Spinning out of control

[UpInArms]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1076534,00.html

Yesterday's shooting down of a US Chinook helicopter near Fallujah may have a disproportionate psychological impact on US military operations in Iraq and on US public opinion. The attack was without any doubt a disaster for American forces. With 15 personnel reported killed and many more injured, it was the deadliest such incident since the war officially ended last May. But its significance will be greatly magnified by its context.

The perception, in America itself and abroad, is that the security situation in Iraq is deteriorating, rather than improving as President George Bush claims. US-led coalition forces are now being subjected to an average of over 30 attacks daily. Hardly a day passes without news of one or more US fatalities. Far from being accepted as routine, this toll appears to be convincing more and more ordinary Americans that Mr Bush and his officials are not in control of a situation that they, uniquely, created.

Yesterday's violence follows one of the worst weeks in Iraq since the invasion began, marked by suicide bomb attacks on "soft targets" such as the Red Cross and dozens of civilian in addition to military deaths. Arguments about the extent to which foreign radicals, possibly aided or organised by al-Qaida, are involved, or who is to blame in Washington for faulty or distorted pre-war intelligence assessments, are almost beside the point as long as this maelstrom continues unchecked. The bottom line is relentless violence and mayhem and a US leadership that appears powerless to stop it. This perception that Mr Bush's Iraq campaign lacks direction and is one over which he is losing control is exemplified, even symbolised, by the dramatic loss of the Chinook. This sense of rudderlessness may prove to be even more damaging to him in the long run than the many controversies that still surround his decision to go to war in the first place.

...more...

[karlschneider]

1. Yikes, there's a word and a half "rudderlessness"

"This sense of rudderlessness may prove to be even more damaging to him in the long run than the many controversies that still surround his decision to go to war in the first place. "
----------------------------------------------------------------

I was in a state of "aileronlessness" one time, it was no fuckin fun.
:D

[Guaranteed]

2. This guy has a good point though.

Bush is just looking really ineffective. And stupid.

[Wednesdays]

12. During his so-called "press conference"

he never laid out a plan to deal with Iraq. He just repeated a lot of phrases he's been saying for the past 2 years. He didn't even imply that he would be doing anything different than he has been for the past 3 months.

[Kinkistyle]

3. God is his rudder.

His God is black and powers car engines.

[0007]

4. So was my son. Sky Harbor International Airport.

eom

[PurityOfEssence]

13. How about some tea for the tillerman?

They invented the language; it's nice to see them use it well...

[saigon68]

5. "BRING EM ON", cried the cowardly Chimpanzee

"We will and every day ", shouted Sadaam and followers

"Oh my God its my Child", weeped the New Gold Star Mother.

Thanks a lot shrub--- you Mother Fucker

(A thought for today)

[Spazito]

6. You can just feel the distain the writer of this article has for Bush and

his henchmen. It literally drips from every word.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Nice piece. Thanks for posting it n/t

[UpInArms]

9. every word in the

article was well placed and a damning indictment of ineptitude or worse.

[coralrf]

8. These guys need some lessons...

True they are British but they must learn to do it the "Yank Way"

"With 15 personnel reported killed "

No no. Ask Rove. That should be: With 15 Young Americans brutally killed

"The perception, in America itself and abroad"

Again No no. That should be: It is common knowledge in America itself and abroad

And so on. When will learn to win?

[caledesi]

10. Thank you UIA...great article. nt

[wabeewoman]

11. Well, the bush spin isn't working

so what's next?? A news blackout. Wouldn't be surprised....

[Enjolras]

15. No, no, no. The WMD's!!

It just takes a little time to find the perfect place to hide them where no one will see it done, and from which they can be conveniently uncovered by a U.S. army patrol with an "anonymous tip". Then, Eureka!! We told you so!!

Mark my words. It's going to happen.

[radfringe]

14. according to Baghdad Bush's

Operation Lipstick on a Pig rhetoric - shooting down Choppers is good news

<..start sarcasm...> by extending the BAD NEWS is GOOD NEWS approach in a backwards timeline, could you also say that September 11 was good news? It could be spun that the attacks were a sign that the terra-ists saw the US as a significant enough threat so that in their "desperation" they attacked first.... <.../end sarcasm....>

meanwhile, it's still amazing how Bagdad Bush can SHOOT HIS MOUTH OFF and HIT HIMSELF IN THE FOOT...

[bemildred]

16. Nice.

Now if we can get the media whores at home to consider the same issues.