Thursday, March 21, 2024

21 Year Anniversary - How the Bush Lies Justified the Invasion of Iraq 

March 21, 2024 -- Twenty-one years have passed and most people have forgotten about the invasion of Iraq. Unfortunately the death and destruction that George W. Bush led on Iraq and its people still has long lasting effects on the country, its people and the region.

The 2003 illegal invasion of Iraq, which was essentially sold on a fraud (i.e. non-existent "weapons of mass destruction"), destroyed the nation and people of Iraq, killing more than one million people, displacing millions of others, costing the American taxpayers over $2 trillion dollars, strengthened Iran which with its nuclear program and control of Iraq making it the greatest threat to peace in the region, and allowed terrorist threats like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, by ignoring efforts to fight it. 

It was not a case of "mistaken" intelligence as many would try to sell to defend these con-artist politicians who sold the war; rather it was a fraudulent act of deceiving the American people and the world at large to justify the disastrous killing and maiming of innocent people, destroying nation-states, causing terrorism to spread in a vacuum of power, and empowering nations like Iran to take over much of the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen) unhindered and with a nuclear program.

Thanks to the Bush Administration, Iran now rules the region through its proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere, and uses terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with its sectarian militia proxies to spread violence and destruction in the region. 

And yet President Clinton was impeached for an extra-marital affair and President Trump for a phone call to a foreign leader about his political rival. 

Yet the man who caused the deaths of over one million innocent people, spent over $2 trillion dollars of taxpayer funds, caused increase of terrorism, and all based on a fraud sold to the world, was never impeached or even held accountable by Congress or any attorney general or special prosecutor. 

Ironic on how Bush actually mentioned how one man decided to "launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq" when referring to Ukraine...listen here to his Freudian slip...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aBzI4ue-0EA

In addition to destroying Iraq, causing the deaths of over a million innocent Iraqis, and squandering trillions of US taxpayer dollars, on top of that, Bush handed control of Iraq to Iran, and allowed Iran to expand their control and influence throughout the region.

In addition, the corrupt politicians and their mafia-like militias that Bush put in power in 2003 still run the country through rigged elections and armed gangsters, plundering the nation's wealth while the people suffer from lack of basic services like clean water, running electricity, sewage treatment, and functioning roads. 

Will Bush and his accomplices ever be held accountable for their misdeeds? 

Saturday, March 18, 2023

20 Year Anniversary - How Bush Invaded Iraq Based on Lies and Handed the Country Over to Iran

March 17, 2023 -- Twenty years have passed and most people have forgotten the invasion of Iraq. It's ironic that now the world is condemning Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine, yet very little mention is made by world leaders of the same thing that George W. Bush did to Iraq twenty years earlier.

The 2003 illegal invasion of Iraq, which was essentially sold on a fraud (i.e. non-existent "weapons of mass destruction"), destroyed the nation and people of Iraq, killing more than one million people, displacing millions of others, costing the American taxpayers over $2 trillion dollars, strengthened Iran which with its nuclear program and control of Iraq making it the greatest threat to peace in the region, and allowed terrorist threats like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, by ignoring efforts to fight it. 

It was not a case of "mistaken" intelligence as many would try to sell to defend these con-artist politicians who sold the war; rather it was a fraudulent act of deceiving the American people and the world at large to justify the disastrous killing and maiming of innocent people, destroying nation-states, causing terrorism to spread in a vacuum of power, and empowering nations like Iran to take over much of the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen) unhindered and with a nuclear program.

As a direct result of the Iraq invasion, terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda were ignored and as a result, its morphed into the monster that we now know as ISIS.  The irony is that now information is coming out that in fact, Iran which has given safe haven to and supported both terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and ISIS, to spread death and destruction in Syria and Iraq to further Iran's aims at controlling these two nations. 

Thanks to the Bush Administration, Iran now controls Iraq and Syria, and uses terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with its sectarian militia proxies to fight America and its interests in the region. 

