Bush has announced he is going to push for a permanent military base

[Ilsa]

and security pact with Baghdad leadership. Hell, didn't we know that already, but Bush is finally telling his koolaid drinkers?

I am watching HArdball.

Matthews is saying the arabs are tired of westerners saying"we're going to help you," and then we bring in our soldiers, etc.

[redqueen]

1. That's news?

They planned for 14 permanent bases, didn't they?

:shrug:

[Ilsa]

3. We knew it here, but Bush has never admited it, as far as I know. nt

[redqueen]

5. Good point...

they didn't exactly make a lot of noise about that part of their plan.

[BurtWorm]

4. Maybe that's what he means by a troop reduction?

:shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. EXCELLENT

:sarcams:

Obviously the people are ready for the real news

[MissWaverly]

6. But, the Congress said No to permanent bases

[atreides1]

7. When has Congress saying no ever stopped Bush

Besides, haven't you heard, the Democrats don't have the votes to keep him from doing it!!!!

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Already passed... see my post below.

[MissWaverly]

21. I was going to skip smirk on parade tonight

and just read a transcript but now I am going to listen to what he has to say about permananent bases.

:-(

[KaptBunnyPants]

32. Impeachment hasn't passed. How do you plan to enforce Congress's bills?

Remember, we also can't cut off funding. It wouldn't be supporting the troops.

[FiveGoodMen]

29. When has Congress ever said no?

[TwilightGardener]

8. Yep--war, profiteering, and oil, forever and ever. Saw this coming, but

it's still a shock. Anyone want to bet that the "pact" with the Iraqis is not really a pact, but a declaration?

[stillcool]

9. little slow on the uptake isn't he?

secret Washington plan to establish six permanent US, UK military bases in Iraq
Tuesday November 25, 2003 at 02:59 PM
Al-Arab Al-Yawm's correspondent Ahmad Sabri reports from Baghdad that sources close to the Interim Governing Council of Iraq have told al-Arab al-Yawm in Baghdad that the new US strategy in Iraq which Paul Bremer brought back to the Council members from Washington has not yet been revealed in its entirety.
The reliable sources say that there are clauses in the agreement that are to remain secret until an appropriate time comes for their publication
The sources revealed that the most important of these secret clauses in the document -- which the Council announced after meeting Bremer at the beginning of this week -- provide for the establishment of at least six military bases in different parts of Iraq in which American forces will be concentrated on a permanent basis in order to guarantee a continued American and British presence in accordance with the strategy that brought their fleets to these hot waters in the first place.
The sources say that a number of strategic positions have been chosen with precision in various parts of Iraq to be the locations of American and British bases during the second phase of the Anglo-American occupation of Iraq.
The sources revealed the names of these bases and the planned positions for permanent deployment. They are:
Al-Habbaniyah Airbase near the city of al-Fallujah, 65km west of Baghdad,
Ash-Sha'biyah Airbase in Basra, 600km south of Baghdad,
'Ali ibn Abi Taleb Airbase on the outskirts of the city of an-Nasiriyah, 400km south of Baghdad,
al-Walid Airbase about 330km north west of Baghdad,
al-Ghazlani Camp in the city of Mosul, 400km north of Baghdad, and
A permanent deployment of forces in the east of Iraq in what is known as the Hamrin mountain range that extends from Diyala Provice, 60km east of Baghdad, and borders on Iran and extends to the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, 260km north of Baghdad.
The sources explained the choice of these locations for permanent Anglo-American deployment by saying that they cover most of the territory of Iraq, and are linked to the Iraqi borders in all four directions, giving them strategic importance in defining the future course of the "new" Iraq. The choice of these locations is also linked to the aim of deterring neighbors of Iraq who might attempt to threaten Iraqi territory in the future.
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2003/11/57998.php

Chicago Tribune March 23, 2004
14 `enduring bases' set in Iraq
Long-term military presence planned
In-Depth Coverage
By Christine Spolar
Dollar figures have not been released. The Defense Department plans to build the bases under its own contracts separate from the State Department and its Embassy in Baghdad.
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the head of coalition forces in Iraq, recently outlined a plan that would slice the current Coalition Provisional Authority into pieces after sovereignty is returned to Iraqis at the end of June.
The U.S. Embassy would absorb some coalition workers as Embassy personnel; the Defense Department would take others. Its workers would direct most of the major contracts connected to the $18 billion allocated for Iraq reconstruction, military planners said.
The Program Management Office, the agency that has been doling out the cash, will remain under the Defense Department.
"It was a significant win," one military planner said. "In terms of controlling the money, Defense is in control."
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2004/040323-enduring-bases.htm

