The Bush White House As "Baghdad Bob"

On this third anniversary of the start of the 2003 war in Iraq, there is more continued nonsense from the Bush White House to explain the events on the ground. Just as the absurd propaganda statements of "Baghdad Bob" denied American military activity clearly seen in the background shot of some of his statements that seemed totally disconnected from truth, the Bush White House also makes themselves seem seem like laughable liars who describe an elusive "progress" not really seen by most in the American public, and reflected in sharply sagging public opinion polls.

Halliburton, reconstruction contractors and the Iraqi government have combined together to total more than $8 billion in missing funds or work not done that was paid for by the U.S. government.

The average person in Iraq has less access to clean water or use of electricity than during even the worst days of U.N. sanctions under Saddam Hussein according to even U.S. military statements.

Car bombs, suicide bombings, and routine militia brutality against civilians is much higher than even a year ago.

Moderate former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi considers Iraq to be in a state of "civil war". And bombings of Shiite and Sunni holy Mosques and landmarks and militia murders of as many as 86 Sunni men in a single day last week in Baghdad are more proof of this.

The U.S. continues to train a largely Shiite military force, of which not a single battlion is completely combat ready to attack Sunni insurgents, yet the U.S. ignores the constant level of Shiite militia organized violence and torture against the Sunni population. The U.S. is clearly taking sides in the sectarian conflict only insuring that no real peace or unity government can ever be achieved that will bring in most Sinni elements because of this two-faced and one sided policy that ignores terrible Shiite militia abuses.

The new government has taken all three months to finally meet. And this meeeting lasted just 40 minutes because of sharp differences between the Shiite and Sunni members of the government, only illustrating that little real consensus or unity exists in the government.

How is this dire situation described by the Bush White House? A White House "Fact Sheet" issued just this week has largely ignored all the problems since 2003 that have deeeply worsened the American effort in Iraq and instead made a few constrasts with the days of life under Saddam Hussein, but also ignoring that U.N. sanctions were largely to blame for many of the diificult life problems in those very tough 12 years.

Maybe under the examination of a microscope or other close examination method can real tangible results be found to justify real progress in iraq. One day Iran is blamed for efforts to send so many IEDs into Iraq, the next day a statement claims that Iraq is on the the road to "peace", "unity" or "progress".

It is partially this climate of nonsensical statements about Iraq, along with all the falsehoods and nonsense that got the U.S. into this war to begin with that leaves the U.S. public with a sinking feeling about Iraq, also reflected in the sinking public opinion polls.

Without a true policy in Iraq aimed at true sectarian unity by equally objecting to both Shiite and Suuni violence, instead of taking sides with the Shiite community, there is no real long term plan for victory in Iraq. Iraq will either turn into the sectarian bloodbath that is feared after the U.S. leaves or the U.S. will never see conditions really improve with the current failed policy that needs some major revisions if there is any intent for it to work.