US agrees to international control of its troops in Iraq

Sorry if this is a dupe, but this is important

Powell is in Brussels for talks with EU ministers

Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, arrives in Brussels tonight for talks with EU ministers, which he will combine with a meeting with the retiring Nato secretary general, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. Diplomats say that Mr Powell is expected to "test the water" about the involvement of the transatlantic alliance in Iraq. The litany of setbacks, growing US casualties and the recent killing of 18 Italian servicemen has brought intense domestic and international pressure on the Bush administration to give the occupying force more legitimacy.



http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=464488

If Bush concedes our control of the oil, I think there will be interesting reverbs within his own party. I wonder if this would be the deal breaker for the EU?

George&Co do not care to nor know how to share...anything. And giving our troops over to any form of international control will not go over at all well at home.

They may, however, be looking for a front man, an entity that will look different on the outside, but actually be the same old guys pulling the strings.

I hate being cynical...sort of.

what it always has been, the spoils. Bush won't even allow members of the coalition to have contracts without partnering with a US company.

I hate to think that is even a part of it. It is just more of the same old thing, and is such a sad commentary on pride, or should we call it hubris?

:evilgrin:

Reading the article carefully, I don't see any positive re-inforcement coming from other NATO members. Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, says that peacekeeping duties in Iraq must be given to an international organization, but the EU is not NATO -- nor was Solana necessarily talking about NATO. He was just as likely to be talking about the UN.

All mention of NATO is conditioned by, "...there is growing support in Washington for a Nato role." Then it goes to say that Powell will be 'testing the waters' this weekend.

Vaporpolicy. That's all this is right now. Probably Blair's idea.

I bet it gives Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz cramps to think about this.

:evilgrin:

It will give Bush and Cheney cramps when they realize what this is going to cost them, contract-wise.

:evilgrin: :evilgrin:

Treat it with great skepticism. It defies Bush logic. Also, the Independent is reknown for publishing stories that are later proven to be false.

Here's another thread in LBN:

NATO on trial as Afghanistan spins out of control
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=225152

KABUL, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Here's an astonishing fact: the 5,700-strong multinational force keeping the peace in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, has just three helicopters.

Belgium offered more choppers and then got cold feet once it realised the cost, Greece declined to send any because it was too stretched by preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympics and Turkey is now sitting on a last-ditch request to fill the gap.

Sounds like Afghanistan has them tapped out. Not to mention the political repercussions at home of sending troops to Iraq while Bush is still president.

I don't think NATO is in any position to send troops to Iraq right now.

Meanwhile airstrikes were continuing amidst uncertainty over when a sustained ground assault would be conducted. And as an expert on the Taliban, retired Lieutenant-General Kamal Matinuddin told Jonathan Harley, any capturing of the major cities in Afghanistan would not be the end of the military campaign.

KAMAL MATINUDDIN: Certainly not because after the cities then, of course, they have to get out into the countryside and that is where the Taliban will be at their best because they will be in the mountains, in the caves and carry out hit and run tactics against any government troops that try to evict them.

JONATHAN HARLEY: So as the Soviets learnt in the '80s, controlling the cities does not mean controlling Afghanistan.

KAMAL MATINUDDIN: Not at all. The Soviets have learnt that lesson and I'm sure the Americans are aware of that and they'll try to find some answer to that issue, to that problem.

JONATHAN HARLEY: So to what extent will this be a hide and wait strategy by the Taliban?

KAMAL MATINUDDIN: I think that is what they are going to do. The strategy they are going to follow is not to get involved in a fist battle with the government troops. They'll try to avoid a fist battle and fight from the mountains and caves with hit and run.


more...
http://www.abc.net.au/correspondents/s401385.htm

a blast from the past, true but certainly prescient and relavant.

i know i seen that article last week but i can't find it... the one about the taliban 'capturing' - or maybe it was 'just' an assault - some cities in the south... either they got to google too... or more likely my memory is playing tricks on me ;->

peace

trying to get NATO in there since they DESPERATELY need 'HELP' but i don't think they - NATO - are that STUPID...

:shrug:

peace

What a clusterfuck this administration has become. It must be hard to be a self-respecting freeper these days.

Bet they don't even mention it on FOX.

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=223440

I'm locking this thread. Interested DUers are welcome to continue discussing this in the referenced thread.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator