Iraqi parliament adjourns for August

[nlm]

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD - Iraq's parliament on Monday shrugged off U.S. criticism and adjourned for a month, as key lawmakers declared there was no point waiting any longer for the prime minister to deliver Washington-demanded benchmark legislation for their vote.

Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani closed the final three-hour session without a quorum present and declared lawmakers would not reconvene until Sept. 4. That date is just 11 days before the top U.S. military and political officials in Iraq must report to Congress on American progress in taming violence and organizing conditions for sectarian reconciliation.

The recess, coupled with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's failure to get the key draft laws before legislators, may nourish growing opposition to the war among U.S. lawmakers, who could refuse to fund it.

more at ..........  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070730/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=Agx7NX.2frIvqLeE85196gtI2ocA

I am having a hard time thinking of a bigger slap in the face to our soldiers that are dressed in full combat gear and being killed in the Iraqi heat to buy these scum bags time to find a political solution.

[MODU]

Yeah, they should have stayed in office until they got more of their work accomplished.

[MasterJedi]

Yeah, they should have stayed in office until they got more of their work accomplished.

Just like our Congress who are just, if not more, lazy.

[nlm]

Yeah, they should have stayed in office until they got more of their work accomplished.

Just like our Congress who are just, if not more, lazy.

I wasn't aware US soldiers were being killed every day to buy our Congress time to reach a politcal solution like they are being killed every day to buy the Iraqi Parliament time to find a politcal solution. I wasn't aware that billions of dollars of US tax payer money was being used to buy the US Congress time to find a politcal solution each month like it is being spent to buy the Iraqi Parliament time to find a political solution. The circumstances are so similar Jedi - why could I not see that? Every dollar spent and soldier killed this month will be used to purchase the Iraqi Parliament their vacation - not that they have done anything meaningful prior to going on vacation.

[??????????]

Have they earned it? No.

[jokerman]

Ehh, it's time to get out of Iraq.  If they don't care about their country as a whole there is nothing we can do to rectify that.  Partition it and its neighbors fill the security void.

[AkSaber]

These clods haven't done jacksh**t, and they're taking a month long vacation?!

I am having a hard time thinking of a bigger slap in the face to our soldiers that are dressed in full combat gear and being killed in the Iraqi heat to buy these scum bags time to find a political solution.

Couldn't agree more. The Iraqi politicians haven't done enough to get weekends off. Yet, they're taking off a whole month. Meanwhile, our soldiers, who are already busting their asses, get the short end of the stick, again. Our government is forcing its own soldiers to stay in Iraq longer then they were told, and is sending soldiers there like 4 or 5 times. So the Iraq government isn't the only one making life as hard as possible for our soldiers.

[Person Man]

This is bull sh**t, Congress should give the president an ultimatum that he create a timetable to withdrawl or face his next war spending bill being floored. However, no matter what, funding for the personal needs of troops should never be floored and if needed, should be made part of another bill to give emergency funding to the needs of soldiers if there is going to be a shutdown over this debacle. 

[CPT MikeyMike]

This is typical of their culture and it's a trend in the Middle East. Iraqis have no concept about time and getting things done. The American mentality, when it comes to getting things done, is simply no "fiddle ing" and start with the issue at hand and work on it. Iraqis expect you to bring up small talk first (families, etc) and then get to business. If you plan to met with them for an hour, you better plan for 3 hours because that is simply their culture - to be slow paced and not be 100% about the topic at hand.

Iraqi go by "Insha' Allah." Meaning God willing. It is their response for anything you ask to get done thus nothing gets done. If their kid gets run over by a car  because the parent didn't properly watch the child they use "Insha' Allah." This Insha' Allah is masking everything in Iraq. It gives them the damn excuse to be lazy and not get anything accomplish.

Now that they got the month of August off, they'll use the excuse that they need September off because of "Insha 'Allah." It is pathetic and disgusting. That is why we can't get sh**t done with them.

[Eraserhead]

Can anyone seriously deny that Iraq wasn't run better under Hussein at this point?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Can anyone seriously deny that Iraq wasn't run better under Hussein at this point?

Yes

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Can anyone seriously deny that Iraq wasn't run better under Hussein at this point?

Yes

Pretty much (If by "run better" you refer to the actual goverment). But we all know that no-one's opinion here actually matter, what actually matters is what Bush, Cheney & Co are thinking. The strongman part deux is a tempting option...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The Iraqi politicians haven't done enough to get weekends off.

