Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

I was promised a recession.

After roe, women are no longer free.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Not all heroes wear capes.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Come on, man.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

You are here: Home / Politics / More ISG

More ISG

by | 62 Comments

This post is in: 

Watching the Iraq Study Group story unfold (the WSJ has the Group’s executive summary online) I remember one question* which has rattled around my head since this thing began: which Bush does James Baker serve? Recall that Baker doesn’t do impartial policy analysis. He’s the Bush family fixer. Harvey Keitel from Pulp Fiction. Baker serves the country only insofar as serving the country helps the next Bush offspring move up the government ladder. Also keep in mind that Poppy and Junior’s positions on this war are more or less diametrically opposed so it would be hard for Baker to serve them both. Further, in Poppy’s view (in private at least) Junior could use some straightening up.

The answer seems to be that Baker serves dad.

***Update***

Read more about the ISG’s recommendations here and here. As I said below, don’t expect this to have any direct impact on the Bush admin. Rather Baker’s group has made cool the kind of talk that once drove war boosters like Jean Schmidt to call a critic like John Murtha a coward and a traitor.

You can’t always get what you want. But for Bush the political impacts from such a dramatic narrative shift could be enormous, and crippling.

(*) One more question – where is Tammy Faye in all of this?

Reader Interactions

62Comments

  1. 1.

    Tulkinghorn

    And Dad serves the Carlyle Group, just as Prescott served BBH.

    But who does the Carlyle Group serve? Why those very same folks who are now talking about putting in their own armed forces to protect the Sunni triangle, should the US decide to withdraw from it…

    One does not even need to make up stuff to weave the most outrageous conspiracy theories these days.

  3. 3.

    Tim F.

    Could some better-informed soul explain the hypothetical Tammy Faye connection?

    Jim and Tammy Faye…I know that there is an extra ‘k’ in there but it is honestly the second thing that came into my mind. I think I might be silghtly daft.

  4. 4.

    Mary

    Maybe you’re just psychic, Tim, because there is another connection. I turbo-Googled and found this:

    Didn’t you meet the Senior President Bush at one time?

    I met dad and mom Bush. I met president Reagan. Jim flew on Air Force One with two of presidents. He flew with Jimmy Carter and he flew with Ronald Reagan.

    That is a privilege.

    He felt it to be that. He felt honored to be a part of that. I met Nancy Reagan like everybody else. You line up and shake hands. With mom and dad Bush we were at some place where they live with a lot of other people. Mrs. Barbara Bush was kind to us and took a couple of us girls upstairs and showed us a rug she was making. She was very, very kind. She was very down to Earth and homey. She is a wonderful person.

  7. 7.

    Sam Hutcheson

    Baker serves the country only insofar as serving the country helps the next Bush offspring move up the government ladder. Also keep in mind that Poppy and Junior’s positions on this war are more or less diametrically opposed so it would be hard for Baker to serve them both. Further, in Poppy’s view (in private at least) Junior could use some straightening up.

    Baker serves the Family. Junior has become a liability to the Family. This is basically a lost episode of the Sopranos, and W. has a choice to make. He can salvage what he can and walk out with the Family or he can ignore Pops’ advisors yet again and get buried with Rummy and Dick. Pops is all torn up over it, to the point where he’s breaking down knowing he gave the keys to the empire to the wrong son.

    It’s all very dramatic.

  8. 8.

    Jake

    Damn.

    But this president may not be in much of a hurry to accept Baker’s ideas about that — or much else. Asked if Baker would help implement the report, a spokesman for Mr. Bush said, “Jim Baker can go back to his day job.”

    “That will be all for now, Jeeves.”

  9. 9.

    Chuck Butcher

    In 2000 while J Baker was in Florida things looked pretty bullet proof, a pretty good economy and a fairly peaceful world, GWB must’ve looked harmless.

    And then …

  10. 10.

    Dave

    As long as it forces Bush’s hand to get us the fuck out of Iraq, I really don’t care who he serves.

    Of course the chance of this forcing Bush’s hand are in between zero and none…but a man can dream.

  11. 11.

    Krista

    If Jim Bakker and Jim Baker get gay married, which last name do their kids get?

    Whatever last name Child Services decides to give them, because it’s much better for a child to be torn from the only home they’ve ever known than to be raised under the evil, Godless influence of teh gays and their Gay Agenda(tm).

    (On a side note, I wonder if they sell Gay Agendas at Office Depot…my plain Brownline agenda for 2006 is kind of blah, and I’d really like something snazzier in the new year…)

  12. 12.

    fwiffo

    This is basically a lost episode of the Sopranos…

    The Corleones are probably a better fit, W playing the role of Fredo.

