Another Souljah moment for Bill

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

CRANKY CLINTON SURROGATE BILL CLINTON WENT OFF ON BLACK LIVES MATTER ACTIVISTS.

REACHED FOR COMMENT BY THESE REPORTERS, CRANKY CLINTON DENIED ANY FEARS OVER POSSIBLE FALL OUT FROM THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, "WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO ANYWAY?  I AM THEIR QUEEN.  NO, THIS IS JUST BILL DOING WHAT HE DOES BEST.  HAVING HIM ANOTHER SISTER SOULJAH MOMENT TO TRANSLATE TO WHITE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW HOW TO KEEP THOSE PEOPLE IN THEIR PLACE.  AND WE DO.  GET ON MY WRONG SIDE AND WE'LL THROW THOSE SUPER PREDATORS BACK IN PRISON FOR A GENERATION.  LIKE WE DID IN THE 90S."


FROM THE TCI WIRE:




War Hawk and overweight pig at the trough Hillary Clinton made news today when she insisted that Senator Bernie Sanders had not "done his homework" on bank deregulation.

The sense of entitlement Hillary has always gets her into trouble.

Which is how the woman whose actions are the subject of an ongoing FBI investigation could date to criticize anyone else on having not done their homework.

Against all guidelines -- and common sense -- Hillary Diane Clinton set up her own e-mail server while serving as Secretary of State and used her own e-mail account.

This action put national security at risk.

Hillary Rodham Clinton has since insisted that she made a mistake.

But the reality is that she didn't do her homework.

If she had, she wouldn't be the subject of a federal investigation.

The one time First Lady also 'distinguished' herself on the topic of Iraq, of course.

She voted for the Iraq War and supported it for years.  She found her 'objection' to it only after public opinion turned against it.

At which point, Clinton was forced to comment in some way and did so by insisting that to was a "mistake."

It's been a "mistake" for various reasons though, of late, she's favored the excuse that the "mistake" was in trusting Bully Boy Bush.

Trusting Bully Boy Bush?

Yes, she tried to play the wronged woman in public yet again knowing that pathetic display earned her applause in the nineties.

Poor, poor, pitiful Hillary.

Her husband cheats on her.

She just didn't know.

But, of course, she did.

Bill cheated on her for decades.

Why does a woman stay in a marriage where her husband always strays?

Is Hillary really so physically unappealing that she thinks no other man would ever want her?

Is she so filled with self-loathing that she thinks she deserves to be repeatedly cheated on over and over?

Maybe it was greed?

At WSWS, Andre Damon notes:


Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, has, together with her ex-president husband, made over $140 million in the eight years since the 2008 financial crash. She garnered a substantial portion of this wealth in speaking fees from major corporations and banks. In the first 15 months after she left her post as secretary of state in 2012, Clinton received $5 million in speaking fees, putting her squarely in the top 0.1 percent of income earners. Such payouts are, in the world of American politics, nothing more than a form of legalized bribery.


Greed can be a powerful motivator for staying in a marriage that brings so much public humiliation repeatedly.


Or  she maybe just like playing the victim?

Some people do get off on playing the victim.

Strangely, those who make a show out of playing the victim rarely are able to offer real or fake sympathy for actual victims.

Harper Neidig (THE HILL) reports Bernie

A CBS reporter tweeted that she asked the Vermont senator about Clinton's calls for him to apologize to Sandy Hook victims because of his stance against holding gun manufacturers liable for gun crimes. Sanders reportedly responded by saying that Clinton should apologize to the victims of the Iraq War, which she voted in favor of as a senator.

Votes have consequences.

Many Iraqis have been killed (over a million), many more have been wounded.  Many US troops have been killed, many more wounded.

Hillary, however, has been sitting pretty.

And she doesn't feel for the real victims of the Iraq War, she only feels and frets for herself.



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A STRING OF SEVEN LOSSES IN A ROW ISN'T DETERRING CRANKY CLINTON.

NO, SHE'S GETTING RRR-EEEEE-AAA-LLL!

"WHEN I TAKE THE WHITE HOUSE," SHE INSISTED TO THESE REPORTERS TODAY, "THE LINCOLN BEDROOM WILL BE CALLED 'THE MARY TODD.'  NOT ONLY THAT, LITTLE CUPCAKE JUSTIN BIEBER -- OR JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE -- WHICH EVER OF THEM IS YOUNGER AND STILL AT THEIR SEXUAL PEAK WILL BE DECLARED 'WHITE HOUSE STUD.'  IF CATHERINE THE GREAT COULD HAVE HORSES, WHO'S TO SAY MAMA CAN'T BREAK HERSELF OFF A FEW POP TARTS.  YOU FEEL ME?  YOU BETTER!"


FROM THE TCI WIRE:



She said yes to war and, increasingly, America is again saying no to her.

Senator Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic Party's Wisconsin primary.