washingtonpost.com
Biggest Base in Iraq Has Small-Town Feel
Most Troops at Balad Never Meet Iraqis
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 4, 2006; A14
BALAD, Iraq -- .
Balad Air Base is a unique creation, a small American town smack in the middle of the most hostile part of Iraq. While soldiers drive as fast as they can beyond its perimeter to avoid roadside bombs and ambushes, on base they must drive their Humvees at a stately 10 mph, the strictly enforced speed limit.
Like most towns, Balad has distinct neighborhoods. The southwest part, home to thousands of civilian contractors, is "KBR-land," a reference to the construction company. "CJSOTF," for Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, is home to a special operations unit and is hidden by especially high walls. Visitors aren't welcome there, and the Army public affairs chief on the base said he'd never been inside.

Extended presence of U.S. in Iraq looms large
$1 billion for construction of American military bases and no public plans
Updated: 9:11 a.m. ET March 21, 2006
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq - The concrete goes on forever, vanishing into the noonday glare, 2 million cubic feet of it, a mile-long slab that's now the home of up to 120 U.S. helicopters, a "heli-park" as good as any back in the States.
At another giant base, al-Asad in Iraq's western desert, the 17,000 troops and workers come and go in a kind of bustling American town, with a Burger King, Pizza Hut and a car dealership, stop signs, traffic regulations and young bikers clogging the roads.
At a third hub down south, Tallil, they're planning a new mess hall, one that will seat 6,000 hungry airmen and soldiers for chow
Are the Americans here to stay? Air Force mechanic Josh Remy is sure of it as he looks around Balad.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11072377 /

By October 2004, it was reported that the US Army, in a move to take a friendlier face, had renamed all 17 of its facilities in and around the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and given them more noble sounding name with, as well, Arabic names to go along. The majority of the original base names were taken from Army unit nicknames, such as Bulldog and Headhunter. Three were named for American soldiers killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. The new base names are intended to reinforce the idea that these are not US bases. The land belongs to the Iraqis, and the legacy left by this operation should be one of Iraqi services and not the US spirit. The new names are posted in English and Arabic at the entrance of each base.
OLD NAME................NEW NAME (ARABIC) ...........ENGLISH
Banzai..................Al-Adala ....................Justice
Cooke...................Taji ........................Taji
Cuervo..................Rustamiyah...................Rustamiyah
Eagle...................Al-Amal......................Hope
Ferrin-Huggins..........Al-Saqr .....................Falcon
Greywolf................Al-Tawheed Al-Awal ..........Union I
Gunslinger .............Al-Tadamun...................Solidarity
Headhunter..... ........Al-Istiqulal.................Independence
Highlander..............Al-Isdehar...................Prosperity
Iron Horse..............Al-Watani....................Patriot
North Victory...........Al-Tahreer...................Liberty
Outlaw..................Al-Hurya Al-Thani............Freedom II
Steel Dragon............Al-Sharaf....................Honor
Trojan Horse............Al-Tawheed Al-Thalith........Union III
Victory.................Al-Nasr......................Victory
Warhorse................Al-Hurya Al-Awal.............Freedom I
Warrior.................Al-Tawheed Al-Thani..........Union II

[TwilightGardener]

10. According to Gergen and Bob Herbert, this may cause Repugs to finally revolt.

God, I hope so.

[trusty elf]

11. I Reek of the Havoc I Wreak in Eye-rack...

GWB's extraordinary rendition:

I reek of the havoc I wreak in Eye-rack,
I reap what I sow, so despise me!
I speak of the devil when under attack,
and I smirk, whatever the lies be.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Did these amendments pass? Congress has acted to keep funding away from

permanent bases.

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=621

Today, the House passed H.R. 2929, Banning Permanent U.S. Bases in Iraq. This bill states that it is the policy of the United States not to establish any military installation or base for the purpose of providing a permanent stationing of United States Armed Forces in Iraq. It also states that it is the policy of the United States not to exercise U.S. control of the oil resources of Iraq. The measure bars the use of any funds provided by any law from being used to carry out any policy that contradicts these statements of policy.

