"Key aides" of each have been vetted (The veterinarian has checked their wind and teeth) and kept in the loop since summer. (President George Bush officially created a Transition Coordinating Council October 9.) They've probably heard much of what's in a draft National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq. According to McClatchy Newspapers:
A nearly completed high-level U.S. intelligence analysis warns that unresolved ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq could unleash a new wave of violence, potentially reversing the major security and political gains achieved over the last year.
I'd bet on both candidates ignoring it, unless McCain decides on yet another 'hail Mary' pass to revive his campaign. He has (or had) an edge on foreign affairs, but he's invested a lot in being right about the surge. For Obama, it would seriously threaten his 16 month deadline.
The article also provides less-than-optimistic statements from Gen. David Petraeus, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Defense Department.
The next President's to-do list isn't getting any shorter.
Media withdrawing
It's no surprise that government officials will filter the information they release, but at the same time most news organizations are doing their own pullout.
According to the Washington Post:
U.S. military officials say they "embedded" journalists 219 times in September 2007. Last month, the number shrank to 39. Of the dozen U.S. newspapers and newspaper chains that maintained full-time bureaus in Baghdad in the early years of the war, only four are still permanently staffed by foreign correspondents. CBS and NBC no longer keep a correspondent in Baghdad year-round.
Cynically, we could say that's because bombings sell advertising, while reconstruction and infighting over power won't make the front page. There's an election going on. It's also true that newspapers in particular are hurting, with several going out of business.
Whatever the reason, we're getting less information out of Iraq at a critical time.
The greatest thing to come out of this for the world economy, if you could put it that way, would be $20 a barrel for oil. That's bigger than any tax cut in the any country. -- Rupert Murdoch, 2003
He will either go down in history as a very great president or he'll crash and burn. I'm optimistic it will be the former by a ratio of two to one. -- Rupert Murdoch, 2003
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3 comments:
The prophecies of Ruper Murdoch eh? His prophecies are probably strategic. He probably didn't believe either of those two at the time.. he just figured it would help add to the effort to get the US public behind the war and of course.. nothing gets television viewers plastered to Fauxnews more than a good US war. I don't really believe all this.. but you never know. Murdoch has the morality and scruples of a Wells Fargo loan officer.
"Murdoch has the morality and scruples of a Wells Fargo loan officer."
...or an anonymous bloger. In fact, the loan officer is miles ahead scruples wise.
Of course he is trying to sell some newspapers, knucklehead. Just as you are trying to sell your lame version of reality. This comes as news to you?
"A nearly completed high-level U.S. intelligence analysis warns that unresolved ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq could unleash a new wave of violence, potentially reversing the major security and political gains achieved over the last year." ..... That is certainly different than what we have been hearing since this little brush-fire war began many years ago. Not. This is the same spin we have heard for years now. Reason 26B why the local population does not buy into being ruled from afar. Sounds similar to the plight of the CNMI. Just no guns.
OMG.. he extracates himself from the luxury of his new cushy government job to place another attack post :}lol.
Control of minimum wage and immigration is hardly being "ruled from afar".. by the way.
And I specifically said "Wells Fargo Loan Officer".. legalized loan sharking.
With regard to selling, my profit is nonmonetary.. delight in your angst is my reward. :}
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