    The answer seems to be that Baker serves dad.

    Anybody else thinking House Harkonnen from Dune?

  14. 14.

    Andrew

    Anybody else thinking House Harkonnen from Dune?

    Um, it’s going to be tough to find a Mentat in this bunch.

  15. 15.

    Gold Star for Robot Boy

    The Corleones are probably a better fit, W playing the role of Fredo.

    “I’m smaht! Not dumb, like people say! I’m smart, and I want respect!”

  17. 17.

    Tulkinghorn

    If W. is Fredo, in that family it is Fredos all the way down, with the feckless JEB, the strangely overlooked Niel (of S&L and Thai-masseuse fame), and the notorious security-executive-now-fund-manager Marvin following on. Suddenly, we remember why hereditary monarchy is such a bad idea.

    Outstanding mediocrities, all of them.

  18. 18.

    ThymeZone

    Asked if Baker would help implement the report, a spokesman for Mr. Bush said, “Jim Baker can go back to his day job.”

    Making travel arrangements for the Saudi Royal Family?

  19. 19.

    sglover

    I have nothing but contempt and loathing for the Bush family, but I think the mission of this show trial, er, Baker Iraq group, goes way beyond salvaging the Idiot Prince’s sorry and worthless ass. Max Sawicky sums it up perfectly. This is the failed Beltway crowd circling its wagons and trying to establish the limits of “serious” discourse about Vietnam, the Sandy Version.

  20. 20.

    sglover

    As long as it forces Bush’s hand to get us the fuck out of Iraq, I really don’t care who he serves.

    That won’t happen before we’ve pissed away at least a trillion dollars and 5-10 thousand dead grunts. (Of course, nobody even cares much about Iraqi casualties.) In fact, my sense is that shuck’n’jive exercises like this Baker stunt are really meant to lay the foundations for a permanent presence.

    It’s an elaborate exercise in bullshit. We need to talk about realities. Like, just what the hell are we getting out of this muscle-centric and corporation-friendly “foreign policy”?

  21. 21.

    RSA

    Jim and Tammy Faye…I know that there is an extra ‘k’ in there but it is honestly the second thing that came into my mind.

    D’oh! Of course. For some reason, linguistic associations just don’t pop up for me. I remember watching an episode of the Simpsons on TV once, in which Homer goes on trial, I think, and it took me a full half-hour to realize that OJ has the same last name, despite many, many obvious allusions.

  22. 22.

    Ryan S.

    If Jim Bakker and Jim Baker get gay married, which last name do their kids get?

    Bakkker … sry couldn’t resist.

  23. 23.

    Salty Party Snax

    Did Jim Baker give Little Georgie a public spanking today or what? Actually coming out and saying that Little Georgie’s Iraq policies are not working, and then listing the reasons why? Pure humiliation for the thin-skinned faux Texan.

    Kind of begs the question: Does Jim Baker hate America?

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_iraq

  24. 24.

    The Other Steve

    Jim Bakker served time at the Federal Tennis Club up here in Minnesota. It’s quite a popular hang out amongst the white collar embezzlers. Jeffrey Skilling is having his room redecorated in preparation for his time at this very moment.

    Also according to wiki, Lyndon LaRouche was here bunking with Jimmy Bakker.

  25. 25.

    Tsulagi

    Haven’t read the full Baker report, but all I see so far is what Murtha and plenty of others were saying long ago and the study calling for a slower withdrawal to stall the inevitable a bit longer. Also a lot of fluff and shit that will never happen like Bush convening focus groups among all the player countries in the region. That’ll happen about the same time he’s crowned all-time Jeopardy champ.

    The reason for the fluff is not only to say they considered every option, but more importantly so Tony Snow and the rest of the Bush press office at Fox can say their plan is an orange, not that evil apple of cut and run the Dems wanted. In the end, my guess is dipshit will say he’s carefully considered the study, will adopt a few strategies from it that of course he’d already thought of, then proceed with two more years of renamed Stay the Course.

  26. 26.

    ThymeZone

    If Bush does that, Tsulagi, I think another anti-GOP wave is in the works for 2008. I’d say “fine with me” but a lot of people are going to die every day that Bush keeps his fingers in his ears.

  27. 27.

    The Liberal Avenger

    The irony of the Administration and its supporters savaging Jack Murtha while simultaneously contemplating identical policy decisions is overwhelming.

    Do these people have no shame?

  29. 29.

    Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop

    The irony of the Administration and its supporters savaging Jack Murtha while simultaneously contemplating identical policy decisions is overwhelming.

    The Bushies wanted to redeploy to Okinawa?

