The president's real goal in Iraq

This war, should it come, is intended to mark the official emergence of the United States as a full-fledged global empire, seizing sole responsibility and authority as planetary policeman. It would be the culmination of a plan 10 years or more in the making, carried out by those who believe the United States must seize the opportunity for global domination, even if it means becoming the "American imperialists" that our enemies always claimed we were. [read more]

thanks to Cursor

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Leaders craft Iraq resolution
Wide backing seen for Bush

President Bush and top congressional leaders yesterday agreed on a revised resolution that would allow the use of military force against Iraq, a compromise that appeared headed for congressional approval next week, despite continuing criticism from some lawmakers that Bush would have too much leeway to wage a preventive war. [read more]

thanks to JOHO the blog

The comments on this travesty by our congressional "leadership", in JOHO the blog, say it better than I could...

According to the "compromise" the Congress has worked out with the Bush adminstration "limiting" Bush's ability to wage war against Iraq, "The president would also be required to inform Congress in advance of a military strike or no later than 48 hours after the attack," reports the Boston Globe.

Two days after Bush has started bombing Bhagdad he's going to have to mention it to Congress? Wow, that's strict! Maybe he can just write a letter to the editor in The Washington Post to let them know that he's started a war.

At least this opens up a new alternative power source: attach generators to the Founding Fathers as they spin in their graves. [read more]

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Byrd Asks Senate to Deny Bush Blank Check

In one of his most impassioned speeches during his 50 years in Congress, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., pleaded with fellow senators on Thursday not to issue a “blank check” to President George W. Bush.

“The president is using the Oval Office as a bully pulpit to sound the call to arms. But it is from Capitol Hill that such orders must flow. The people, through their elected representatives, must make that decision,” Byrd said.

Quoting Roman historian Titus Livius, Byrd called Bush “blind and improvident....

“As sure as the sun rises in the east, we are embarking on a course of action with regard to Iraq that, in its haste, is both blind and improvident. We are rushing into war without fully discussing why, without thoroughly considering the consequences, or without making any attempt to explore what steps we might take to avert conflict.” [read more]

Byrd has been here before. He voted for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and he isn't going to make that mistake again. Here we go again.

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Robert Fisk: Nato used the same old trick when it made Milosevic an offer he could only refuse

It's the same old trap. Nato used exactly the same trick to ensure that it could have a war with Slobodan Milosevic. Now the Americans are demanding the same of Saddam Hussein – buried well down in their list of demands, of course. Tell your enemy that you're going to need his roads and airspace – with your troops on the highways – and you destroy his sovereignty. That's what Nato demanded of Serbia in 1999. That's what the new UN resolution touted by Messrs Bush and Blair demands of Saddam Hussein. It's a declaration of war. [read more]

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The Stones of Baghdad

From their perch in Washington, President Bush and his advisers seem to have convinced themselves that an invasion will proceed easily because many Iraqis will dance in the streets to welcome American troops. That looks like a potentially catastrophic misreading of Iraq [read more]