About Iraq

Dan Mangru asked:


Recently, Syria’s President, Bashar Al-Assad, told ABC’s Good Morning America that he and Syria could help mediate in Iraq with support from the US and other states in the region.

“I have spoken on the subject of our administration and the strategy that should have taken pertaining to the fine young president of Syria Bashar al-Assad.,” Imperato stated.

Going back as early as October of 2005, Imperato stated that Bashar Al-Assad has the key to Middle East Peace (See “Imperato Comments on CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Syria…” October 2005. www.daniel2008.com).

At the time the US administration, and most recognized politicians, had turned their backs on Al-Assad , due to the pending UN investigation on the previous administration in Syria.

“I have been silent on the issues and the “Polished-ticians” viewpoints , especially on the presidential candidates, because, I am concerned the majority of the candidates cannot hold the weight of the US on their shoulders , for the people of our country,” stated Imperato.

“With the exception of a potential few, my feeling is that my knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of the Middle East region is far ahead of anyone else, specifically pertaining to peace in the Middle East.”

In addition to Syria being the key to the Middle East peace process, Imperato also called for the US to embrace Al-Assad, who came into power with no political experience, and who called for US support.

“Back some time ago I called on our president to embrace Bashar Al Assad; as you can see in my previous press releases. I once again have been silent , because I am not receiving the credit or the recognition from the press that I should have, because I am an independent candidate. History proves itself again, and documented facts of statements solidify that my intelligence in the Middle East is excellent. The information that I provided to the people of the USA, and our administration, has proven itself once again.”

Also, Imperato reiterated his call for cease-fire in Iraq, as well as his repayment plan for US taxpayer’s by Iraq.

“I also called on our administration to implement a cease-fire immediately to stop the bloodshed. Then I called them to come up with a formula for the repayment of billions of dollars of US taxpayers’ money by way of an “Oil for US Help” program. I will be traveling to meet with political leaders , pertaining to the subject at hand, and will continue my endeavors to provide the people of the US a professional strategy in diplomacy , as seen with my previous requests.”

Recently, Imperato has been less active on issuing press releases, because he would like the opportunity to debate the 2008 presidential candidates , who are not recognizing the solutions to the world’s problems, and, who are trying take credit for ideas that are not their own.”

“My silence has been purposely kept until such time that we have the ability to debate the “polished-ticians” face-to-face , in a public forum. They believe that they can run the US as the next president in 2008, the leader of the free world, which I highly question and would like the opportunity to go toe-to-toe on the issues and the solutions.”

“I look forward to the support of the people of the USA, and hope and pray that our President George W. Bush , and our people, realize that they should call on my help to make progress in the Middle East and the rest of the world.”

Jon

Richard Stoyeck asked:


What a world we live in. Let’s look at Iraq. We know the President said ostensibly that the reason for invading was to find weapons of mass destruction, and prevent Saddam Hussein from using them. His removal from office could create a new democratic Iraq. America invaded and found no weapons of mass destruction - not even a hint of them.

Now the media is basically reporting that we are involved in a Civil War in Iraq, and we are losing it. Somewhere in between the two ends of the story is the truth and you need to know it, so that you don’t have to be inundated with bias from all sides of the media, both liberal and conservative. Let’s go through the great myths of Iraq.

Myth 1 - Invading Iraq has helped us with the War on Terrorism

Nonsense, there is no war on terrorism in Iraq. Osama Bin Laden attacked the two World Trade Center buildings in NYC more than five years ago. Hello, has anybody heard recently whether anybody is looking for Bin Laden anymore. If so who, what resources are being devoted to taking down this awful, hateful man? I suggest very little is being done. Everyone’s attention is on Iraq.

Saddam Hussein was not an exporter of terror. He used terror as an internal weapon inside Iraq to control the very people that we obviously can’t control. These people do not want a democracy, if they did, they would fight for it. Instead, they fight each other, even in the same neighborhoods. It’s a Civil War folks, pure and simple.

Myth 2 - The military’s post war planning was okay, not great, but okay?