What are the supposed to do, exactly? Regardless, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if a higher proportion of Iraqi M.P's have been killed during the current civil war than American soldiers have.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This is typical of their culture and it's a trend in the Middle East. Iraqis have no concept about time and getting things done.

Just what is it with military types and not-so-very-veiled racism? Seriously.

[Person Man]

This is typical of their culture and it's a trend in the Middle East. Iraqis have no concept about time and getting things done.

Just what is it with military types and not-so-very-veiled racism? Seriously.

Racism? Maybe...probably not. In the poorer rural parts of America, they are pretty laid back about their problems. Also, I've heard about the "oh well mentality" of East Germans and Italians. It's not racism. It's lost hope, really. If your house of cards fell apart, you would be pretty "oh well", too.

The issue becomes how we can justify our occupation in light of current events.   

[CPT MikeyMike]

In the poorer rural parts of America, they are pretty laid back about their problems. Also, I've heard about the "oh well mentality" of East Germans and Italians. It's not racism. It's lost hope, really. If your house of cards fell apart, you would be pretty "oh well", too.

The issue becomes how we can justify our occupation in light of current events.   

I don't know if I would call it lost hope because if they wanted to get the nation stabilized and under control, they could have had a lot of sh**t done in the last 24 months. By going on jazza all the time and watering down their meetings. They are deliberately stalling progress. This is what happens with the Provincial and Qadah levels as well. They hold meetings and never discuss how to handle or resolve an issue.

The sad thing is that with Saddam, if you didn't hold your feet to the fire, you'd be killed. Thus, what is that way to hold Iraqi's feet to the fire.

Just what is it with military types and not-so-very-veiled racism? Seriously.

We've been there. We've seen how they perform. It's a fact. They are not getting things done and it's clear at every level.

Also, let me make it clear...
Don't you f-$#ing dare associate myself or my profession with veiled racism.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Also, let me make it clear...
Don't you f-$#ing dare associate myself or my profession with veiled racism.

I never associated you or your caste with veiled racism.

Would you rather I used the word "bigot" instead?

[CPT MikeyMike]

Also, let me make it clear...
Don't you f-$#ing dare associate myself or my profession with veiled racism.

I never associated you or your caste with veiled racism.

Would you rather I used the word "bigot" instead?

You're the one who type it.

Neither is appropriate.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You're the one who type it.

Not quite:

not-so-very-veiled racism?

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Why?

If someone says or writes something that is, in my opinion, racist or bigoted, why should the occupation of whoever said or wrote the offending remark be an issue?

[??????????]

Mike is of course correct. Arabs are a very laid back people, largely. Coming from half a family of them I know the mentality.

[nlm]

Mike is of course correct. Arabs are a very laid back people, largely. Coming from half a family of them I know the mentality.

Lazy, laid back, uncaring about prompt action - these are a things I can only speculate on. But what ever the root cause may be, they have shown they are no where close to being ready for a western style democracy and are not concerned enough about the dollars American tax payers are spending and lives American soldiers are willingly giving up to give them a chance to take meaningful actions. Our soldiers deserve better than to have their lives sacraficed so these ass clowns can go on vacation.

[Ebowed]

Mike is of course correct. Arabs are a very laid back people, largely.

And why wouldn't you feel laid back when you're surrounded by sectarian strife?  Sounds like the best time to sit back, relax, and have a tall one.

[Silent Hunter]

With all due respect, the people responsible for the problems in Iraq are the death squads and the terrorists.

Perhaps we could all be a bit more sensitive to Iraqi culture. If we had done that in the first place,  we might not be in such a mess.

[nlm]

With all due respect, the people responsible for the problems in Iraq are the death squads and the terrorists.

So the death squads and the terrorists made the Iraqi Parliament go on vacations while US pay for efforts in both blood and money to buy them time to resolve their differences? Interesting take - but I think not.

[Silent Hunter]

With all due respect, the people responsible for the problems in Iraq are the death squads and the terrorists.

So the death squads and the terrorists made the Iraqi Parliament go on vacations while US pay for efforts in both blood and money to buy them time to resolve their differences? Interesting take - but I think not.

Consider for a moment that their vacation has been considerably cut and that Iraq in August is rather hot.

Anyhow, Al-Qaeda couldn't care less how long the Iraqi Parliament spends on its holidays.