>Kelley wrote:
>
>>i guess i don't see how the information is particularly damaging. we know
>>they're spying on us and, hence, not everything GRS is intercepting is
>>"the truth". some of it is probably created just for their consumption.
>>
>>and i guess i don't see how we are in some unexpected state of world
>>conditions that the US gubmint hasn't expected all along. If the Thirty
>>Year Itch article is at all correct, and I think it is, this is all in
>>the plan, n'est-ce pas? And everyone knows about it. It's not likely that
>>Russian, French, etc. intelligence missed any of this. And even if this
>>documents, speculations, game plans hadn't been around for years, these
>>nations would be fools to think that we aren't their enemies and we'd be
>>fools to think that they aren't ours. (fools, from their worldview, that is.)
>
>It's not just the information -
didn't say it was. I said that Russia would be foolish to think that we are their allies. The admin has never considered Russia an ally, let alone a patsy--despite appearances. 41 was hardly pals with them. Condoleeza Rice made her sentiments _really_ well known during the election campaign.
> it's the Russians in Baghdad, Putin's remarks, etc. Russia isn't a patsy
> any more, and I don't think the Bush admin expected that.
I don't think they ever thought Russia was a patsy.
> In fact, I don't think they expected the intensity of the opposition
> they've generated so far. They thought Iraq would fold in an instant;
I don't think they did, though. Why the ups and downs then? Infowar. :) There is no better way to get away with crap than have your populace doing a roller coaster ride.
>they thought our "allies" would fall into line.
They knew they wouldn't, to wit:
"Europeans are also feeling increasingly vulnerable. In terms of public support, a recent study conducted by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations and the German Marshall Fund, as well as the U.S. government’s own public opinion polls, suggest that potential majority support exists in many key European states for the use of force to rid Saddam of his weapons of mass destruction. In spite of all the press coverage over European nervousness regarding U.S. policy on Iraq, many allies in private are signaling that they are prepared, in principle, to go to war in Iraq as long as they are convinced that it will be done right — that Washington will obtain un authorization, has a credible strategy for ensuring that such a war does not destabilize the region, and is committed to working with Europe to rebuild Iraq after Saddam is gone." http://www.policyreview.org/OCT02/asmus_print.html
if they didn't get this, then they are insane. i don't think they are. they are hard-headed, coldly calculating realists who mainly believe that what counts is power.
>And they couldn't even buy the vote of Angola or Cameroon. Could you
>imagine what will happen if they try to go after Iran or NK next?
Iran is dead meat. We owe the world too much money.
Kelley