US House Rep and Iraq War veteran Tulsi Gabbard Tweeted:

Tulsi Gabbard Verified account ‏@TulsiGabbard 3h3 hours ago

Tulsi Gabbard Retweeted Bernie Sanders

Congratulations @BernieSanders and many thanks to all who came out in #Wisconsin to show support - mahalo!

Tulsi Gabbard added,

Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders

Wisconsin, today you sent a strong message: when we stand together there is nothing we cannot accomplish. Thank you! https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/717523412692910080 …

296 retweets 843 likes

Earlier today, Jake Tapper observed on CNN's THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER that a win in Wisconsin would be Bernie's sixth win in a row.

Who has the momentum?

Chew on that.

Robert Reich ‏@RBReich 4m4 minutes ago

Bernie Sanders won over 56 percent of the votes in the Wisconsin primary today – his sixth straight victory.... http://fb.me/7e59oLanw 

38 retweets 74 likes

Some are noting that in the same contest in 2008, Barack beat Hillary by only 2% more.  (Some figures for Bernie's win have him at 57.8%.)

That's not surprising.

As we noted back in February, based on what we were seeing on the college campuses we spoke on, Bernie's connecting in the same way Barack did.

The media narrative of Barack Obama?

Bernie Sanders holds those positions.

Bernie voted against the Iraq War, actually voted against it, unlike Hillary.

It was an issue for young voters in 2008 and it remains one in 2016.

Hillary failed to inspire in 2008, she fails to inspire in 2016.

She's running for president because . . . her husband was president?

Where is the enthusiasm, where is the inspiration, where is the reason for her campaign?




Where is the enthusiasm for Hillary?


She's always been a divisive figure.

She's always been unpopular.

And what, other than fear, would drive people to vote for her in a general election?

Maybe they like her lust for war?

Iraq lies in ruins, the people continue to suffer and Hillary's done nothing to atone for her "mistake" (her term) in voting for and supporting the Iraq War.


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BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

CRANKY CLINTON PREPARED FOR HER WISCONSIN BLOOD BATH TODAY BY . . . WELL, BATHING IN BLOOD.

EXPLAINED CRANKY, "I NEED THE BLOOD OF VIRGINS AND NEWBORNS.  CLEARLY, WITH MY HUSBAND, I HAVE TO BE VERY WARY OF ALLOWING THE VIRGINS MUCH MOVEMENT OF MOTION.  BUT THIS IS WHAT I DO.  WE ALL HAVE OUR SUPERSTITIONS AND MINE IS THAT WITHOUT THE BLOOD FROM FRESH KILLS, I WILL NOT WIN.  SO THAT'S WHAT I DO.  THAT'S HOW I PREP.  I'M SURE IT SEEMS BORING.  BUT I'M JUST A REGULAR PERSON."

"PEOPLE OFTEN MISS THAT," CRANKY INSISTED AS SHE RUBBED THE BLOOD OF THE DEAD ON HER FACE.



FROM THE TCI WIRE:



Haider al-Abadi is the current prime minister of Iraq.  He was installed by US President Barack Obama in August of 2014.

He hasn't been very successful.

He was supposed to come up with a political solution to address the country's various crises but he's been unable or unwilling to do that and Sunnis continue to feel persecuted because . . . they are being persecuted.

This persecution began under the previous prime minister Nouri al-Maliki.  It led to the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq.  It continues to fuel the Islamic State in Iraq.

But Haider ignores that and so much more.

Mainly, he ignores the Constitution.

He took it upon himself, for example, to declare that Iraq had no vice presidents -- supposedly ousting three people out of their jobs.

But they still haven't been removed.  And it was really against the Constitution to go about it the way Haider did.

Ayad Allawi, Osama al-Nujafi and Nouri al-Maliki are the three vice presidents.

Currently, Haider's attempting to circumvent the Constitution again.

This time he wants to dispose of the Cabinet of Ministers and replace them with a new set of nominees.

That notions has already run into hiccups -- see Saturday's snapshot.

Another hiccup's emerged today.

Parliament's declaring that they will vote yes or no on his nominees . . . in batches.

Not all at once as he'd hoped.


Other problems he's facing include talks of a coup and, more recently, talk that a foreign government is eager to see him replaced.


ALSUMARIA reports Ayad Allawi is denying reports that during his visit with Frank Baker, the British ambassador to Iraq, the two discussed the need to replace Haider al-Abadi as prime minister.

That Allawi had to deny it says a great deal about just how believable the rumor is.


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"THIS JUST IN! CRANKY RODHAM MILHOUSE NIXON!!!!"
"Cranky has a strategy"

Cranky has a strategy

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

CRANKY CLINTON CAN'T STOP LYING AND MAY HAVE OUTDONE HERSELF ON MEET THE PRESS TODAY.

REACHED FOR COMMENT, CRANKY DID NOT DENY HER LIES AND EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO INSIST THAT IT WAS A WINNING STRATEGY.

"AFTER ALL," SHE CACKLED, "LYING GOT RICHARD NIXON ELECTED NOT ONCE BUT TWICE.  IT WILL WORK FOR ME TOO!"

FROM THE TCI WIRE:


Yesterday, the White House issued the following statement:

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release

April 01, 2016

Readout of Vice President Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq

The Vice President spoke today with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to discuss the latest political and security developments in Iraq. The Vice President welcomed the Prime Minister's political reform efforts and reaffirmed continued U.S. support for steps, in concert with Iraqi political leaders, to strengthen transparency, national unity, and accountability.  The Vice President also underscored the critical importance of sustaining  momentum in the fight against ISIL and reviewed ongoing U.S. efforts to support Iraqi Security Forces.  The Vice President commended the Prime Minister for engaging constructively with the IMF to address fiscal challenges and unlock access to international financial assistance.

On political developments?

Elections.

We tried to make a point repeatedly this week.  Some caught it, some didn't.

You either oppose the notion that a new Cabinet can just be created or you pretend that Iraq didn't hold elections in 2014.


Haider's just going to form a new Cabinet.

That only happens after an election.

Iraq did have elections in 2014.



From the May 19, 2014 snapshot:





Reuters reports, "Preliminary results on Monday showed Maliki won at least 94 seats, far more than his two main Shi'ite rivals, the movement of Muqtada Sadr, which picked up 28 seats, and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), which won 29 seats."  Press TV reports, "Results released by Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission on Monday showed that the premier’s State of Law alliance garnered 92 out of 328 parliamentary seats. Maliki’s bloc won 30 seats in the capital Baghdad alone and won the first spot in 10 out of 18 provinces overall, while his main rivals are said to have gained between 19 and 29 seats in total." Sinan Salaheddin and Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) reports 92 as well and point out, "He will still need to approach other parties to piece together a broader majority coalition to get the first crack at forming a government as violence rages and instability grows."  Duraid Adnan and Tim Arango (New York Times) point out that these are "initial results -- still subject to challenges from various political parties" while stating Nouri won 93 seats.



But if elections took place, how can a Haider al-Abadi in 2016 propose a new Cabinet?

He can't.

Not per the Constitution of Iraq.

One member of the Cabinet can be ousted this way:


Eighth:
A. The Council of Representatives may withdraw confidence from one of the Ministers by an absolute majority and he is considered resigned from the date of the decision of confidence withdrawal. The issue of no confidence in the Minister may be tabled only on that Minister's wish or on a signed request of fifty members after an inquiry discussion directed at him. The Council of Representatives shall not issue its decision regarding the request except after at least seven days of its submission. 


The entire Cabinet can be ousted this way:


D. In case of a vote of withdrawal of confidence in the Cabinet as a whole, the Prime Minister and the Ministers continue in their positions to run everyday business for a period not to exceed thirty days until a new cabinet is formed in accordance with the provisions of article 73 of this constitution. 


But since when does the US government, the White House, really support rule of law in Iraq?


Never.

The only way a new Cabinet can be proposed is following elections.

Otherwise?

Otherwise, the Cabinet has to be shut down by Parliament via a vote withdrawing confidence.


Where is the faith in rule of law?

The US State Dept loves to give lip service to the rule of law in Iraq when it benefits their goals, otherwise they stay silent.

The United Nations and the White House could've called for new elections in Iraq if they wanted a new Cabinet.

But,per the Constitution, short of that the only way a new Cabinet comes about is via a vote of no-confidence in the Parliament.

The rule of law is followed or it's not.

AL MADA notes that the proposed Cabinet was greeted earlier this week by a statement from KRG president Massoud Barzani who declared Haider's proposal had no importance and that it was long ago cleared there was no true partnership in the current government.

What's really amazing is how little objections to Haider's proposed Cabinet is covered by the international press.


There was an election in Iraq today.  Ammar al-Hakim was re-elected as the leader of the (Shi'ite) political body the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.  And ISCI issued a statement that any political reforms (the Cabinet) should not weaken the law or increase political differences.


ALL IRAQ NEWS notes Ammar issued a statement as well when he noted reform did not equal proposing a new Cabinet.

Ammar held a press conference today where he expressed surprise by Haider al-Abadi's proposal to reform the Cabinet.  This as NATIONAL IRAQI NEWS AGENCY reports that there is strong division in Parliament over Haider's proposed Cabinet with some likening Haider's proposals to the start of a "dictatorship."

Meanwhile AL MADA notes that the Kurds continue to demand 20% of the positions on any new Cabinet while Haider's nominees are facing criticism from Sunni political blocs.

But it's the Shi'ite criticism that's emerging and the most vocal.  IRAQ TIMES notes State of Law MP Kazem al-Sayadi has declared that, no way, no how, will any former member of the Ba'ath Party sit in the Cabinet.

In addition, ALSUMARIA reports that the Coalition of National Forces are also voicing objection to Haider's proposal with MP Khaled Mafraji declaring that what Haider has done is both incorrect and illegal.


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Cranky's haircut

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

CRANKY CLINTON IS SAID TO HAVE HELD UP TRAFFIC LAST WEEK WHILE GETTING A $600 HAIR CUT.

THE REAL SCANDAL THERE?

THAT SHE PAYS PEOPLE TO CUT HER HAIR AND IT STILL LOOKS LIKE THAT!

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Okay, so US troops are on the ground in Iraq to protect the innocent civilians from these Shi'ite militias?

Nope.

The US military is now hugging and dry humping these forces.


Ali Mamouri (AL-MONITOR) reports:


On March 12, US Consul General Steve Walker visited Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital in Basra to pay his respects to wounded members of the Popular Mobilization Units. The visit marked the first time a US official has publicly met these troops. This is particularly remarkable as until now, the official US position toward the Popular Mobilization Units was negative, and the United States had even demanded that the Iraqi government prevent the forces from taking part in the operations to liberate some areas, such as the city of Ramadi in Anbar, that were freed without their participation by US request.
Walker made it clear that the trip was not just a courtesy visit. Accompanied by TV stations such as the US-based Alhurra, which broadcast the visit and his remarks in Arabic, Walker said, “The US recognizes the important contribution of the Popular Mobilization Units under the command of Prime Minister [Haider al-Abadi], and most of the Popular Mobilization troops came from the south. This is why I would like to express my condolences to the people of Basra and the south who have lost their loved ones or friends in the war against the Islamic State.”
Walker expressed his solidarity with the wounded, who welcomed his visit. He told them, “The US and Iraqi people are very, very proud of you.” 

General Steve Walker is dry humping these Shi'ite forces?

If you're not getting how disgusting this is, you're not familiar with these forces and what they've done to US forces in the not-so-long ago past.


For just one example, we'll drop back to the June 9, 2009 snapshot:



This morning the New York Times' Alissa J. Rubin and Michael Gordon offered "U.S. Frees Suspect in Killing of 5 G.I.'s." Martin Chulov (Guardian) covered the same story, Kim Gamel (AP) reported on it, BBC offered "Kidnap hope after Shia's handover" and Deborah Haynes contributed "Hope for British hostages in Iraq after release of Shia militant" (Times of London). The basics of the story are this. 5 British citizens have been hostages since May 29, 2007. The US military had in their custody Laith al-Khazali. He is a member of Asa'ib al-Haq. He is also accused of murdering five US troops. The US military released him and allegedly did so because his organization was not going to release any of the five British hostages until he was released. This is a big story and the US military is attempting to state this is just diplomacy, has nothing to do with the British hostages and, besides, they just released him to Iraq. Sami al-askari told the New York Times, "This is a very sensitive topic because you know the position that the Iraqi government, the U.S. and British governments, and all the governments do not accept the idea of exchanging hostages for prisoners. So we put it in another format, and we told them that if they want to participate in the political process they cannot do so while they are holding hostages. And we mentioned to the American side that they cannot join the political process and release their hostages while their leaders are behind bars or imprisoned." In other words, a prisoner was traded for hostages and they attempted to not only make the trade but to lie to people about it. At the US State Dept, the tired and bored reporters were unable to even broach the subject. Poor declawed tabbies. Pentagon reporters did press the issue and got the standard line from the department's spokesperson, Bryan Whitman, that the US handed the prisoner to Iraq, the US didn't hand him over to any organization -- terrorist or otherwise. What Iraq did, Whitman wanted the press to know, was what Iraq did. A complete lie that really insults the intelligence of the American people. CNN reminds the five US soldiers killed "were: Capt. Brian S. Freeman, 31, of Temecula, California; 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Nebraska; Spc. Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Gonzales, Louisiana; Pfc. Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Cortland, New York; and Pfc. Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Alabama." Those are the five from January 2007 that al-Khazali and his brother Qais al-Khazali are supposed to be responsible for the deaths of. Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Robert H. Reid (AP) states that Jonathan B. Chism's father Danny Chism is outraged over the release and has declared, "They freed them? The American military did? Somebody needs to answer for it."

That's the League of Righteous.

That's who US General Steve Walker 'paid his respects' to.


They killed US soldiers.

And now Walker has, on behalf of the US government and military, 'honored' them with praise.


Why are US forces in Iraq?


To die for an illegitimate government and to hug the very militias that killed other US troops.

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BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

ON SO MANY THINGS, CRANKY CLINTON IS A LIAR.

SHE CAN ALSO HAVE A WAVE OF PRAGMATISM FROM TIME TO TIME.

ONE SUCH WAVE HAS HER ASKING HER STAFF TO CHECK OUT EVERY "IF ELECTED, I WILL SERVE . . ." TYPE SPEECH EVER GIVEN WITH THE NOTION OF RECRAFTING THEM.

"IF INDICTED, I WILL SERVE THE PEOPLE BY . . ." IS HOW SHE WANTS IT REDONE AS SHE PREPARES FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT SHE MAY FACE A FEDERAL INDICTMENT.

"NOTHING," CRANKY TOLD THESE REPORTERS, "WILL KEEP ME OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE."

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

There is no legitimate government in Iraq nor any legal one.

Where are the elections?

