad; those with an expanding world-view and a systematic, solutions-based approach to foreign policy.
By Joe, March 17 at 4:40 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Heavyrunner--check the last page of this article. Ritter makes the same points you have made in criticizing the lab findings. Of course, since he is not a chemist, Ritter had no reason to suspect the original report.
By john in california, March 17 at 2:39 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Now let me see, Mr. Ritter. You betrayed your boss, your job, your oath to leak information that you had no way to verify and that was subsequently (waaay subsequently) found to be false, giving this info to the political foes of someone you deemed weak knowing they would use it to your boss, your agency and your mission. You were also, apparently, a spy for the CIA, in direct contradiction of everything you and your agency said at the time, though it was the main rationale for Saddam kicking out inspectors. You not only gave secret info to a politico who may have had security clearances but also to an Iraqi national in direct contradiction of your agency’s and your own sworn oath. And all of this you could have revealed before the war but waited until it is useless in stopping the carnage and for this you expect what? Sympathy? Praise? Respect for now mildly questioning you judgment then? Oh, mea culpa, me oh my! Or are we to think you were so naïve that you thought taking this unreliable info to those trying to sabotage the use of inspections would produce something good for Iraq? In truth, you were just pissed off at your bosses for not paying enough attention to you so you thought “ To hell with them! I’ll just sneak around to my right wing buddies in DC and fuck over all this diplomacy shit!” Great job, Mr. Ritter, great job!
By Nancie, March 17 at 12:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is amazing to me that Chalabi continues to have the blessings of people in power. He’s a two-bit politician without any credibility at all. Whoops, reminds me of so many others in the Bush Administration—a plethora without credibility!
By Bill Blackolive, March 17 at 12:10 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Scott, this is tiring. As can be seen at patriotsquestion9/11 you too know there is a US coverup of 9/11. Get ye back to there to see and understand there will be no time to kill you when a thousand respectable folks have enough heart to say there is this coverup of the US government’s attack on its people, attack on the populace’s mind after bodily murder. You are safe, man, you are safe and please help gang up because otherwise there will be the worsening.
By Bill Blackolive, March 17 at 12:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Scott, this is tiring. As can be seen at patriotsquestion9/11 you too know there is a US coverup of 9/11. Get ye there to see and understand there will be no time to kill you when a thousand respectable folks have enough heart to say there is this coverup of the US government’s attack on its people, attack on the populace’s mind after bodily murder. You are safe, man, you are safe and please help gang up because otherwise there will be the worsening.
By Jimmy McStubble, March 17 at 11:55 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I think it’s just the nature of our society.
My generation doesn’t speak out like they did in the 60’s. We know nothing of real activism, and those who we wish to influence know only of actual gatherings.
The days of Washington DC protests are over. We are in a digital world now, and perhaps it will only be time until my generation is in power and all of our blogging will start to make a difference.
I have always promoted that we combine the efforts and try and bring the future sooner.
The military personnel didn’t speak out because they didn’t want to lose their jobs, or end up MIA. It’s rough out there looking for work.
I’ll be 23 this year, and I’ve had Bush in office since I was 15 years old, so I don’t know much else.
Just what’s in history.
I guess i’ll stop because I got off topic lines ago.
-Steve
part-time blogger at http://www.YourThreeCents.com
By STORMY7, March 17 at 9:06 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY. THERE WILL BE NO ACCOUNTABILITY. WE HAVE LOST SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE TO ALL AMERICANS. WE HAVE LOST THE CONSTITUTION. THE ONLY LAWS ABIDED BY THIS GOVERNMENT ARE BUSH’S LAW.
WE SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF MARSHAL LAW. PREPARE TO BE ROUNDED UP BY THE PRIVATE ARMY BLACKWATER. TOO MANY AMERICANS LET THIS DICTATORSHIP TAKE HOLD. THEY WERE TOO BUSY AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION. THIS IS JUST WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION WANTED. THE APATHY OF IT’S PEOPLE WILL BRING ON THEIR DESTRUCTION.
By keller, March 28 at 11:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Sheynonomous
If you are such a person to call to action, why do you sit on your computer to the call of 721 comments?????? Go and freaking do something with your life. Call to action?? what the hell does that mean?? You are an instigator of crap. Oh sorry () ()( s ) and you can’t spell or use proper diction in your ‘call to action’ prose whilst you sit at your computer wishing for a different world.
Reply to this | Hide 1 reply | Report thisBy Shenonymous, March 29 at 5:02 pm #
(868 comments total)
Such a crank!
Actually I do much with my life! But it isn’t any of your fucking business what that is! Why don’t you go stick your freaking head in a bucket of shit! Obviously you haven’t the foggiest idea what the word action means. Buy a freaking dictionary and get outta my freaking face! You bet I am an instigator of crap, uh, shit! You make about as much sense as a freaking pimple.
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