Really, Donald Rumsfeld’s Defense Department could not have done a worse job if they had set out to do one as an objective. There was literally ZERO post war planning, compared to the actual invasion that took place. The looting of the civil infrastructure after our invasion, including the pilfering of museums was a tip-off as to how undermanned, and under planned we really were.

Myth 3 - If only we “Stayed the Course” as the President is fond of saying, it will work out in the end.

There’s a line that goes, “If you always do, what you always did, you’ll always get, what you always got.” In life, if something isn’t working, YOU CHANGE IT. You do something else. You do not just keep doing what you were doing. This President is stubborn without being wise. Perhaps more than anyone else in the history of the modern Presidency, he shows a reluctance to learn from his mistakes, and total lack of desire to inquire as to alternative options. He’s LOCKED into a thinking that just doesn’t work. He has never allowed the decision making process to be VETTED by opposing thinkers. In this behavior, he is unique, and foolish.

Myth 4 - Iraq will become Democratic in time.

Sure, and I believe in the tooth fairy. This is not the American Revolution, a unique era with a unique group of the best read, self-educated men in history. Unrivaled in courage, our founders had the desire to stand against England, and form a Republic for which it stands. President Bush is right, when he says; I haven’t seen Thomas Jefferson in Iraq yet. Jefferson doesn’t exist in Iraq, and perhaps never will.

Myth 5 - Our situation in Iraq has made our position stronger in the world?

Really, do you really want to argue this one? Iraq had the 4th or 5th largest standing army in the world. We demonstrated that we could take it apart, and destroy it in 29 days. This was a valuable lesson for the world to learn. In the aftermath, we demonstrated that we could not govern. We could not influence events. Our influence frankly just broke down, and we did it in the face of the world, while everybody was watching.

Our enemies and our friends recognize that we do not have the capacity to back up our rhetoric with military action anywhere else in the world, while we are bogged down in Iraq. Placing 140,000 troops currently in Iraq has made us incapable of operating anywhere else.

If North Korea were to create a provocative act TODAY, what would we do? If Iran were to send troops into the Iraqi desert, or better yet to Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait, what would we do? We no longer have a draft. The military is having major problems fulfilling their current manpower requirements. Has anybody noticed the disproportionate number of officers at the lieutenant level and above that are dying in Iraq. Last week, 3 lieutenant colonels were killed in action. This is unheard of in previous wars. It is because they are dying from roadside bombs that can strike anyone within a specified distance.

Myth 6 - Those roadside bombs are made locally in terrorist hideouts in Iraq.

Those bombs are being manufactured in Iran, and transported across the border with Syria’s help, and we are doing NOTHING ABOUT IT. These are not simple devices. They are technologically sophisticated. They required advanced machinery, and skill to produce. This expertise is not available in Iraq. These are shaped charges, and they are adjusting to the changes that the United States is making on the battlefield. Only Iran can produce such technology in that area. The United States has never held Iran accountable for its actions, or even mentioned it on the world stage. What is going on here?

Myth 7 - The military was in agreement with Rumsfeld’s policies or they would have protested?

Do you think so, do you really honestly think so? Very few generals have what it takes to blow away a career by protesting about decisions being made by superiors. What we are seeing is what many of us thought we’d never see again - the Viet Nam syndrome coming back to haunt us. During Viet Nam hundreds of officers knew our conduct of the war wasn’t working. They kept their mouths shut, and said that some day when they had the power they would never allow this to happen again.

Here we are 30 years later, and you guessed it. The young officers who made those statements are now leading the armed forces of the United States, and they are just as quiet as their superiors were during the Viet Nam war. Every one of these officers knows that we went into Iraq on the cheap, in terms of our manpower. Oh yes, we had enough to destroy the Iraqi army, but certainly not enough to secure the peace.

Colin Powell who knows a thing or two about waging war felt 300,000 plus troops were needed. Powell was smart enough to get out of government before it hit the fan. So what do we do now? We declare victory in the field, and also declare an inability to build a democracy for a people where democracy is everybody’s second choice. We then must concentrate on terminating Bin Laden, and being a responsible superpower.

Richard Stoyeck

Cathy