haha, baath...clean up...

I'm sure the families of all those soldiers are really loving this. Of course, the whole 'they died for nothing thanks to your precious little Jesus Monkey' spiel will probably be drowned out by more Republican Projectionist Bullshiat so it won't matter.

Next week's headline: Saddam's wife returns from exile, announces plans to run for president.

Guntram Shatterhand: I'm sure the families of all those soldiers are really loving this. Of course, the whole 'they died for nothing thanks to your precious little Jesus Monkey' spiel will probably be drowned out by more Republican Projectionist Bullshiat so it won't matter.

Removing the existing civil servants was among the worst of the bad ideas America went in with.

Imagine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.

Now add a War for added chaos and increased civilian dependence on the government.

Bored Horde: Guntram Shatterhand: I'm sure the families of all those soldiers are really loving this. Of course, the whole 'they died for nothing thanks to your precious little Jesus Monkey' spiel will probably be drowned out by more Republican Projectionist Bullshiat so it won't matter.

Removing the existing civil servants was among the worst of the bad ideas America went in with.

Imagine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.

Now add a War for added chaos and increased civilian dependence on the government.

Yeah, but that's freedom on the march! See, we're broke. No one wants to admit it, but the domestic front is starting to look grim and Congress is finding it increasingly hard to scavenge cash for the Bush Family Follies.

They're going to have to do something, but the problem is that many of the folks that know how to get something done left - and the ones that stayed became resistance fighters, insurgents, whatever the hell you want to call them. Gotta deal with someone, and they're it.

Bored HordeRemoving the existing civil servants was among the worst of the bad ideas America went in with.

that's not true! Removing the government = ensuring the people will be free!

Bored Horde: magine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.


We did that in the 2000 presidential election.

The Us Gov't is finally negotiating with the 'terrorists'.
/ It's a pity someone in the administration didn't think of that 6 years ago. I'm looking at you , Mr Bush.

This was the biggest mistake made regarding Iraq.

Wow, wouldn't that be a giant slap-in-the-face to us if Iraq actually did that?!? And, the Baath party actually comes back.

Thunderbox: The Us Gov't is finally negotiating with the 'terrorists'.
/ It's a pity someone in the administration didn't think of that 6 years ago. I'm looking at you , Mr Bush.

Mr. Bush is bust playing golf and fishing to give a damn.

The First: Thunderbox: The Us Gov't is finally negotiating with the 'terrorists'.
/ It's a pity someone in the administration didn't think of that 6 years ago. I'm looking at you , Mr Bush.

Mr. Bush is bust playing golf and fishing to give a damn.

The typo is understandable. Titties are powerful things.

keithgabryelski: Bored Horde: magine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.


We did that in the 2000 presidential election.

Zing!

/predictable

This would have never happened if they had installed a bunch of 23 year old Americans who don't speak Arabic in all the key positions.

So keep voting them back into power.

keithgabryelski: Bored Horde: magine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.


We did that in the 2000 presidential election.

Not quite.

The de-baathification was so extensive they fired people down to the extreme regional level.

We're talking tax collectors, social workers and the like. Anyone connected to the Baathist party, which would be like firing every single person connected to the existing US Government today. Down to the drivers license testers.

"Well, if I'm supplied with trained personnel, I'll get rid of the Nazis. Until then, I'll use them to keep the railroads and telephones working." -George C. Scott as Patton

This is no different. As has been pointed out, and is obvious to anyone with a clue, we're not taking about Chemical Ali coming back to work, here. We're talking about your typical City Hall clerks, record keepers, building inspectors and grounds-keepers. If the biggest post-invasion mistake made was to dissolve the entire Iraqi military, then the second-biggest has been to tar an entire political movement with the same brush as a few despots. Not exactly promoting the national reconciliation that's needed, huh?

Borde Horde: We're talking tax collectors, social workers and the like. Anyone connected to the Baathist party, which would be like firing every single person connected to the existing US Government today. Down to the drivers license testers.

I could get behind that. Those bastards made me parallel park!

The problem is, of course, just like the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, in order to have any hope to get a halfway decent job, you had to join the Party, even if you didn't believe in it.

The people running America used to be smart enough to know that.

What kind of soap is the Baath party going to use?

Wahhabi?

Bored Horde
Removing the existing civil servants was among the worst of the bad ideas America went in with.

Hey, that guy was awarded the Medal of Freedom for that

Alys: Next week's headline: Saddam's wife returns from exile, announces plans to run for president.

Next month's headline: Saddam steps forward to resume control, as it is discovered that one of his body doubles was executed.

If you can't beat them...hire them!

HowlingFrog: Alys: Next week's headline: Saddam's wife returns from exile, announces plans to run for president.

Next month's headline: Saddam steps forward to resume control, as it is discovered that one of his body doubles was executed.

Frighteningly possible, unfortunately.

This is very good news. I was *IN* Iraq so I KNOW the score.

Damned lying media and politicians.

Thunderbox: The Us Gov't is finally negotiating with the 'terrorists'.
/ It's a pity someone in the administration didn't think of that 6 years ago. I'm looking at you , Mr Bush.

I'm sure you think the baathists were just begging to cut a deal after the invasion. The reality on the other hand is that they thought they could either drive the US out or inflict enough casualties that we would withdraw and they could grab power again. The war has to go on for long enough to convince everyone that there is no military victory in sight, and then they figure out that they should probably start talking.

1) I submitted this with a far better headline
2) There's no hate like liberal hate

Bored Horde: Imagine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.

It happened. Here, in America in 1865. Anyone who had taken up arms against the United States was barred from any government position in the South. That's when the "carpetbaggers" from the north took over.

Alien Robot: It happened. Here, in America in 1865. Anyone who had taken up arms against the United States was barred from any government position in the South. That's when the "carpetbaggers" from the north took over.

Well, there's a difference one was a third world hell hole controlled by psychotic, despotic madmen and cowards the other is in the Middle East.

Bored Horde: keithgabryelski: Bored Horde: magine removing every single civil servant in the United States, then hiring previously untrained people to immediately begin filling their roles.


We did that in the 2000 presidential election.

Not quite.

The de-baathification was so extensive they fired people down to the extreme regional level.

We're talking tax collectors, social workers and the like. Anyone connected to the Baathist party, which would be like firing every single person connected to the existing US Government today. Down to the drivers license testers.

They shut down all the schools, because teachers had to be party members. Amazingly, people were pissed.

The Iraqi government has made a smart move here. Perhaps now they'll get some respect.

It is not a case of putting a Saddamist dictatorship back in power. It's about rehabilitating the thousands of people who did not personally commit any crime against humanity, including many who were coerced into joining the party so they could become professionals. Iraq needs professionals.

If the Bush administration had really read the WWII history that they quoted so extensively, they never would have gone with a blanket purge of Baathists after the invasion.

One of the problems with kicking out the ALL the leaders after you conquer a place is there will be no one left with the experience necessary to run the place when your done. The US made a mistake with that, to be quite frank about it. When there is only one ruling party in a place, if you want a government job, regardless of your individual viewpoint, you join that party. It doesn't necessarily mean you're a criminal. Hopefully, the locals will be capable of figuring out which ones should be left out of the process.

And I just watched No End In Sight last evening.

why diddn't we do this in the first place?

AlgaeRancher: why diddn't we do this in the first place?

We wanted to, but we met with rather vocal resistance from those who'd suffered under the Baathist regime.

"You can please all of the people some time, etc....."