Ruth's Report: When will she go away?

For those who missed it, Hillary Clinton has taken a long look at her lousy campaign and come to the conclusion that . . . it was everyone else's fault that she lost.

Andrew Sullivan (NEW YORK MAGAZINE) notes:

And Clinton herself duly emerged last week for a fawning, rapturous reception at the Women in the World conference in New York City. It simply amazes me the hold this family still has on the Democratic Party — and on liberals in general. The most popular question that came from interviewer Nick Kristof’s social-media outreach, for example, was: “Are you doing okay?” Here’s Michelle Goldberg: “I find myself wondering at odd times of the day and night: How is Hillary? Is she going to be all right?” Seriously, can you imagine anyone wondering the same after Walter Mondale or Michael Dukakis or John Kerry blew elections?

And everywhere you see not an excoriation of one of the worst campaigns in recent history, leading to the Trump nightmare, but an attempt to blame anyone or anything but Clinton herself for the epic fail. It wasn’t Clinton’s fault, we’re told. It never is. It was the voters’ — those ungrateful, deplorable know-nothings! Their sexism defeated her (despite a majority of white women voting for Trump). A wave of misogyny defeated her (ditto). James Comey is to blame. Bernie Sanders’s campaign — because it highlighted her enmeshment with Wall Street, her brain-dead interventionism and her rapacious money-grubbing since she left the State Department — was the problem. Millennial feminists were guilty as well, for not seeing what an amazing crusader for their cause this candidate was. And this, of course, is how Clinton sees it as well: She wasn’t responsible for her own campaign — her staffers were. As a new book on her campaign notes, after Clinton lost the Michigan primary to Sanders, “The blame belonged to her campaign team, she believed, for failing to hone her message, energize important constituencies, and take care of business in getting voters to the polls.” So by the time the general-election campaign came round, they’d fix that and win Michigan, right?

Let us review the facts: Clinton had the backing of the entire Democratic establishment, including the president (his biggest mistake in eight years by far), and was even married to the last, popular Democratic president. As in 2008, when she managed to lose to a neophyte whose middle name was Hussein, everything was stacked in her favor. In fact, the Clintons so intimidated other potential candidates and donors, she had the nomination all but wrapped up before she even started. And yet she was so bad a candidate, she still only managed to squeak through in the primaries against an elderly, stopped-clock socialist who wasn’t even in her party, and who spent his honeymoon in the Soviet Union. She ran with a popular Democratic incumbent president in the White House in a growing economy. She had the extra allure of possibly breaking a glass ceiling that — with any other female candidate — would have been as inspiring as the election of the first black president. In the general election, she was running against a malevolent buffoon with no political experience, with a deeply divided party behind him, and whose negatives were stratospheric. She outspent him by almost two-to-one. Her convention was far more impressive than his. The demographics favored her. And yet she still managed to lose!

And here is Kirsten Powers on Jake Tapper's C.N.N. show:

“Never in this equation is Hillary Clinton to blame for anything, and she was, after all, the candidate,” Powers said. “There were outside forces that were affecting the campaign, no question, but there were a lot of things, I think related to her candidacy, that were problematic. And I don’t think this helps Democrats, frankly, to be looking back at this. I think people want to move on and not seem like sour grapes. It makes the audience she was talking to happy. This was Women in the World—very liberal women—and I think it makes the base happy, but I don’t think it’s helpful overall.”

Here is Ashley Pratte (U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORTS):

Last week, at the 8th annual Women in the World Summit, Hillary Clinton linked her election loss to her success and ambition. She claimed, "the more successful and therefore ambitious a woman is, the less likable she becomes."

Clinton certainly had a likability problem during her presidential campaign, but it was due to her untrustworthiness, which she never overcame in the polls with the American public. With her email scandal looming large over her campaign, she saw her support drop. The email scandal and the ensuing investigation that plagued Clinton, along with the spotlight on the ethics of the Clinton Foundation, painted her as distrustful. Her likability had nothing to do with her ambition and success as a woman but with how she conducted herself when she held positions of power.

There are plenty of men and women (myself included) who are ready to see a female president in the White House. Unfortunately, Clinton wasn't the right person for the job. Clinton was a terribly flawed candidate, and the election was hers to lose. Even with the amount of gaffes, unfavorability and missteps of the Trump campaign she was still not able to overcome her untrustworthiness perception.

Let's remember she was so unpopular that a 74-year-old socialist proved to be a major threat to her during the primary season, taking the wind out of the sails of her campaign. Clinton went into the general election tattered and torn and had to desperately pander to a base she lost touch with – her greatest downfall.

Additionally, Clinton was faced with blunders of her own – one in particular cost her big time. When she participated in a CNN Townhall in March she said as president she was going to "put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business." This comment haunted Clinton throughout the rest of the campaign specifically with blue-collar voters, who ultimately gave Trump the presidency.

Ms. Clinton lost and she has nothing to offer to help the party.

She needs to go away and take her lies with her.

