The US, The UN and Iraq

A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government

Well, being serious again, here's a website with some information, which may explain some suggestions/opinions/reports better = it's "more visual", there's a map as well:
US Forces Order of Battle - 06 March

Steve - doubt all of Gen. Marshall's writings are to be found on the net; indeed, some may still be classified. Don't travel with all my books as you can imagine and wouldn't wish to paraphrase - perhaps someone else here can look up the exact wording in his published writings.

Always a pleasure to meet blind faith ("....you are ahead in the argument, of course...."). Source, please, for that "of course"? Perhaps identical with source quoted earlier on this thread, to wit, speeches by the Pope relating to military objectives??

Dunno about military expertise in the Vatican - halberds carried by Swiss guards? - but Napoleon (who did know the subject) said:

"God is on the side of the strongest army."

OK - better I vanish before homini, incubi, and whatever else Walter has retrieved from the abyss manage to regroup <G>

Since China now joined Russia, France and Germany resisting the Iraq War
Latest news from the wires of AP
it may by worth calling back, what was said about CHINA earlier:

Te, HofT, laudamus! :wink:

UN Wire

Topics:
IRAQ: U.K. Said To Seek Compromise; Annan Disavows Postwar Plan; More


Powell Questions Inspection Successes Ahead Of Blix Report

Annan Denies U.N. Has Secret Postwar Plan; Lubbers Vows U.N. Will Help Iran

U.S. Expels Iraqi U.N. Diplomats, Seeks Other Expulsions

No, it seems that some people don't know how to disagree with civility. That you seem pleased by their bad behavior speaks volumes about your character.

Give me a freakin break!!!!!!!



HOUSTON, March 6 (Reuters) - A Halliburton Co. (nyse: HAL - news - people) subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) has won the contract to oversee any firefighting operations at Iraqi oilfields after any U.S.-led invasion, a Defense Department source said on Thursday.

TW suggest you read what Charlie Daniels said in his soapbox before you draw any conclusions about me

It seems Bush has given up on the UN, because the UN is not going to deliver what he wants. The fact that Blair is DESPERATE for at least a majority vote (even if its vetoed) doesn't seem to bother him that much. I heard it said that the US won't even bother using it's full diplomatic muscle, to help get it's ally out of the deep brown stuff. The war could therefore start even before 17th March, immediately after the UN vote, to stop any pre emptive attack on Israel. That would ensure the end of at least two world leaders, Saddam Hussein, and Tony Blair.

UN Watch

Geligesti -- Exactly! As it happens, I was tracking that Halliburton (et al) stuff when A2K went down, sent them over to Abuzz in frustration! Here are some links:

[TEXAS TEXAS TEXAS!].... ....American construction companies are being lined up for multi-million-dollar contracts to rebuild Iraq after the impending war in the Middle East. The United States Agency for International Development has invited six American contractors ?- Fluor Daniel, Kellog Brown & Root, Perini International, Parsons, Louis Berger and Bechtel ?- to tender for a $900 million (£572 million) contract to manage reconstruction work.
The US Army Corps of Engineers, the powerful Department of Defence agency that masterminded the extinguishing of oilwell fires and the rebuilding of civil infrastructure in Kuwait after the Gulf war, has also contacted contractors about post-war work.
http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/business.cfm?id=262402003

Though a much expected U.S. war with Iraq has not even started, rebuilding has already begun. Sources tell TIME that the U.S. government has taken initial steps toward awarding $900 million in contracts to repair and rebuild the country, contracts that will go exclusively to U.S. companies and to subcontractors from nations officially designated as friendly. Sources also tell TIME that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently held a restricted briefing for security-cleared bidders and sent out confidential requests for construction proposals. USAID had no comment.
The $900 million is just a beginning, meant to cover surface infrastructure, such as bridges, roads and overpasses, ports, hospitals and schools. It does not include likely additional Iraq contracts to be tendered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or others to repair and upgrade the country's oil industry.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030303-426052,00.html


Also, it was interesting to me how Bush slipped in, using his well-studied monotone (well-coached, one supposes), the remark about questioning the "utility" of the UN. My my -- so American. The UN is useless as a moral force? Utility overrides morality? How do you couch that -- why, in religion, of course. God's utility. I aggress; I pray; I aggress.

Cheney
Mystery solved concerning the unexplained absence of Cheney ....... he's been moonlighting at Haliburton ..............

observation/opinion: anticipation of post war iraq needing a strong US military presence to maintain separation of hostilites between Islam factions/Kurds resulting in alliances among diverse factions against occupation forces of US. lose/lose situation.

Careful, Steve, HofT will getcha for your lapsus contractus.

Ge, thanks for telling us where Cheney went. I thought he might be in Iraq working on oil deals with Jordan.

Steve, I heard a news report on NPR this morning that Jack Straw was calling the French foreign minister by his first name in UN talks, a highly unusual form of address in the formality of the UN. I wonder if JS went to school on GWB's folksy manner?

This from the Washington Times yesterday

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was handed a "pink slip" ?- a frilly piece of lingerie ?- yesterday from an enraged group of female war protesters who told her to quit her job because she was not doing enough to oppose military action against Iraq.

"Hillary is getting the pink slip," said Medea Benjamin, an organizer from New York, "because she is not representing her constituents. She should get another job."

Kara

lapsus contractus (is that a tropical disease?) lol

Jack Straw's performance was extraordinary. I watched it live. He broke off addressing the council, and started to talk directly at "My good friend Dominique". The appropriately named Jack Straw made a good job at clutching vehemently to a weak argument, and won a little round of applause from the gallery.

Afterwards to camera, Dominique confirmed his friendship with Jack, through clenched teeth.

All very funny and most entertaining. Pity it has to end in war.

Did our Jack study Georgie boy's folksie manner? I doubt it, he wouldn't want to make a complete fool of himself in such auspicous circumstances would he?

He wouldn't! Gotta get stupid to get that low!

Padon the incomplete quote, Tartarin, please.

Now, if the U.S. is awarding contracts, whose money would they be using? France's and Germany's? Suppose these supportive countries were to make a significant contribution - I just know what the national origin of the construction companies won't be.