Per the Constitution, they should have taken place over a year ago.

Where are the elections?

And how can Barack justify sending US troops into the failed state of Iraq when it doesn't even have a government?


At the very least, he should have made any troops being sent in, any aid -- weapons or dollars conditional upon free and fair elections.

Iraq is a failed state.

The US troops are in Iraq to prop up the illegitimate government of Iraq.

In what world is this acceptable?

In the United States, elections are not postponed.

9/11 did not result in a loss of elections nor, for that matter, did the American Civil War.


What is Iraq's excuse?


As we asked in yesterday's snapshot, where are the elections?


We know where US troops are -- in Iraq with more to be deployed shortly.

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Cranky translated 'I'm just a girl!'

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

"HE'S TOO MEAN!!!" WHINES CRANKY CLINTON OF HER RIVAL FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.

HE'S TOO MEAN SO CRANKY HAS DECLARED SHE WILL NOT DEBATE WITH HIM UNTIL HE AGREES TO HER TERMS.

IF ELECTED PRESIDENT, WOULD CRANKY CLINTON THEN WHINE THAT SHE COULDN'T SPEAK TO VLADIMIR PUTIN BECAUSE HE WAS TOO MEAN?  TO ANGELA MERKEL BECAUSE SHE MADE A CRACK ABOUT CRANKY'S WEIGHT?


WHERE DOES IT END?


FROM THE TCI WIRE:

While the bombing has become a daily feature, at the US State Dept today, something different emerged.  In the midst of spokesperson John Kirby's daily nonsense, a participant refused to play along.




QUESTION: Yes. The Iraqi prime minister, Mr. Al-Abadi, has been pushing ahead for reform in its government, and he claims to reshuffle his own cabinet. I was curious about your position on these claims about Abadi has been trying to accomplish.


MR KIRBY: What you call claims I think are, in fact – you almost – it makes it sounds like he’s doing something wrong here. Prime Minister Abadi is --


QUESTION: (Inaudible.)


MR KIRBY: Prime Minister Abadi is trying to make necessary political reforms in his country and he has moved some officials around, and that’s the obligation, that’s the responsibility; those are the choices that a prime minister has to make. We continue to support his efforts to improve governance in Iraq and to enact appropriate reforms to try to facilitate that process.


QUESTION: But bringing what he calls technocrats into his cabinet at this moment would definitely make a lot of people angry because he is going to exclude a lot of party appointed into his government. How would you react to that?


MR KIRBY: Again, these are decisions that he has to make and his government has to make and the Iraqi people have to make, and those are internal decisions that we aren’t going to involve ourselves in each individual appointment that he makes. These are internal matters for Iraq to speak to and for him to speak to. In general, we support his efforts at reform and we support his efforts at trying to get a government in place – and keep a government in place – that can be responsive to the needs of the Iraqi people and can help them deal with the very real threat inside their own country represented by [the Islamic State].


QUESTION: So wait, wait. So this – the position of the U.S. is that you’re not going to interfere in the president – or the leader of a country, his choices for cabinet, but you will interfere in who the – or you will choose who should be the leader of the country, but once your selected person is in power, they can have whoever they want in the cabinet? Is that basically what --


MR KIRBY: Well, it was the Iraqi people that --


QUESTION: After you guys --


MR KIRBY: -- put Prime Minister Abadi in the position he’s in.


QUESTION: After the U.S. pulled the rug out from under --

MR KIRBY: We’re not – we don’t involve ourselves in the internal decisions of an electorate like that.

QUESTION: Except in Syria.

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

QUESTION: And --

MR KIRBY: No.

QUESTION: No?

MR KIRBY: How is that – I’m not sure I follow how we’re doing that in Syria.

Yeah.


John Kirby's not just an embarrassment, he's a damn liar.

In 2010, following the March elections and an eight month political stalemate, the US government gave Nouri al-Maliki a second term (even though he lost the 2010 election) via The Erbil Agreement.

In 2014, the US appointed/backed Haider al-Abadi to replace Nouri.


Reality: the Iraqi people did not vote on Haider.

Bigger reality:  Iraq is over two years later on national elections.

Is no one ever supposed to notice that?

John Kirby's lie brings attention to that reality.

Where are the national elections which should have taken place already?

Where are they, John Kirby?

More reality, what Haider's trying to do with the Cabinet?  It's not in the Constitution.

Strange how Kirby and company back the Constitution -- except when they don't.

Any observer of Iraq needs to be asking: Where are the national elections.

Every member of Parliament?

Their term has expired.

They were elected in the 2010 elections.

Where are the national elections?



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"THIS JUST IN! CRANKY CLINTON LOSES HER GRIP!"
"Cranky Clinton is certain"

Cranky Clinton is certain

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

THE FBI IS GEARING UP TO BEGIN INTERVIEWING PEOPLE IN CRANKY CLINTON'S INNER CIRCLE.

