The Iraq Inquiry

Make your own mind up on the Iraq Inquiry - Click here for Iraq Inquiry.

The Iraq War Part Two

Telegraph: Reports on the Iraq War Inquiry and the statements of the UK side, that the road to War with Iraq started in 2001 with Bush 43 coming in to power, although the UK wanted to contain the Iraqi regime. It is important to see the road to war with Iraq in the context of 9/11, in the election of 2000 Bush 43 had stated that he didn't want to nation build as Clinton Administration had done in Bosnia. It was only after 9/11 and the perceived threat from weapons of mass destruction did Bush 43 move to start the long road to war with Iraq. But also lets be realistic here folks, this is an Inquiry will never get to the heart of the matter when it comes to Iraq due to the fact that the USA actors will not be in attendance. Thus whats the point of such an investigation if Bush 43 or Dick Cheney will not turn up, its only one side, the UK side, and the main power players are in the USA.

A - Day - How many more Troops for Afghanistan ?

Fox News: Reports that President Obama will speak the Nation on Tuesday on Afghanistan. It here folks, Obama finally has to make a decision, one has to wonder did he try to make it past getting the Nobel Prize in December, but the political climate would not tolerate such grand standing. Fox reports that that the US military expect President Obama to send about thirty two or thirty five thousand troops to Afghanistan, not quite the forty thousand as requested by General McChrystal but not complete surrender, JUST, lets see the details folks. Liberals will be hopping mad if that is Obama's decision, it would be the first time he has gone against the base of his support. But this blog is totally honest, there is one other side who also have a vote on the success or failure of this surge, the Taliban, they have seen a President takes months to make up his mind, how much money would you bet that they are planning a big style Tet offensive in the New Year. In Obama the USA has a weak Jimmy Carter, lets recall that lead to the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, thus the hot spot for Obama could be Iran, lets recall that when the US Embassy staff in Tehran were take hostage the US military wanted to strike Iran but Carter said no, he wanted diplomacy, and what has that gotten the West, the threat of a nuclear armed Iran. That for the New Year folks, its Afghan Time NOW.

Days for Afghanistan

BBC News: Reports that President Obama will announce his decision about more troops for Afghanistan in days. The range of options for troop increase, the BBC reports it goes from twenty thousand up to thirty five thousand, it should be noted that General McChrystal asked for forty thousand troops, thus if Obama goes for the half way house of twenty thousand he has no interest in winning the War in Afghanistan. If the President makes this decision he is falling in to the same trap as LBJ over Vietnam, gradual increase then failure. If President Obama announces the half way house then the UK should get out of Afghanistan, why should our brave soldiers die for the lack of courage of Obama. The US troops on the ground in Afghanistan would know that their Commander - in - Chief is more worried about his political base than supporting his troops in the foxholes of the hell that is Afghanistan. The Taliban are cowards but they are not stupid, they will figure out that Obama does not have the backbone to win, thus they will carry on with their killing, and the USA and the UK will lose more of their Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Thus any half way house the UK should get out of Afghanistan, the UK has played this game in the past, we don't need another bloody nose in Kabul.