Sunday, December 11, 2016

Hejira

April 7, 2009, US President Barack Obama made his first and only trip as president to Iraq.


One trip.

Despite the fact that the war in Iraq continues.

Despite the US troops that are on the ground.


Bully Boy Bush?

Like Barack, he had two terms in the Oval Office.

He visited Iraq four times during those two terms.

Barack only visited Iraq once.

And wanted to claim last week on CNN that the Islamic State was a surprise to him?


Maybe if he'd gotten over to Iraq more, he wouldn't have been so surprised.



visits Q-West airfield, a key strategic staging area in the fight, to thank troops for their efforts in counter-ISIL campaign




Mrs. Carter had a little fun with some of our amazing women service members deployed in Iraq



  1. and Mrs. Carter thank US troops serving in Iraq as part of counter-ISIL fight. Wish them happy holidays and safe New Year

  2. First up for visit to Iraq -- signals check with US commanders including LTG Steve Townsend
  3. Carter makes surprise visit to Iraq and is greeted by LTG Townsend. Will thank US, coalition, and Iraqi troops during stay



At least Ash Carter can go to Iraq (and, on this trip, so can his wife Stephanie DeLeeuw Carter).


Meanwhile, the Mosul slog continues.  Day 56, and the slog continues.  Jason Ditz (ANTIWAR.COM) explains:


Another week of heavy fighting has resulted in another claim of dubious “progress” for the Iraqi military in the invasion of Mosul, with the latest statement claiming that special forces, the only troops who’ve made it into Mosul in any real numbers, managed to expand into a pair of contested neighborhoods in the city’s east.


There were also 2 Falluja car bombings which left at least 8 people dead.





I'm traveling in some vehicle
I'm sitting in some cafe
A defector from the petty wars
That shell shock love away
-- "Hejira," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on her album of the same name




The number of US service members the Dept of Defense states died in the Iraq War is [PDF format warning] 4549 (including 32 in Operation Inherent Resolve which includes at least 3 Iraq War fatalities).



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