While the Bush Administration has indicated it would not seek permanent bases in Iraq, Administration officials have recently remarked that the President envisioned a continued military presence in Iraq similar to our presence in Korea, where U.S. forces have been stationed for more than 50 years. Speaker Pelosi explained that “today’s vote can again make clear to the President, to the Administration, to the American people, to the people in the Middle East, to the people in Iraq — that the American people are opposed to a permanent military presence in Iraq.”


http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/04/senate-speaks-no-permanent-bases-in-iraq/

Yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill proposed by Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) that would require the Bush administration not to use any appropriated funds for the construction of permanent bases in Iraq. The amendment also called for the U.S. not exercise control over Iraqi oil. Biden’s amendment reads as follows:

To provide that no funds made available by title I of this Act may be made available to establish permanent United States military bases in Iraq or to exercise control by the United States over the oil infrastructure or oil resources of Iraq.

Earlier this year, the House passed an amendment offered by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) that similarly stated no funds should be used for permanent base construction.

Congress has now spoken with a clear and unambiguous voice a time when there are troubling signs that the administration wants to make the U.S. presence permanent in Iraq. For example, the administration is currently constructing a $592 million U.S. embassy in Baghdad that spans the size of 80 football fields.

Will this be yet another law that the administration chooses to ignore?

[Ilsa]

22. He's getting his favorite pen ready. It's his signing statement pen.

He'll exempt his administration, as it is now, or extended by martial law, from the spirit of the law.

[stillcool]

27. I think those were after the fact...

the old lipstick trick.

[leftchick]

14. "A" Base?

try five including the embassey which has headquarters for marines. Yes indeed we continue america's fine tradition of colonies via bases. I expect no credible complaints from the democrats.

[HereSince1628]

26. That was my reaction, also.

No doubt with a complement of munitions useful as far north as Sibera, and as far south as Zimbabwe.

[slor]

15. Is he trying to give the insurgents...

more motivation? A "bring it on" at a strategic level?

[lpbk2713]

16. The point of actually *needing* a base is secondary to them.

What really matters is that Halliburton gets another fat juicy contract.

[UTUSN]

17. Is this "what BOTH Rethugs & Dems WANT"? That's what my local radio wingnut

responded when I sent him MY e-mail, "A permanent U.S. presence in Iraq -- is this what you wanted?????????

He wrote back, "No, but it appears this is what BOTH (Rethugs) and Dems seem to want."

[Megahurtz]

18. So He Took Over Iraq.

Fucker. :grr:

[LSparkle]

19. Beginning of the end for *ie ... even the Thugs are gonna revolt

Chris Shays is PISSED according to April Ryan. Only the absolutely Koolaid drinkers will stick with him now that he's admitted to this imperial plan ...

[superkia]

20. The more we force our military hand, the more people blow us up!

I think if we minded our own business and fixed our own country, people wouldn't hate us us much. They can see what our government is doing, they know its all about money and greed as their people die, its us Americans that don't get it because we rely on our televisions for the facts.

[Ilsa]

24. Matthews was talking earlier about the long history

Arabs have with western civilization, and how they come to hate occupations, even when it was for "their own good".

[onethatcares]

28. yep, everything we do is for "their own good" after all

they don't have wifi or ps2 yet. Nor have they paved over their country and build shopping malls. how backward can they be??

[Ilsa]

30. I was thinking about the excessive materialism rampant in

the Park Cities in Dallas where * and Pickles will finally relocate to. Family values there is measured by the kind of car driven and sending the kiddos to private school. I'll take the "homespun" values of a decent Iraqi family over that any day.

[Arkham House]

23. Well, considering the size of the "embassy" we've been building there--

--did anyone ever think we were gonna leave...?

[Ilsa]

25. Anyone paying attention already knew this. But Bush* is finally going to

admit to having already designed it this way. He was never going to leave Iraq, not in his lifetime.

[The Cleaner]

31. Isn't the appearnace of American Occupation what bush wanted to avoid?

And now they HAVE to reaize how this will totally piss off the terrorists! It is a recipe for futhrer recruitment: "Look at how Americans are taking over Muslim lands!"

LIHOP in the making?

[Ilsa]

33. They are discussing that on Hardball right now.

It would be a huge mistake and create a recruiting tool for al qaeda in Iraq if we created a permanent position there.

[Disturbed]

35. Isn't that an Impeachable Offense?

Ignoring a Law laid down by Congress is ok now?

[in_cog_ni_to]

34. *Ahem* Did Dick-head forget to tell the psycho we already have 11 permanent bases there already?

We may have even MORE than that by now!

[shance]

36. When will more people say enough?

n/t