REACHED FOR COMMENT, CRANKY PROJECTED CONFIDENCE AND INSISTED, "I WILL GET THROUGH THIS.  I WILL GET THE NOMINATION OF MY PARTY FOR PRESIDENT AND I WILL GET THROUGH THIS JUST AS SURE AS I WON WASHINGTON STATE."

TOLD THAT SHE HAD LOST WASHINGTON, CRANKY SHOOK HER HEAD AND DECLARED, "JUST AS SURE AS I JUST WON THE STATE OF HAWAII."

TOLD SHE HAD ALSO LOST HAWAII TO SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, CRANKY INSISTED, "WELL, JUST AS SURE AS I AM THAT I WON ALASKA."

TOLD THAT SHE LOST ALASKA AS WELL, CRANKY TURNED RABID, BIT THE HEAD OFF A SMALL CHILD, SPROUTED WINGS, HORNS AND A TAIL AND FLEW OFF.


FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Meanwhile,  "The secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks."


This announcement was made by Gen Joseph Dunford at the press briefing he and Secretary of Defense Ash Cater held on Friday.



Q: The Marines this week in their support of the Iraqi offensive operation, is this something we will see more of, do you think, as time goes on in the fight to get to Mosul? And is -- can you talk about the accelerants that the secretary has talked about before and whether this is a key part of what you want to see the military do more of in Iraq over the next several months?


GEN. DUNFORD: I mean, Lita, we've talked I guess now for some months about setting the conditions for success in Mosul and -- and facilitating the Iraqi forces and staging around Mosul to begin to isolate Mosul, and as the Iraqis have announced, that has begun. These Marines that were there, the artillery battery that were there were in direct support of that. We put the -- we put the battery there to support the Americans that are there advising the Iraqi forces and also in a position to provide support to the Iraqi forces.

And from my perspective, this is no different than aviation fires we've been delivering. This happens to be surface fires -- (inaudible) -- artillery. But certainly no different conceptually than the fire support we've been providing to the Iraqis all along.

And with regard to further accelerants, the secretary and I do expect that there'll be increased capabilities provided to the Iraqis to set the conditions for their operations in Mosul. Those decisions haven't been made yet, but we certainly -- we certainly do expect more of the kinds of things that we saw in Ramadi, albeit a bit different tailored for operations in Mosul. But it's -- but again, the primary force fighting in Mosul will be Iraqi security forces and we'll be in a position to provide advise, assist and enabling capabilities to make them successful.

Q: It appears to be part of a -- more of a ground combat role than we've seen before.

GEN. DUNFORD: No, it's not. I mean, we have -- we have -- we have surface fires in Al Asad and other places, as an example, and we've used those in the past. And so this is not a fundamental shift in our approach to supporting the Iraqi forces. This happens to be what was the most appropriate tool that the commander assessed needed to be in that particular location.
[. . .]
Q: But General Dunford, we've just heard this week that there are actually 5,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq. Why is the Pentagon and senior military leadership reluctant to say that it's more than 3,800?

GEN. DUNFORD: We're not reluctant, Jennifer. What we track is the number that are in our force management level. That's 3,800. But this is nothing that's inconsistent with what's been going on for the last 15 years in terms of people that are in and out on temporary duty less than a certain period of time, people that are in direct support of the embassy. Those have -- those have not been counted. In other words, there's a consistency in the way we've been counting people that's been going on for the last 15 years.

And at any given time, we have 3,800 directly in support of the mission. When units rotate, for example, we don't double-count those numbers, so if there's a unit of 200 that's being replaced by a unit of 200 and they both happen to be on the ground at the same time, we don't count that as 400, we haven't in the past 15 years, because that hasn't -- that hasn't counted against our force management level.

So the accounting of our people has been consistent. We're not denying that there's more people than 3,800; I think you got the numbers from us. But in terms of what we count in the mission, and that's in accordance with the direction that we've been given, the 3,800 is what's against the mission.

SEC. CARTER: Jim.

Q: (Off-mic.)

GEN. DUNFORD: No, I didn't say 5,000 was accurate, I said 3,800 was the force management level and there's some number above that on any given day as a result of people that support the embassy, people at a TDY and people in other categories that don't count against that 3,800.

SEC. CARTER: Jim?

Q: I'd like to follow up, if I could, on Lita's questions about the Marines and that fire base. Unlike the previous U.S. military combat positions and fire support, this is an independent base, these are U.S. military only. And by all indications, they are not just defensive, but in this latest movement by Iraqi forces, they provided fire support for offensive operations against ISIS. So why is this not the first footprint of a U.S. combat ground operation there in Iraq?

GEN. DUNFORD: Jim, the reason they're in a different base is simply a function of geometry. They're designed to support forces in an area called Makhmur. The artillery can't be co-located with the ground forces in Makhmur and provide effective fire support, so this position was selected because of the geometry necessary to support that particular location.

And with regard to providing support to Iraqi offensive capability, once again, I mean, to me, there's no inconsistency between what this artillery unit did and what our aviation support is doing every single day. I don't draw a distinction with it. In other words, we've said that we're providing enabling support to include combined arms capability to Iraqi forces as they conduct operations, which is exactly what this artillery unit was doing.

