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Imperial Life in the Emerald City - Anyone read it?

 
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Andrewmc

Jul 3, 08 2:06

Post #1 of 3 (107 views)
Imperial Life in the Emerald City - Anyone read it? Can't Post
I fnished this last night and it is a easy read and covers the CPA living in the green zone post the inasion of Iraq.

I was previously shocked by the allocation of contracts to Halliburton and Blackwater as not necessarily being entirely on the up and up but having finished reading about the people in charge of re-constructing Iraq, Halliburton and Blackwater look like absolute professionals.

The level of cronyism and partisanship that was involved in appointing people ill qualified to work on projects is absolutely astounding. The failure and refusal to use those with a proven track record in the ME more so, and the complete failure to employ arabic speakers or anyone that dissented from the Bush / Cheney party line is unbelievable.

Has anyone read this? any thoughts?


trio_jeepy

Jul 3, 08 4:20

Post #2 of 3 (101 views)
Re: Imperial Life in the Emerald City - Anyone read it? [Andrewmc] [In reply to] Can't Post
I read it awhile back. It was fairly eye-opening at the time.

One would think that a long detailed narrative of how poorly the occupation and its administration have been handled would be big news, especially to those "conservatives" whose tax revenues are being squandered and stolen, but I think if anything, the long litany of fuckups, lack of planning, and general incompetence have lowered the bar to where you need to screw up really huge in order to generate any real outrage.

I mean, even the disclosure that the Pentagon bought second-class armaments from a 22 yr old "arms dealer" in Miami has barely made a dent. Or that KBR built showers have been responsible for electrocuting some members of the armed forces. I guess if you'd allowed arms dumps to be picked over by insurgents, cultural sites to be looted, and hired your staff from the resumes of 22 yr olds culled from a website of a conservative "think-tank" then I guess its practically impossible to screw up if those are part of SOP.

In terms of politicizing the operation by cleansing it of non-believers, is that really surprising? There is obviously a pattern of that in the Administration, ranging from the CPA to the DOJ. Competence comes clearly a distant second to loyalty. Remember, when you take that oath to serve, its not to the citizens, but to whomever hired you.

But hey, facts are facts. Unless they are inconvenient to this Administration. Then its a "hit job."

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squid

Jul 3, 08 6:45

Post #3 of 3 (76 views)
Re: Imperial Life in the Emerald City - Anyone read it? [trio_jeepy] [In reply to] Can't Post
One would think that a long detailed narrative of how poorly the occupation and its administration have been handled would be big news,

Well, that's the...ahem... "liberal" media for ya.