June 13, 2014

The Debacle

Far-called our navies melt away—
On dune and headland sinks the fire—
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

- - Kipling,Recessional

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Meanwhile, in 2014, the always perceptive Belmont Club » On The Subject of Last Helicopters takes a detailed look at the forthcoming humiliation and human disasters wrought by Obama:

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"If the embassy is evacuated, it will leave what is perhaps one of the most lavish and expensive diplomatic facility in history in the hands of al-Qaeda. It contains what is probably a huge intelligence facility. “The 104-acre compound — already its biggest and most expensive in the world — currently houses 1,350 U.S. government employees in the heart of Baghdad’s International Zone and will increase its capacity because the U.S. is consolidating overall diplomatic property in Baghdad down by one-third. The most interesting upgrade is the construction of a data hall in an existing classified embassy annex building that will cost $20 to $35 million. It will require ‘electrical/telecommunication system upgrades [and] extensive mechanical and plumbing systems,’ according to a June 12 notice from the State Department.”

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"But great though the loss of the buildings will be, the blow in terms of intelligence gathering capabilities, networks, facilities and dislocation will be monumental. No one knows how many translators, sub-agents and locals who have risked their lives for the US will be left twisting in the wind. It will be no easy task to thoroughly efface the work of years. Yet it will have to be done if al-Qaeda is not obtain the greatest intelligence windfall of its career. President Obama may find a way to screw that up too, for even to be properly defeated requires a competence he may lack."

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Now it is not good for the Christian’s health to hustle the Aryan brown,
For the Christian riles, and the Aryan smiles and he weareth the Christian down;
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white with the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear: “A Fool lies here who tried to hustle the East.”

Rudyard Kipling.THE NAULAHKA

Posted by gerardvanderleun at June 13, 2014 12:35 PM
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Comments:

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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

That is a picture of the former US Embassy and MNF-I HQ, not the new one that was just completed.

I worked in the North Ballroom, at the top center of the picture. I was a staff pogue at MNF-I, fighting the war one PowerPoint briefing at a time. My hootch was located off this picture, to the upper right.

Posted by: butch at June 13, 2014 1:56 PM

Since the Embassy is supposed to be considered US territory, we should ensure no stone is left standing on another after the last helo dusts off. Assuming we have a National Command Authority that prioritizes US interests.

Posted by: butch at June 13, 2014 2:09 PM

Confirmed. Those are pix of the front of the Republican Palace and the swimming pool behind it.

Posted by: El baboso at June 13, 2014 3:03 PM

Butch: Wretchard discusses the issue in detail.

My take: don't bet on it.

Posted by: Fat Man at June 13, 2014 3:42 PM

I don't think they're going in the for the pools and bars. There's probably a who's who on every spook and shadow working the region. More records than they know what to do with. That might be part of the deal: "... comes completely furnished ..."

If they aren't melted down by now they are not gonna be, but there will be a lot of night riders.

Posted by: chasmatic at June 13, 2014 4:40 PM

I just want to puke.

Posted by: John at June 13, 2014 4:54 PM

Carter would not attack Khomeini.

Reagan withdrew from Lebanon after a truck bomb.

GHWB left Saddam in power after he invaded Kuwait.

Clinton would not kill or capture Bin Laden.

GWB campaigned saying the US military was not for nation building, and then wasted the military on nation building in Crapistan.

Left & Establishment Right have agreed to scrub all mentions of Islam from govt training materials. Left & Establishment Right pretend Muslims are little different from Presbyterians, but with an Arab book and Arab prophet.

The activists on The Left will not see anything they don't agree with.

The passive-ists on The Right are happy to understand things, but they will never act on their belief.

Posted by: Scott M at June 13, 2014 6:04 PM

Now put it all together in 10 words or less.

Posted by: ghostsniper at June 13, 2014 7:40 PM

“Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius."

Kill them all. For the Lord knoweth them that are His.

Yo ghost: eight words in Latin, eleven in English. Split the difference with you.

Posted by: chasmatic at June 13, 2014 8:59 PM

Chas: 8 in English.

Kill'em all. Let God sort'em out.

Posted by: butch at June 13, 2014 9:03 PM

The pictures of "the US Embassy in Iraq" are NOT the current Embassy. Those pictures are likely of a palace that serves as the Embassy and Military HQ up till about 4 years ago.

Posted by: Les at June 14, 2014 11:15 AM

It will not matter if the embassy is a palace or a shithouse. When the mob reaches the gates they will secure the armory and the intel rooms complete with backups. All else will be burned to the ground. If it was me on the ground there, I'd save the last round for myself.

Posted by: chasmatic at June 14, 2014 9:21 PM