Operation Shwarma

Operation Shwarma:

"“Operation Swarmer” is really a media show. It was designed to show off the new Iraqi Army — although there was no enemy for them to fight. Every American official I’ve heard has emphasized the role of the Iraqi forces just days before the third anniversary of the start of the war. That said, one Iraqi role the military will start highlighting in the next few days, I imagine, is that of Iraqi intelligence. It was intel from the Iraqi military intelligence and interior ministry that the U.S. says prompted this Potemkin operation. And it will be the Iraqi intel that provides the cover for American military commanders to throw up their hands and say, “well, we thought bad guys were there.”
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But Operation Overblown should raise serious questions about how good Iraqi intelligence is. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told by earnest lieutenants that the Iraqis are valiant and necessary partners, “because they know the area, the people and the customs.” But when I spoke to grunts and NCOs, however, they usually gave me blunter — and more colorful — reasons why the Iraqi intelligence was often, shall we say, useless. Tribal rivalries and personal feuds are still a major why Iraqis drop a dime on their neighbors.

So I guess it’s fitting that on the eve of the third anniversary of a war launched on — oh, let’s be generous — “faulty” intelligence, a major operation is hyped and then turns out to be less than what it appeared because of … faulty intelligence." (link)

the remarkable thing is how quickly this stuff unravels these days. remember how long it took for, say, the jessica lynch story to unravel?

the good news? as i said the other day:

"ya know, i'm almost of the opinion that we are *finally* at a point where a terror attack, false flag or otherwise, would be bad for the president.

people dont trust him to protect them, they dont trust him to be able to respond to an emergency (katrina), and they cant trust him to respond appropriately (OBL, iraq)

whether that means anything once the dictator switch has been flipped, i dont know...

one thing about which i have no doubt, is that they'll do whatever they can to hold onto power, and the (more precarious) they look, the more dangerous things become."

anyone else nervous?