The Common Ills: Thomas Friedman raves again while the Iraqi military faces a fashion crisis

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Thomas Friedman raves again while the Iraqi military faces a fashion crisis

"Being back in Iraq after two years' absence has helped me to put my finger on the central question bedeviling U.S. foreign policy in the . . ." isn't a sign of the apocalypse but is a sign of stupidity and a lot worse.

Thomas Friedman offers 'wisdom' in today's NEW YORK TIMES.

Thomas Friedman still has a job.

Truly shocking, yes.

He didn't just cheerlead the Iraq War.

Today, people say Ted Cruz or whomever is making racist statements.

And my reaction is always, "Huh?"

Because when it comes to talk of bombing people for their religion and their beliefs, no one could hold a candle to Friedman who offered xenophobia (and stupidity) not just on the pages of THE NEW YORK TIMES but also while playing footsie with Charlie Rose on Rose's awful PBS program as well as other television programs.

And not only did few object, Thomas Friedman still has a job.

And enough of a following to think he can honestly offer advice about Iraq.

And that it will be welcome.

If you want to read Friedman's garbage go visit THE NEW YORK TIMES but we can't, in good faith, give a link to the xenophobe who preached bombing Muslims just for the fear factor alone (as he did at one point).

Again, nothing a Ted Cruz could say would ever shock me more than what Friedman said and what he got away with -- and he got away with a lot.

So many get away with so much. Like 'helpers' who come with serious strings attached. Suleiman al-Khalidi (REUTERS) reports, "The International Monetary Fund could approve as early as June a standby arrangement (SBA) with Iraq unlocking $15 billion in international assistance over the next three years, the head of the IMF's Iraq mission said on Tuesday."

The IMF will destroy whatever's left of Iraq's sovereignty -- real or imagined. Dropping back to Monday's snapshot:

In other problems for the country, Daniel J. Graeber (UPI) reports:

The World Bank, meanwhile, said Iraq "needs to put its economic house in order" by reforming state-owned enterprises, enacting more even distribution of oil revenues and addressing chronic shortages of electricity.
"Through demonstrating a commitment to such real changes, we hope Iraq can find the support it seeks to relieve its immense fiscal pressures in the light of significantly reduced oil prices," World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said.

And that's why you don't take money from the World Bank or the IMF. They loan it.

And then they make demands.

It's never handed out freely.

And Iraq never needed the loans.

Corrupt leaders have stolen billions from the country since 2003.

The World Bank and the IMF are not about helping, they are about restructuring and, once you owe them money, they will impose whatever they want.

As more US troops are in Iraq -- and as more are said to be going to Iraq, Campbell MacDiarmid (USA TODAY) reports:

The Iraqi army soldiers smoked nervously as they described their ordeal. Sent to clear a village of Islamic State fighters, they found themselves pinned down by sniper fire. A few hours later, after 10 comrades were wounded, they withdrew.
“We need to get new uniforms,” soldier Ali Basra, 22, said, pointing to torn and blood-spattered fatigues. “But we'll return to take the village.”

A lot of people fail to understand the importance of fashion in combat.

It's thought that D-Day would have been a failure if it weren't for crisply tailored uniforms and, of course, General Patton had Coco Chanel as a close advisor -- that was sarcasm.

We're stopping the fight -- Ali Basra insists -- because we need to get some new and clean uniforms.

And that's seen as acceptable?

If Barack's operating under the we'll-stand-down-when-they-stand-up, the US troops are never leaving Iraq.

The following community sites -- plus BLACK AGENDA REPORT -- updated: