Blame The Media For This Too

It’s more “water wet, sky blue” time, boys and girls.

As part of Dubya’s “No Way Forward,” it looks like he’s going to propose “benchmarks,” according to the New York Times…

The newspaper cited senior administration officials as saying that the goals include steps to draw more Sunnis into the Iraqi political process and to finalize a measure on the distribution of oil revenue.

Always about the oil first, last and in-between, regardless of the body count…

And “benchmarks,” huh? Didn’t that squinty-eyed blowhard who, more than any other living soul, is responsible for the carnage of Iraq laugh off the idea of “benchmarks” some time ago, as noted here?

And I found this interesting tidbit in the Sunday Parade Magazine, of all places…

Many of Iraq’s top politicians don’t live in Iraq anymore. Former prime ministers, cabinet members and even an heir to the throne have left the chaos of Iraq for the comfort of Britain. Adnan Pachachi, who headed Iraq’s governing council, now splits his time between London’s Chelsea district and a home in Abu Dhabi. Iyad Allawi, the recent prime minister, told a British newspaper that Iraq’s situation is “alarming and dangerous.” He’s living in a London suburb. Another former prime minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, also is living with his family in England.

In fact, the situation in Iraq is so “alarming and dangerous” that they got the hell out, right?

How are the expatriates managing? Often quite nicely. Some who served in the Iraqi interim government – handpicked by the U.S. to replace administrator Paul Bremer – looted the Iraqi treasury to maintain lavish homes abroad. An Iraqi judge estimates that up to $2.3 billion was stolen. “Individuals in the interim government used their 10 months in office to massively enrich themselves,” Laurie Mylroie, an Iraq expert at the American Enterprise Institute, told us. “This is well known – and resented – among Iraqis.”

Good thing for Dubya that AEI found out about this so they could “sweep it under the rug.” Heaven forbid that a legitimate news agency had found out, or else it would have been properly reported.

Increasingly, Iraqi citizens also are voting with their feet: At least 1.5 million have already left, and about 3,000 more leave each day.

I think our good buddy Tony Blair ought to send a few of these bottom-feeders packing, and I would guess that they’d find a way to make do. I have a feeling they’re used to being “on the lam” anyway.

So it sounds like everyone is leaving except the ones who matter to us the most.

Terrific.