And yet President Clinton was impeached for an extra-marital affair and President Trump for a phone call to a foreign leader about his political rival. Trump in fact may be arrested soon for the "hush money" issue. 

Yet the man who caused the deaths of over one million innocent people, spent over $2 trillion dollars of taxpayer funds, caused increase of terrorism, and all based on a fraud sold to the world, was never impeached or even held accountable by Congress or any attorney general or special prosecutor. 

So Putin can thank Bush for setting a precedence to illegally invade a sovereign nation based on fabricated claims of "national security threats."

Ironic on how Bush actually mentioned how one man decided to "launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq" when referring to Ukraine...listen here to his Freudian slip...

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aBzI4ue-0EA

In addition to destroying Iraq, causing the deaths of over a million innocent Iraqis, and squandering trillions of US taxpayer dollars, on top of that, Bush handed control of Iraq to Iran.

Read how How Iran Won the U.S. War in Iraq

https://theintercept.com/2023/03/17/iraq-war-iran-cables/


Saturday, June 19, 2021

 Mass-Murderer Becomes President of Iran

The new president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, is suspected by many human rights organizations, Iranian exiles, the United States, and the European Union for committing mass-murder, enforced disappearance, torture, and other crimes against humanity.

The international human rights group, Amnesty International, has documented that Raisi, as the previous head of the government judicial body, was responsible for the executions and disappearance of thousands of protestors and people suspected of being opposed to Iran's dictator regime. 

Raisi's crimes go back to as far as 1988 when he was a member of commission responsible for executing thousands of people after the Iran-Iraq war. Iranian exiles who fled the country have exposed the regime, have said that during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, the Tehran regime executed from 20,000 to 30,000 political prisoners and that the late dictator Khomeini issued a fatwa in 1988 to execute another 5,000 additional political prisoners of which Raisi was part of, according to Amnesty International.

The Amnesty statement can found here:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/06/iran-ebrahim-raisi-must-be-investigated-for-crimes-against-humanity/

The Amnesty report can be read here:

https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1343142021ENGLISH.PDF

The United States Treasury placed sanctions on Riasi in 2019 for killing and amputating child/juvenile prisoners, among other crimes.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm824

More detail can be found about Raisi's dark past:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/world/ebrahim-raisi-iran-president.html

With Iran now headed by another mass-murderer, the government can continue its crimes against the Iranian people, in additional to the crimes its militia proxies commit in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.  


Sunday, April 18, 2021

 2003 Iraq Invasion--"Strategic Blunder of Historic Proportions"

The infamous invasion of Iraq in 2003 has now been called "a Strategic Blunder of Historic Proportions" by one of the well-known and career journalists of our time, Dan Rather.

In an article, he points out how this invasion, which was essentially sold on a fraud (i.e. non-existent "weapons of mass destruction") destroyed the nation and people of Iraq, killing more than 600,000 people, costing the American taxpayers over $2 trillion dollars, strengthened Iran which with its nuclear program and control of Iraq is the greatest threat to peace in the region, and allowed terrorist threats like Al-Qaeda by ignoring efforts to fight it. 

Mr. Rather states 

"...Iraq War was a war based on untruths at best, lies at worst. It was a lie that there was solid proof Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. (They didn’t). It was a lie that there was proof of a connection between Iraq and 9/11. (There wasn’t). It was not true that this was a war of necessity. It was not true that those who launched the war had any detailed plan to end what they started. The sketchy outline they did have for occupation of the country quickly turned into a disaster."

So it was not a case of "mistaken" intelligence as many would try to sell to defend these con-artist politicians who sold the war; rather it was a fraudulent act of deceiving the American people and the world at large to justify the disastrous killing and maiming of innocent people, destroying nation-states, causing terrorism to spread in a vacuum of power, and empowering nations like Iran to take over much of the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen) unhindered and with a nuclear program.

Mr. Rather states

"The biggest winner of the Iraq War was Iran. In a destabilized region, Iran’s power and influence have grown and spread....And American’s reputation and interests in the Middle East have been harmed, not enhanced. "

As a direct result of the Iraq invasion, terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda were ignored and as a result, its morphed into the monster that we now know as ISIS.  The irony is that now information is coming out that in fact, Iran which has given safe haven to and supported both terrorist groups Al-Qaeda and ISIS, to spread death and destruction in Syria and Iraq to further Iran's aims at controlling these two nations. 

Thanks to the Bush Administration, Iran now controls Iraq and Syria, and uses terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, along with its sectarian militia proxies to fight America and its interests in the region. 

And yet President Clinton was impeached for an extra-marital affair and President Trump for a phone call to a foreign leader about his political rival. The man who caused the death of over 600,000 innocent people, spent over $2 trillion dollars of taxpayer funds, caused increase of terrorism, and all based on a fraud sold to the world, was never impeached or even held accountable. 

Read Mr. Rather's brave and revealing piece at:

https://steady.substack.com/p/a-strategic-blunder-of-historic-proportions


Wednesday, December 30, 2020

 Iraq Bankrolls 40% of Iran's Budget

Iran just announced that it received another $700 million cash from Iraq. Iran's Energy Minister Redha Ardekaneyan made the announcement today on its government's "Khabar" channel. 

Even though the US Treasury prohibits Iraq from paying the Iranian government which is under sanctions, the 45-day waivers continue to be extended seemingly endlessly.

According to the World Bank, Iraq burns off or wastes about 18 billion cubic meters of gas annually, and Iraq is estimated to be the number two in the world for burning off gas after Russia.

Nevertheless, Iraq imports an estimated 240 to 420 million cubic meters annually from Iran, a fraction of what Iraq burns off, providing Tehran with millions of dollars of revenue.

In fact Iraq provides about $13 billion of Iran's official annual budget of $33 billion, about 40%.  In other words Iraq bankrolls 40% of Iran's operations which include its Revolutionary Guards militias, its militias in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

All this, while the Iraqi government squeezes the average Iraqi by delaying retirement payments to the elderly and limited income families.

To add insult to injury, Iran also announced that Iraq will buy for Iran, the Covid-19 vaccine from Europe. 

All thanks to George W. Bush for making Iraq a cash cow slave to Iran, by installing Iranian proxies in Baghdad.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Difference Between Biden and Trump On Iraq

Have to First Start with the 2003 Bush War & Occupation....

What Bush Did re: Iraq…

• Lied & Faked Information to Justify Illegal War
• Illegally Invaded & Occupied Iraq
• Abolished & Destroyed Iraqi National Institutions (like National Army) & Replace it with Sectarian Militias
• Placed Iranian Agents & Militias in Power in Iraq
• Allowed Iranian Agent Militias to Do "Cleansing" of Sunnis in Iraq
• Caused/Fueled Civil War Resulting in Death/Destruction
• Millions Killed or Made Refugees (Mostly Sunnis)

Then We Compare Biden to Trump....

What Obama/Biden Did re: Iraq…

• Biden Voted to Support Bush War in Senate
• Neither Obama nor Biden Condemned 2003 Invasion (Unlike Trump)
• Continued Same Bush Policies of Empowering Iranian Agents in Iraq (Dawa Party, Militias, & Other Groups)
• Allowed Iran-Proxies & Militias to Commit Death/Destruction in Iraq
• Lifted Sanctions on Iran to Continue Destruction
• Gave Iran Cash to Continue Destructive Policies
• Millions Continued to be Killed or Made Refugees in Iraq
• As VP, Biden Pressured Elected Secular Leader (Allawi) to Step Aside in Favor of Pro-Iran Proxy (Maliki) to Please Iran in Nuclear Deal Talks
• Watched While Iran-Proxies Violently Crushed Iraqi Peaceful Protestors in 2011 & 2012 in the Provinces like Anbar, Mosul, Salahdeen, Diyala, Baghdad, and Others
• Assisted Iraqi Govt Which Allowed ISIS Terrorist Criminals Take Over Major Cities like Mosul, Takrit, Ramadi, and Others by Withdrawing Iraqi Army without a Fight and Then Launching Air Campaigns to Obliterate these Civilian Centers 2014-2016.

What Trump Did re: Iraq…

• Called 2003 Invasion Worst Decision in American History (Unlike Biden)
• Stopped Policies of Empowering Iran
• Placed Sanctions on Iran & Their Militia Proxies in Iraq
• Forced Iraqi Govt to Stop Paying Iran Cash for Electricity & Other Imports 
• Cleaned Iraq of 2 Major Terrorist Criminals (Solaimani & Al-Mohandis) who Have Killed Thousands of Iraqis
• Cleaned Up Congress-Funded Al-Hurra TV Staff of Pro-Iranian Sectarian Propagandists
• Supported Iraqi Peaceful Protestors in 2019 & 2020


Sunday, May 17, 2020

Can Iraq's New PM Reform the Country, Oppose Iran's Power?


As Mustafa Abdul-Latif Mishatat Al-Ghrebawi, otherwise known as Mustafa al-Kadhimi, takes charge this month as the new prime minister of Iraq, he faces quite challenging tasks.

The new premier began by promising to release jailed protesters and restore the retirement salary payments suspended by the outgoing prime minister, and implement reforms, among many other promises.  The important question is will he be able to reform the government’s institutions, root out corruption, and resolve many of Iraq’s complex problems, or at least begin the process of reform.

The primary obstacle to his success is neighboring Iran, which yields over-whelming influence in Iraq, similar to how the Soviet Union controlled the Eastern European countries of the now defunct Warsaw Pact. Iran’s control starts at the top. The various pro-Iranian Shia religious political parties and coalitions put in power by Bush's invasion in 2003, and backed by armed militias, control the country’s military, security forces, justice system, executive institutions, and have a majority in the parliament. These forces and groups in power, guided by Tehran dictate the policies any prime minister may take.

Originally Iran and its proxy politicians and militias in Iraq opposed Mustafa as the designate prime minister, accusing him of being pro-American. In fact one of these militias declared that his candidacy for prime minister was a “declaration of war” and they threatened to prevent him from taking office. All of a sudden, these politicians and militia leaders went silent, and gave approval to his premiership.

Media reports in Iraq spoke of a behind-the-scenes U.S.-Iran deal to waive Iranian opposition to Mustafa’s new post. Among the many news items that appeared just before he was sworn in as the new prime minister, was that the U.S. granted a four-month waiver on sanctions to allow Iraq to import electricity from Iran, and that Iranian assets valued over a billion dollars held in Luxemburg because of the sanctions were now approved by the U.S. to be transferred to Iran.

With cold-hard cash from Iraq for electricity and unfrozen assets from Luxembourg, it seems that Iran has been bought out, at least for now. So much for the “principles” Iran and their proxies in Iraq supposedly have against America. It seems everyone has a price.

Now that Mustafa has been sworn in, can he actually take measures to decrease Iran’s influence in Iraq and strengthen the country’s institutions?

For starters, why is Iraq importing electricity from Iran, since Iraq used to produce its own? The main reason is that pro-Iranian militias dismantled electric power stations in Iraq, like the huge electric plant in Beiji, creating a need to import. In addition, rather than repair the dilapidated electric stations and/or build new ones, these pro-Iranian politicians continue to neglect and ignore this issue and instead complain of sanctions on Iran. Even when Saudi Arabia offered to give Iraq electricity for FREE, these pro-Iranian leaders in Iraq refused and opted to pay cold hard cash to Iran instead.  In addition, recent “mysterious attackers” (because no one claims responsibility and security forces don’t investigate) have attacked and knocked out various large electric relay stations and towers in various provinces, to make the need even more acute.