Q: Well, we have all indications that this is a pretty permanent position right now; that after a short period of time, U.S. Army personnel are going to replace the 26 MEU Marine there. And it still has all indications that the U.S. military is directly involved in the ground operations of -- with the U.S. -- with the Iraqi.

SEC. CARTER: Yes, maybe very quickly just say, even since last week now, as the Iraqis have started to consolidate their positions, the situation on the ground has changed in terms of where the Iraqis are in the relationship to the support, the defense of support they're providing to our artillery unit that's there. So that's already changed, you know, through the course of the week.

But in all honesty, I just cannot see this being inconsistent with everything that we've been doing over the last several months.

SEC. CARTER: And let me just add to that, what we'll be doing in coming months. This is our approach to eliminating ISIL from Mosul. The Iraqi Security Forces are the ones who are carrying out the assault, the envelopment, the assault, but we're helping them.

That's our -- that's been our approach and we'll continue to do that. Started in Ramadi, we'll continue to going up to Mosul. Carla?

Q: When do you anticipate seeing U.S. American ground forces closer to the front lines as the battle towards Mosul looms?

GEN. DUNFORD: Jim, one thing that I probably just need to clarify, this position is behind what is known as the forward line of troops for the peshmerga and Kurds. So it's by no means out in front on its own.

And secondly, what I would say about your question about the future is we have a series of recommendations that we will be discussing with the president in the coming weeks to further enable our support for the Iraqi security forces.

So again, the secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks. But that decision hasn't been made.

Nor -- you know, you alluded to decisions that have already been made about Army units replacing the Marine units. All that is pre-decision. There's been no decisions made about what's going to happen to this particular position in the future.

But it is going to be decided in the context of the broader issue that the secretary will bring to the president again, focused on what it is we need to do to maintain a minimum money campaign and what specifically do we need to do to enable operations in Mosul.


 "The secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks."


So much for Barack Obama's promise of no boots on the ground and of no US troops in combat.

Like every other promise, it was just another lie.


The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68
And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday
Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark café
You laugh he said you think you're immune
Go look at your eyes they're full of moon
You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies pretty lies
When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies just pretty lies
-- "The Last Time I Saw Richard," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on BLUE


Lies and more lies from Barack.


And lies have consequences.


On the 13th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, March, 19, 2016, another US service member died in Iraq.




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The results are in

BULLY BOY PRESS &     CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE

CRANKY CLINTON GETS THE MESSAGE: WASHINGTON AND ALASKA ARE TWO STATES THAT DON'T LIKE HER, THAT REALLY DON'T LIKE HER.

HAVING LOST BOTH TO SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS TODAY, CRANKY HAS TO FACE REALITY: SHE IS NOT LIKABLE ENOUGH.




FROM THE TCI WIRE:



AL JAZEERA reports that the Islamic State sent 10 suicide bombers to attack Ein el-Assad base today resulting in 8 of the bombers being killed by Iraqi forces, 2 of the bombers blowing themselves up and "at least 18 soldiers" being killed.  GULF NEWS explains, "Al Assad airbase, located about 180 kilometres northwest of Baghdad in Anbar province, is one of the largest military installations in the country."


Meanwhile,  "The secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks."


This announcement was made by Gen Joseph Dunford at the press briefing he and Secretary of Defense Ash Cater held on Friday.



Q: The Marines this week in their support of the Iraqi offensive operation, is this something we will see more of, do you think, as time goes on in the fight to get to Mosul? And is -- can you talk about the accelerants that the secretary has talked about before and whether this is a key part of what you want to see the military do more of in Iraq over the next several months?


GEN. DUNFORD: I mean, Lita, we've talked I guess now for some months about setting the conditions for success in Mosul and -- and facilitating the Iraqi forces and staging around Mosul to begin to isolate Mosul, and as the Iraqis have announced, that has begun. These Marines that were there, the artillery battery that were there were in direct support of that. We put the -- we put the battery there to support the Americans that are there advising the Iraqi forces and also in a position to provide support to the Iraqi forces.

And from my perspective, this is no different than aviation fires we've been delivering. This happens to be surface fires -- (inaudible) -- artillery. But certainly no different conceptually than the fire support we've been providing to the Iraqis all along.

And with regard to further accelerants, the secretary and I do expect that there'll be increased capabilities provided to the Iraqis to set the conditions for their operations in Mosul. Those decisions haven't been made yet, but we certainly -- we certainly do expect more of the kinds of things that we saw in Ramadi, albeit a bit different tailored for operations in Mosul. But it's -- but again, the primary force fighting in Mosul will be Iraqi security forces and we'll be in a position to provide advise, assist and enabling capabilities to make them successful.

Q: It appears to be part of a -- more of a ground combat role than we've seen before.

