U.S. Troops Deaths in Iraq Top 1,500

By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - (AP) - The number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq (news - web sites) has topped 1,500, an Associated Press count showed Thursday after the military announced the deaths of three Americans.

These sensless deaths will continue until the American people realize that George Bush is the terrorist.

The U.S. exit strategy is dependent on handing over responsibility for security to Iraq's fledgling army and police forces.

Uh, excuse me, but there is no 'exit strategy'. There never was and there never will be. The pentagon has announced that they intend to create up to fourteen permanent bases in Iraq. You wont find this information in any story about Iraq, but you will find it mentioned in stories about Iran.

Forming Iraq's first democratically elected coalition government is turning out to be a laborious process.

Okay, now the Associated Press is sounding like Bush's press Secretary. "A Laborous Process" indeed.

Where are the reporters with balls? Why is everyone toeing the line? This free press we supposedly have is split between those who actively propagandize on behalf of the administration, Fox News is the most visible organization in this camp. The so called 'objective' press, seems to be attempting to report valid information within the accepted framework of administration propaganda.

I considered the Associated Press to be part of the 'objective' press, and that is how they come up with these goofy stories. If Todd Pitman had read the stories about Iran, or read anything about Kelly Dougherty, he wouldn't have inserted that stupid line about an 'exit strategy'. What we end up with is that stories can be written saying that 1500 soldiers have died, because that is an admitted fact, but 'exit strategy' must also be used because the administration has not been willing to admit that permanent bases are being built. The reporters in Iraq must know what the truth is, they should report it.

What we have is an incremental permanence. The troops are in place now. They are not planning any withdrawl, and you can hear all of the senators and congressmen saying 'we cant back out now' or 'it would be wrong to cut and run'.

One other news blurb that you will find interesting will require you to read some more stories and put them together. The first is called Packistani army to shoot at 'intruding' U.S. Forces. Within the article, you will find this blurb...

The Pakistani President is also unhappy about the recent withdrawal of Predators and other surveillance systems from Pakistan to Iraq for use against Iran.

The Voice of America says ...

unmanned surveillance drones have been flying over Iran for almost a year to search for evidence of nuclear weapons programs and detect weaknesses in air defenses.

And Ray McGovern says ...

When a Special Forces platoon leader just back from Iraq matter-of-factly tells a close friend of mine, as happened last week, that he and his unit are now training their sights (literally) on Iran, we need to take that seriously.

Basically, it all adds up to the fact that we are already at war with Iran. It hasn't been declared, and it doesn't seen like we've fired any shots yet, but it's still war.