In addition, similar “mysterious attackers” are going around Iraqi farms and burning wheat and grain fields, at a time when they are ripe for harvest. Thousands of acres of farmland have been torched. Conspicuously, Iran is flooding the produce markets in Iraq with cheap farm products to control the market. They create the need and then mysteriously provide the solution.

It is similar to how Iran flooded the Iraqi markets with the outdated poor quality “Saeba” cars, subsidized by the Iraqi government. To register a new imported car in Iraq costs over a $1,000 in fees. However, if the Iraqi citizen purchases an Iranian car, the Iraqi government will grant him a coupon and waive the registration fee, in effect making it free.  That is more cold hard cash for Iran, at Iraq’s expense.

The corruption in Iraq is huge and vast, with “ghost” employees in the government and members of government-sponsored militias receiving sizable salaries. There are huge salaries paid out to the supposedly former refugees in the Saudi Rafha camp, all of whom have been granted asylum in the U.S. and Europe, in the mid-1990s, well before the 2003 invasion. These supposed “victims” which include people who were never even in Rafha or have never seen Iraq, are receiving monthly salaries from the Iraqi government. These monthly payments for the “Rafha” claimants and “ghost” employees amount in the billions of dollars, draining the Iraqi treasury; funds that could be used to rebuild the infrastructure and revitalize the economy.    

Iran uses their proxy politicians and political parties in Iraq to make Iran-friendly economic and strategic policies, and legislate pro-Iran laws, like the law to fund the Popular Mobilization Militia (Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi) which is a sectarian religious paramilitary entity modeled after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Iran uses this official militia umbrella group and other militia groups it controls, as well as former militiamen who have been merged into the Iraqi Army and Interior Department Security Forces to maintain its control of the country by force.

Through these various armed groups and paramilitaries, Iran's proxies have continued the policy of subjugation of Iraq’s Sunni Arabs, which according to 2003 and prior census figures amount to at least 40% of the population. Yet the Army, Security Forces, and most government ministries and agencies are now staffed about 90% Shia.

The large predominantly Sunni provinces, like Al-Anbar, Nineveh (Mosul), Salahadeen (Tikrit, Beiji, and other cities), Kirkuk, and Diyala, which were devasted by war and destruction over 3 years ago, are still largely in disrepair and without basic services. Millions of inhabitants, displaced and made refugees, have either not been allowed to return to their homes or unable to return due to the destruction.

Areas where Sunni Arabs have been victims of sectarian cleansing and forcibly expelled from their homes like Jurf-Sakhr in Babylon province, and areas of Diyala, are not allowed to return to their neighborhoods. The areas have been confiscated and are controlled by various militia groups. Tens of thousands of Sunni Arabs have languished in jails and detention centers for years without any trial or due process.

In welcoming Mustafa’s new post, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, stated on April 29, 2020, that “Iraqi leaders must put aside the sectarian quota system and make compromises that lead to government formation for the good of the Iraqi people…”

Can the new prime minister rectify the inequities of the discrimination and oppression of one of Iraq’s main communities? Can he abolish the sectarian quota system and make the institutions fair, equitable, and representative of the people? Can he release those tens of thousands of detainees, both the recent October protesters and the Sunni Arabs detained years ago? Can he rebuild the demolished areas and integrate the disenfranchised Sunni Arab community into the country’s national institutions?

Secretary Pompeo also said, “The Iraqi people need and deserve a government that frees the country from external intimidation, puts the prosperity of the Iraqi people first, and tackles the major challenges that continue to face Iraq.”

Can the new prime minister take the courageous decisions that put Iraq’s interests above that of Iran, and put an end to the Iranian control? Can he end the corruption and fraudulent waste of resources?  Time will tell.

Secretary Pompeo's statements can be found here:

https://www.state.gov/secretary-michael-r-pompeo-at-a-press-availability-4/