  31. 31.

    Tsulagi

    If Bush does that, Tsulagi,…

    Take a trip down memory lane. 9/11 Commission. He opposed its creation, tried to kill it, then when Coulter wasn’t successful enough in bashing the Jersey wives, said he embraced it. Later said he was implementing it. Reality? Bullshit, he remained on Stay the Course. Even got a little testy when some questioned the wisdom of selling ports to Dubai.

    One thing you can always count on, the essence of Bush. He’s a spoiled brat who doesn’t like to be told no or to do something a little more competently than his brain-dead default.

  32. 32.

    Rusty Shackleford

    Zifnab Says:

    Suddenly, we remember why hereditary monarchy is such a bad idea.

    Inbreeding?

    December 6th, 2006 at 4:12 pm

    Speaking of inbreeding, anybody see Darrell lately?

  33. 33.

    ThymeZone

    The irony of the Administration and its supporters savaging Jack Murtha while simultaneously contemplating identical policy decisions is overwhelming.

    Yes.

    And predictable.

    And predicted.

    Right here on these pages, IIRC.

  34. 34.

    Pb

    The Bushies wanted to redeploy to Okinawa?

    Probably, but when they finally announce it, they’ll act like it was their idea all along, and contemplating anything else would be high treason etc. etc.

  35. 35.

    ThymeZone

    And how would we win the war if John McCain were in charge?

    “One of the things I would do if I were President would be to sit the Shiites and the Sunnis down and say, ‘Stop the bullshit,’” said Mr. McCain

    Stolen from DKos.

    But … who knew it was that easy?

    No wonder they call this guy a “maverick.”

  36. 36.

    Jake

    No wonder they call this guy a “maverick.”

    Au contraire. This approach was pioneered by Bush 43:

    ‘…see, the irony is that what they need to do is to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit, and it’s over.

  38. 38.

    Zifnab

    Bluegrass Politics: ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ As Our Next U.S. Senator?
    …
    Born in Lexington and raised in Northern Kentucky (note that McConnell is from Alabama), the two-time holder of the title “Sexiest Man Alive” (1997 and 2006) would present quite an opportunity for Democrats. Clooney, 45, is no stranger to politics; he even recently testified before the United Nations Security Council about his visit to Darfur, Sudan, where genocide is destroying the population. Clooney is as articulate as he is at ease when discussing issues like Iraq, North Korea, warrantless surveillance, domestic issues and why he’s a Democrat. He was even ahead of the curve this summer by calling for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to run for president in 2008.

    ~sexiestlinkalive

    Completely off topic, but something I thought was totally worth mentioning for so many reasons. I’d trust this man as a politician. I’ve seen him play one on TV.

  40. 40.

    Davebo

    When considering the ISG keep in mind it’s chairman James Baker and his families “ties that bind” to the Saudis. Mainly Khalid bin Mahfouz.

    The Baker family was a major share holder in Texas Commerce Bank (now Chase) and Mahfouz grossly over paid for their tower in Dallas.

  42. 42.

    ThymeZone

    Somewhere on her knees, Scs is choking on a Dick Cheney.

    Have you seen what Diet Coke does to a flat panel monitor? It’s not pretty. Especially when mixed with chewed Snickers.

  44. 44.

    Zifnab

    Somewhere on her knees, Scs is choking on a Dick Cheney.

    I’ve heard the trick is to just relax and let Mr. Cheney do all the work. Also, feed him lots of pineapple.

  45. 45.

    Jake

    I’ve heard the trick is to just relax and let Mr. Cheney do all the work. Also, feed him lots of pineapple.

    A few shots of Chloraseptic to the back of the throat can help calm the gag reflex.

    So I’ve been told.

  47. 47.

    Mary

    Oh Jesus, ThymeZone. I had really hoped all would work out well for the Kim family.

    Earlier in the day, searchers said they had uncovered clues that suggested Kim had shed clothing and arranged it to give searchers clues to his whereabouts. They had also made plans to drop rescue packages for Kim with clothing, emergency gear and provisions. …

    Searchers told NBC News that at one point they were able to make direct contact with Kim on the ground and that they had explored ways to lower a medic to the site. It was not immediately clear whether that attempt was aborted or was undertaken too late to save Kim.

    Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

  48. 48.

    t. jasper parnell

    The damn Dutch succeed just, I bet, to make Bush look bad:
    The Dutch went into Uruzgan expecting the same kind of bloody welcome that Canadians have found in Kandahar. (…) But the bloodbath never happened. This past week, the first four-month rotation of Dutch troops started to leave Uruzgan after having completed 400 patrols, established two forward bases and started the slow work of building roads, bridges, schools, and clinics — all without a single soldier killed in action, and just two injuries from hostile forces. (…) The success is fragile, Dutch commanders caution, and might be partly the result of luck, insurgents focusing on battles elsewhere or the cautious pace of their arrival. But the early results in Uruzgan also suggest that something these commanders call the “Dutch philosophy” is worth a hard look. It’s a strategy focused on supporting the local government rather than killing its supposed enemies, talking with the Taliban instead of fighting them, and treading carefully with an understanding of how little any foreigner knows about this untamed country.

  49. 49.

    t. jasper parnell

    Sorry some errors in the last post

    The Dutch went into Uruzgan expecting the same kind of bloody welcome that Canadians have found in Kandahar. (…) But the bloodbath never happened. This past week, the first four-month rotation of Dutch troops started to leave Uruzgan after having completed 400 patrols, established two forward bases and started the slow work of building roads, bridges, schools, and clinics — all without a single soldier killed in action, and just two injuries from hostile forces. (…) The success is fragile, Dutch commanders caution, and might be partly the result of luck, insurgents focusing on battles elsewhere or the cautious pace of their arrival. But the early results in Uruzgan also suggest that something these commanders call the “Dutch philosophy” is worth a hard look. It’s a strategy focused on supporting the local government rather than killing its supposed enemies, talking with the Taliban instead of fighting them, and treading carefully with an understanding of how little any foreigner knows about this untamed country.

    quoted and cited here

  50. 50.

    ThymeZone

    Fuck, fuck, fuck

    That just about says it all.

    We were grinding our teeth over this thing for a week, and it seemed like they were so close.

    Everyone did the best they could, I think. There just wasn’t enough time.

  51. 51.

    Big Pimpin'

    This whole Baker thing is absurd. It’s nothing but a stall. They got to get Junior through another 2 years in office without Iraq turining into a complete and bona fide loss, so they’re staging stunts like the one we saw today.
    After that it’s the Democrats fault.

    The illusion of potential progress being so much more desirable than having the family dope also being known as the guy responsible for handing America its 2nd battlefield defeat.

  52. 52.

    searp

    I regard the ISG’s military recommendations as dangerous.

    Our troops, embedded in relatively small numbers, in unreliable Iraqi units? That is a recipe for a ton of American casualties, in my opinion. We don’t owe the Iraqis that.

    I can’t see the generals going for this, even the careerists. Hasn’t it been difficult enough for our folks?

    Nope, think more clearly about this thing politically (Iraqi politics) and THEN determine a military strategy. What do we really want at this point?

    The ISG seems to want to stay the course politically and change things militarily; this is only half the job and doomed to failure.

  53. 53.

    TenguPhule

    Have you seen what Diet Coke does to a flat panel monitor? It’s not pretty. Especially when mixed with chewed Snickers.

    Merry Fitzmas! :P

  54. 54.

    Pb

    I had really hoped all would work out well for the Kim family.

    After he didn’t come back, I figured he was probably gone for good. But in the meantime, I’m sure Iraq was just peachy…

  56. 56.

    Sherard

    Hey smartass – if you want to talk shit about Glenn “I have more intelligence in my pinky toe than Tim”, how about YOU do it ?? I find that to be a consistent weakness of yours, Tim. You don’t do much of the heavy lifting, instead you link to someone else. Funny that after following the links, Drum’s summary starts with bullet point #1 which you have scroll down an entire page of Glenn’s post to find. That’s what’s called cherry picking. Which is pathetic. But you are so pathetic you can’t even bring yourself to do the cherry picking yourself.

  57. 57.

    Sherard

    BTW, the competing plan is…. what again ? Leave and apply “diplomatic pressure” ?? Awesome. Because that has worked SO well for the last, what 80 years ?

  58. 58.

    pie

    Ah, stop whining, liberals. Detroit is way the Hell worse than anything Iraq has to offer. Why all this fucking whining and complaining all the time?

  59. 59.

    ThymeZone

    BTW, the competing plan is…. what again ?

    To start telling the American people the truth about what is going on over there, and thereby let them judge what to do, based on accurate information.

  60. 60.

    Zifnab

    Why is Sherad so angry and shrill? She must be hanging out with too many of those evil, godless liberals.

    Now now, Sherad, this is a conservative website and we won’t tolerate that type of meaningless vitrol. Please try to contain yourself.

  61. 61.

    demimondian

    Leave and apply “diplomatic pressure” ?? Awesome. Because that has worked SO well for the last, what 80 years ?

    You’re finally catching on! That’s exactly what we should do, because it *did* work, when direct confrontation didn’t. What took you so long?

Comments are closed.