LAST WEEK, CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O GAVE A FOR-SHOW SPEECH PRETENDING TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IMMIGRATION. WHILE SOME CALLED HIM OUT, OTHERS -- LIKE AMY GOODMAN -- WHORED FOR BARRY.
TOO BAD FOR BARACK'S EFFETE SQUAD, THE REST OF AMERICA WON'T GO ALONG WITH THE WHORING AND ONE REVIEW AFTER ANOTHER FINDS BARRY O TO BE A FRAUD:
Most observers correctly interpreted his speech in the border town of El Paso as a political ploy to shore up support among Hispanics.
Timing is everything. If Obama had made a push for reform when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, there might have been progress.
Instead Obama's proposal has about the same chance as a remarkably similar plan proposed by President George W. Bush.
That's slim to none.
FROM THE TCI WIRE:
Violence never ends in Iraq and Suadad al-Salhy (Reuters) breaks the news, "Shi'ite militias rather than Sunni Islamist al Qaeda are behind a recent wave of assassinations of Iraqi government, police and military officials in Baghdad, security officials said." al-Salhy counts over 38 deaths since the start of this year that Shi'ite militias have been respondible for. The stated reason for the assassinations? Shi'ite militias fear "a return of Saddam's outlawed Baath party" should the US military pull out at the end of 2011. Sunday Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) reported on a Baghdad home invasion in which "three Shiite family members" were shot dead by assailants in "police uniforms". This has been a repeating incident in and around Baghdad. For a long time, Nouri and company tried to float a story about this mythical uniform making company which did have enough security and kept losing these uniforms. Is the latest allegation by Iraqi officials supposed to explain the attacks by people in police uniforms? There are a lot of questions the story raises. A story blaming Shi'ites -- as opposed to the catch all "al Qaeda in Iraq" -- for the violence and it offers up the motive of 'fear of what happens if the US leaves Iraq and the Baath Party attempts a take over'? It it news or propaganda from officials attempting to frighten Iraq into demanding the US stay?
Nouri al-Maliki wants political blocs to consider the extension of US forces on the ground in Iraq beyond 2011. Zainab Suncor (Al Mada) reported this morning that consideration would most likely take place around June 13th when the Parliament begins its second session. Suncour cites sources "close to the State of Law coalition" wanting US troops to remain in Iraq and the same sources saying this is the wish of most MPs, however, they fear what happens -- Iraqi anger -- if they back the extension they feel is needed. State of Law's Jawad Albz notes talks among the various political blocs and that the US government is applying pressure. Alsumaria TV reports, "Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki called to convene heads of political parties in order to assess their stands over the decision to extend US Forces mandate in Iraq. Al Maliki's call was not well received by Sadr's Front which firmly rejects the extension of US presence in Iraq." David Ali (Al Mada) adds that the Sadrists continue to maintain they will bring back the Mehdi militia and there are rumors that they will be leaving the National Alliance. Over the weekend, Muhammad al-Khaldi (Dar Addustour) reported that State Of Law's Jawad Albz was stating that there are ongoing talks between the US and the political blocs about US troops remaining in Iraq past 2011. Albz insists this is being done in secret and to avoid embarrassment.
In the US, Doug Bandow (Fortune) weighs in, "Washington should close its 86 bases and bring home its 47,000 troops, 63,000 civilian contractors and mountains of military equipment. The Obama administration's attempt to keep U.S. forces in Iraq is further evidence that America has become an empire. Not in the traditional sense of conquering territory. But certainly in the sense of garrisoning foreign lands to extend Washington's influence and creating advanced bases to impose Washington's will." Sunday Faith Abdulsalam (Azzaman) noted how chancy it is that Nouri will remain in power without the US military: "The prime minister understands that the sinking of the ship in the mud that will be left in the aftermath of U.S. troops withdrawal will lead to damages worse than those inflicted on the country by the occupation itself. He now senses that almost everybody is his enemy, even those within his closest circle working for him under the political or factional banner. This is the kind of characteristic that breeds dictators in the course of time." The Great Iraqi Revolution notes, "" An editorial in the Pensacola News Journal declared, "New reports say Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is 'open' to the possibility that U.S. combat troops will remain in Iraq beyond the scheduled Dec. 31 departure date. Big surprise. If he can get U.S. taxpayers to keep shelling out billions of dollars to support his efforts to consolidate power, I'm sure he'll count it as a feather in his hat."
While US forces right now are supposed to be leaving Iraq December 31, 2011, a number of them are being deployed on year long and "about a year" tours of duty in Iraq. For example, Scott Wasserman (Twin Cities Fox 9 -- link has text and video) reports, "It's the second largest deployment of Minnesota Guard members since World War II. Over 2,400 men and women are preparing to leave home so they can serve in Iraq." He notes that they will be deployed in Iraq for "about a year." ABC Newspapers note, "A total of 460 soldiers will be leaving Minnesota May 22 for training before departing for the Middle East." Last Thursday, Corey Dickstein (Savannah Morning News) reported, "Fort Stewart officials announced Thursday that the 3rd Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion will be deployed to Iraq in late fall to support Operation New Dawn." Lot of people headed to Iraq for "about 12" months . . . when there are less than seven months left in the year.
Reuters notes a Baghdad roadside bombing left eight people injured (three are bodyguards of the Baghdad Provincial Council's Kamel al-Zaidi), another Baghdad roadside bombing injured three people, a third injured five, 1 police officer was shot dead in Baghdad, a coprse was discovered in Kirkuk, a Mosul sticky bomb on a judge's car was successfully dismantled, and, dropping back to Sunday for the rest, a Baghdad sticky bombing claimed the life of 1 Interior Ministry worker, 1 person was shot dead in Baghdad by assailants on motorcycles, 1 soldier was shot dead in Mosul and a child left injured and "the son of a civilian contractor" was shot dead in a separate Mosul shooting. Aswat al-Iraq reports a bombing at the Fadhila Party Headquarters "north of Hilla" which left 2 people dead, a 1 "young man" was shot dead in Mosul and 4 children -- ages eight to twelve -- died in Diwaniya today while playing in a military camp with "unexploded shells." And in Kirkuk, Ashur Jacob's corpse was found, the "head chopped off," approximately a week after the Iraqi Christian was kidnapped and his family told they needed to raise a $100,000 ransom. AFP reports that Ashur Issa Yaqub was 29-years-old and that they were asking $100,000 in a country where the "average daily wage for a construction worker averages to around 25,000 Iraqi dinars ($21)." On the issue of corpses, the Great Iraqi Revolution reports, "" And the Great Iraqi Revolution notes, ""
RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"
"Camp Ashraf and continued violence"
"Deployments, revelations"
"And the war drags on . . ."
"Sahwa will stand on the sidelines"
"Veterans issues"
"Oil industry"
"THIS JUST IN! PRESIDENT PALIN!"