Here is Sarah Jones (THE NEW REPUBLIC) on Susan Bordo's ridiculous book DESTRUCTION and the conclusion holds for Ms. Clinton herself:

Destruction offers no real lessons for Democrats. It’s a hagiography, written to soothe a smarting party. That is precisely why they must ignore it: There is no path forward that does not account for past mistakes. Hillary Clinton’s destruction was at least partly her own making, and if Democrats want to start winning elections it’s time they saw the truth.

This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot" for Friday:

Friday, April 14, 2017. Chaos and violence continue, The Mosul Slog continues, the US government continues to hand over everything to Iraq with no conditions and much more.

The whore of Babylon herself gives props to another world class liar.

‏ @janearraf

‘People Just Flat-Out Lie’ politi.co/2pizlj7 via @politicomag

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Andrea Mithcell, now famous in syndication for calling a woman slut, is the woman who slept her way to the top of NBC, of course. Dating and marrying Alan Greenspan ensured she'd be kept around while doing nothing. (Don't try to find out details of her first marriage. In her badly ghost written autobiography, Andrea disappeared her first husband and her step-children.)

POLITICO: "She's never faced off against a White House like this before."

Well maybe that's because she was happy to promote the lies of the Bully Boy Bush White House?

Peter Hart (FAIR) reminded in 2013:

Ten years ago today, Colin Powell made the Bush administration’s case for going to war against Iraq. Much of what he said about Iraq’s threats to the United States was false. But the media coverage gave the opposite impression, and most of the pundits and journalists who promoted the justifications for the war paid no price for their failures.
As FAIR reported at the time, even before the Powell address there were reasons to be skeptical of the administration’s claims. On February 4, 2003, FAIR published “Iraq’s Hidden Weapons: From Allegation to Fact,” which made the point that “it has not been demonstrated that Iraq continues to hold unconventional weapons.” FAIR criticized coverage like that of the New York Times (2/2/03), which asserted that “nobody seriously expected Mr. Hussein to lead inspectors to his stash of illegal poisons or rockets, or to let his scientists tell all.”
As the FAIR release concluded:

The media convey to the public the impression that the alleged banned weapons on which the Bush administration rests its case for war are known to exist, and that the question is simply whether inspectors are skillful enough to find them.

Powell’s address was instrumental in pushing a faulty media line on Iraq’s WMDs further. That much was clear in the coverage right after his appearance at the United Nations, as FAIR documented on February 10 in “A Failure of Skepticism in Powell Coverage.”

In Andrea Mitchell‘s report on NBC Nightly News (2/5/03), Powell’s allegations became actual capabilities of the Iraqi military: “Powell played a tape of a Mirage jet retrofitted to spray simulated anthrax, and a model of Iraq’s unmanned drones, capable of spraying chemical or germ weapons within a radius of at least 550 miles.”

Dan Rather, introducing an interview with Powell (60 Minutes II, 2/5/03), shifted from reporting allegations to describing allegations as facts: “Holding a vial of anthrax-like powder, Powell said Saddam might have tens of thousands of liters of anthrax. He showed how Iraqi jets could spray that anthrax and how mobile laboratories are being used to concoct new weapons.” The anthrax supply is appropriately attributed as a claim by Powell, but the mobile laboratories were something that Powell “showed” to be actually operating.

We included Dan Rather above because 'the resistance' has mistaken him for a truth teller. He's about as real as Robert Redford's toupee.

Also don't forget that Andrea was involved in the whole attack on former US Ambassador Joe Wilson for calling out Bully Boy Bush's yellow cake lies. Andrea's own statements even attempted to mitigate the exposure of Joe's wife (and downplay the actions of Scooter Libby).

There's nothing honest about Andrea. Not her nose job, not the fillers in the cheeks, not that 'blond' hair and certainly not anything the 'journalist' offers on air.

No wonder Jane Arraf would be attracted to her.

Jane covered for thug Nouri al-Maliki -- covered for, not covered -- when he was prime minister. She did the same for Saddam Hussein. CNN's policy was to do anything to keep their reporters on the ground in the country (as Eason Jordan revealed in his now infamous NEW YORK TIMES column). Jane parted ways with CNN but she internalized the policy.

Her cover ups were most disgusting when it came to the rape of Sunni women and girls in jails and prison. For months, she ignored the story. Even when Parliament was investigating, she ignored the story. When she finally 'stumbled' upon it, it was when Amnesty International issued a report. And, in noting it, she managed to only quote men -- not a single woman or girl. They were the victims but she was attempting to dumb down and white wash what had happened so she didn't quote the actual victims.

Jane earned the title whore of Babylon.

Day 178 of The Mosul Slog.

The United Nations notes:

Using satellite imagery and local researches, the most recent evaluation confirms that western Mosul has undergone extensive destruction, “far greater than in the east,” according to a senior United Nations aid official in the country.
“The level of damage in western Mosul is already far greater than in the east, even before the battle to retake the Old City begins,” said Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, in a news release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
With more than 1,140 housing sites having been destroyed across the city, the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) confirms that damage to houses in western Mosul is two and a half times greater than in the eastern districts with one-third of the residential devastation reported to have occurred in the Al Jadeda neighbourhood.
Ms. Grande pointed out that nearly 300,000 civilians have already fled western Mosul and “hundreds of thousands more may in the days and weeks ahead.”
She stressed that homes are being destroyed, schools and health centres damaged and that crucial public infrastructure, including electricity and water stations, are in ruins.
“Under international humanitarian law, parties to the conflict are obliged to do everything possible to protect civilians and limit damage to civilian infrastructure. Nothing is more important,” concluded the Humanitarian Coordinator.

