The Iraq War: Phase II, The March To Baghdad

There would not be a Phase II or march to Baghdad such as taking place now in Iraq if President Bush had not unleashed Phase I, the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  The war created Al Queda in Iraq who was not operating in any part of Iraq controlled by Saddam.  That unnecessary war destabilized Iraq and allowed outsiders from Iran and other middle east countries, including Al Queda the opportunity to attack and kill Americans. 

This writer wrote a number of commentaries in 2007 and later that pointed out that no matter how the war ended, Iran and Iraq would be on the same side and that Bush's misguided judgement that he could remake Iraq in his own warped image would not happen. Phase I was the prelude to Phase II and the so called Hawks and neocons who wanted the invasion are still wrong. 

I am reminded while on vacation a few years ago in Alabama there was a Soundoff written to the Mobile Register newspaper dated January 15, 2005.  I cut it out and I still have it in my file because I thought it told a great story.  Below is the full context.  It truly captures the story of the war in Iraq and just how passive the news media and many people have been concerning the war.

SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE, FOLKS
Our President has just announced there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and we will now stop looking.  People, this is the reason Bush gave for invading a country.  Does anyone in this country even care?  Thousands of people are dead over this.  We are treating it like a footnote to a brief announcement from the White House.  What is even more alarming is that he says knowing what he knows now, he would do it again. 

President Obama's concerns now during Phase II is to protect our people in our embassy and work toward a settlement with all factions involved and the U.N.  That may not even be enough in that part of the world.  For sure the President needs to tune out Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham and those who clamored for the war in the first place.  They have no creditibility.

The most important move now is for Iraq's elected leaders to step up and move the people to take on the insurgents and drive them out.  If they are incapable of a united front outside help will only delay the final out come.  Insurgents in that part of the world can lay low and choose their time to act.  That is what they are doing now in Phase II.


This commentary written by John Lucia

Cokie And Steve Roberts, And Cal Thomas: Its All About Hillary

The Times Picayune reflection section on Sunday 6/15/14 carried two editorials.  One by Cokie and Steve Roberts and one by Cal Thomas.  Both editorials concerned Hillary Clinton that missed the mark so much this writer questions their journalistic understanding of the issues they wrote about.

Cokie and Steve's commentary titled,"Hillary Clinton Must Close Warmlth Gap To Be Successful" seems so silly.  They have joined the crowd on speculating that Hillary will run in 2016 even though that election is two and half years away.  They make the statement that voters want to gauge her tone and temperament, her character and values and that she has always faced a warmth gap.  Then they refer to a 2008 wall street/NBC poll that is 6 years old.

The American people have followed Hillary since her husband first ran for President in the early 90's and know her well.  She wrote a book called "It Takes a Village", was a U.S. Senator with a voting record, was a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2008 and Secretary of State for four years.  You can not be any more warm than that.  Those who like her will vote for her and "warmth" will not be an issue.  Those who do not like her and would not vote for her if she runs could care less about her "warmth" factor Cokie and Steve speak about.

Cokie and Steve then disagree with their own statement when they said Hillary told Dianne Sawer that Bill and her were dead broke after leaving the White House.  Then offered it was technically true, but then offered it opened her up to ridicule since she and her husband quickly wiped out their debts.  This writer never heard ridicule from the people, only from the news media and journalists.  It reminds me of how Fox News uses the word scandal every time they want to stick it to President Obama.

Cal Thomas in his editorial titled, "Former Secretary Has Few Accomplishments To Point To At State Deprtment" devotes a lot of ink to Hillary's new book, "Hard Choices" and like the ditto head act of conservatives, thinks Hillary has not only failed at every thing she has done but thinks if she becomes President it will be a rerun of the Obama administration.  Of course thepeople remember her difference with Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential debates.

Thomas's editorial was for one specific reason and that is to join with other conservative journalists and the Fox News Network to destroy Hilary's chances if she does indeed enter the Presidential race.  Oh, one thing more.  Cal Thomas asked his readers to trust him.  Thats a pretty tall order for a person who takes pleasure in wanting to see the President fail.

Neither editorial had any value of the moment and instead tried to plant a seed in the people's mind that will long be forgotten when 2016 rolls around.  Cokie and Steve were off their game big time and Thomas does what conservative journalists do, attack democrats because republicans have no record of moving the country and its people forward.


This commentary written by John Lucia