GEN. DUNFORD: No, it's not. I mean, we have -- we have -- we have surface fires in Al Asad and other places, as an example, and we've used those in the past. And so this is not a fundamental shift in our approach to supporting the Iraqi forces. This happens to be what was the most appropriate tool that the commander assessed needed to be in that particular location.
[. . .]
Q: But General Dunford, we've just heard this week that there are actually 5,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq. Why is the Pentagon and senior military leadership reluctant to say that it's more than 3,800?

GEN. DUNFORD: We're not reluctant, Jennifer. What we track is the number that are in our force management level. That's 3,800. But this is nothing that's inconsistent with what's been going on for the last 15 years in terms of people that are in and out on temporary duty less than a certain period of time, people that are in direct support of the embassy. Those have -- those have not been counted. In other words, there's a consistency in the way we've been counting people that's been going on for the last 15 years.

And at any given time, we have 3,800 directly in support of the mission. When units rotate, for example, we don't double-count those numbers, so if there's a unit of 200 that's being replaced by a unit of 200 and they both happen to be on the ground at the same time, we don't count that as 400, we haven't in the past 15 years, because that hasn't -- that hasn't counted against our force management level.

So the accounting of our people has been consistent. We're not denying that there's more people than 3,800; I think you got the numbers from us. But in terms of what we count in the mission, and that's in accordance with the direction that we've been given, the 3,800 is what's against the mission.

SEC. CARTER: Jim.

Q: (Off-mic.)

GEN. DUNFORD: No, I didn't say 5,000 was accurate, I said 3,800 was the force management level and there's some number above that on any given day as a result of people that support the embassy, people at a TDY and people in other categories that don't count against that 3,800.

SEC. CARTER: Jim?

Q: I'd like to follow up, if I could, on Lita's questions about the Marines and that fire base. Unlike the previous U.S. military combat positions and fire support, this is an independent base, these are U.S. military only. And by all indications, they are not just defensive, but in this latest movement by Iraqi forces, they provided fire support for offensive operations against ISIS. So why is this not the first footprint of a U.S. combat ground operation there in Iraq?

GEN. DUNFORD: Jim, the reason they're in a different base is simply a function of geometry. They're designed to support forces in an area called Makhmur. The artillery can't be co-located with the ground forces in Makhmur and provide effective fire support, so this position was selected because of the geometry necessary to support that particular location.

And with regard to providing support to Iraqi offensive capability, once again, I mean, to me, there's no inconsistency between what this artillery unit did and what our aviation support is doing every single day. I don't draw a distinction with it. In other words, we've said that we're providing enabling support to include combined arms capability to Iraqi forces as they conduct operations, which is exactly what this artillery unit was doing.

Q: Well, we have all indications that this is a pretty permanent position right now; that after a short period of time, U.S. Army personnel are going to replace the 26 MEU Marine there. And it still has all indications that the U.S. military is directly involved in the ground operations of -- with the U.S. -- with the Iraqi.

SEC. CARTER: Yes, maybe very quickly just say, even since last week now, as the Iraqis have started to consolidate their positions, the situation on the ground has changed in terms of where the Iraqis are in the relationship to the support, the defense of support they're providing to our artillery unit that's there. So that's already changed, you know, through the course of the week.

But in all honesty, I just cannot see this being inconsistent with everything that we've been doing over the last several months.

SEC. CARTER: And let me just add to that, what we'll be doing in coming months. This is our approach to eliminating ISIL from Mosul. The Iraqi Security Forces are the ones who are carrying out the assault, the envelopment, the assault, but we're helping them.

That's our -- that's been our approach and we'll continue to do that. Started in Ramadi, we'll continue to going up to Mosul. Carla?

Q: When do you anticipate seeing U.S. American ground forces closer to the front lines as the battle towards Mosul looms?

GEN. DUNFORD: Jim, one thing that I probably just need to clarify, this position is behind what is known as the forward line of troops for the peshmerga and Kurds. So it's by no means out in front on its own.

And secondly, what I would say about your question about the future is we have a series of recommendations that we will be discussing with the president in the coming weeks to further enable our support for the Iraqi security forces.

So again, the secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks. But that decision hasn't been made.

Nor -- you know, you alluded to decisions that have already been made about Army units replacing the Marine units. All that is pre-decision. There's been no decisions made about what's going to happen to this particular position in the future.

But it is going to be decided in the context of the broader issue that the secretary will bring to the president again, focused on what it is we need to do to maintain a minimum money campaign and what specifically do we need to do to enable operations in Mosul.


 "The secretary and I both believe that there will be an increase to the U.S. forces in Iraq in the coming weeks."


So much for Barack Obama's promise of no boots on the ground and of no US troops in combat.

Like every other promise, it was just another lie.


The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68
And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday
Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark café
You laugh he said you think you're immune
Go look at your eyes they're full of moon
You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies pretty lies
When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies just pretty lies
-- "The Last Time I Saw Richard," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on BLUE


Lies and more lies from Barack.


And lies have consequences.


On the 13th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, March, 19, 2016, another US service member died in Iraq.



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