Success?

And elsewhere in Iraq?

More violence.

Baghdad:
Press reports:#Hashd _Militias and #the government_ forces have carried out forcible displacements in... fb.me/8swn3nE6I

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Maysan:
A body of unidentified old man stabbed has been found in Huseein  Al-Qadeem neighborhood in the middle of Emara.

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Baghdad:
A body of unidentified man has been found in tajiyat area north of Baghdad.

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Baghdad:
A person was killed and "5"were wounded as an IED exploded in Ma'lif area south of Baghdad.

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Basra:
A body of unidentified man has been found at Ashar River in the middle of Basra.

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Anbar:
An IED has hit a patrol in the middle of Heet ,further details unknown.

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Ninenevh:
News agencies: Deaths and injuries were resulted and two hummers and vehicles destroyed as an attack... fb.me/6MOsEbeHE

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Nineveh:
News agencies:The "Islamic State" has retaken some areas from the government forces at the suburbs of... fb.me/1khQ4Na7c

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All the violence is horrible, no question.

But when bodies start surfacing in neighborhoods, it's usually a sign that the violence is about to intensify. That has been the pattern.

One of the biggest supporters of the Mosul operation -- and of Iraqi forces including the militias -- has been Haidar Sumeri.

So this Tweet is especially interesting.

‏ @IraqiSecurity

We told you & told you again.

"Al-Qaeda is on our side in #Syria." - email from policy advisor to Sec. of State Hillary Clinton (Feb 2012).

1 reply35 retweets31 likes

Hillary worked with al Qaeda when it suited her.

Meanwhile, Nouri al-Maliki plots his comeback. Mohamed Mostafa (IRAQI NEWS) reports:

Vice President and former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is tipped for the presidency of Iraq’s largest political group as the tenure of its incumbent leader nears its end.
Maliki is a candidate for the presidency of the Iraqi National Alliance, according to press statements by Rasoul Radi, an MP from the State of the Law, the parliamentary bloc headed by Maliki.
The alliance’s chairman, Ammar al-Hakim, is scheduled to end his tenure early August, and has recently called for starting measures to select his successor. The alliance’s member parties agreed to take a candidate’s party’s share of parliament seats into consideration when making the selection.

The Iraqi National Alliance is Iraq’s largest Shia political coalition, and was founded in 2009 by former PM and current foreign minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

Nouri back in charge?

That would be a nightmare.

If only the US government had some pull and was able to make the long promised reconciliation in Iraq take place -- even just legally.

If only . . .

Oh wait, there is.

Wednesday the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced:

WASHINGTON, Apr. 12, 2017 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Iraq for pilot and maintenance training, contractor logistical support (CLS) for trainer aircraft, and base support. The estimated cost is $1.06 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 11, 2017.
The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of pilot training; maintenance training; and contractor logistical services support for C-172, C-208, and T-6 aircraft for up to five (5) years to include contractor aircraft modification; repair and spare parts; publications; aircraft ferry; and miscellaneous parts, along with training base operation support, base life support, security, construction, and other related elements of program support. The estimated total program value is $1.06 billion.
The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to provide for a stable, sovereign, and democratic Iraq, capable of combating terrorism and protecting its people and sovereignty. Iraq currently owns twelve (12) C-172, five (5) C-208, and fifteen (15) T-6 training aircraft. The training pipeline will allow the Iraqi Air Force to tailor pilot training for several U.S.-origin operational aircraft. The C-172s and T-6s are Iraq’s training platforms for their mobility and fighter attack fleets. The C-208s are Iraq’s platform of choice for training its Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) pilots.
The proposed sale of training and support services will improve the Iraq’s ability to train its pilots and maintenance technicians. By training its own pilots and maintenance technicians in-country, Iraq will decrease its overseas training requirements, significantly reduce its training costs, and will enhance its ability to take over the sustainment of its aircraft. Iraq will have no difficulty absorbing this support. In addition to its primary mission – pilot and maintenance training for Iraqi Air Force personnel – this proposed sale includes Contractor Logistical Support costs for the trainer aircraft, as well as possible future construction and base operation support costs.
The proposed sale of this training and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor is Spartan College, Tulsa, OK. At this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of approximately four U.S. Government representatives and 50-55 contractor representatives to Iraq.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. All training and support listed on this transmittal are authorized for release and export to the Government of Iraq.
This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

Bully Boy Bush got the Iraqi government to promise -- in writing -- that they would proceed with reconciliation.

But they didn't.

Barack Obama got oral promises.

But they didn't.

Donald Trump will now become the third idiot who hands over weapons Iraqis want without putting conditions on their handover.

And thus the Iraq War never truly ends.

The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan and Diane Rehm -- updated: