Interesting Tidbit About Paul Bremmer

[joanski01]

Yesterday, while watching the Senate proceedings, Senator Robert Byrd was up and talking about the Iraq war. He said that Paul Bremmer said he was "too busy" to come and testify before the Appropriations Committee. Senator Byrd then said that the rumors were that Paul Bremmer was going to be nominated for Secretary of State (if bush* won the election).

Senator Byrd said that if Paul Bremmer's name did come up for confirmation at some point, he would be "too busy" to vote for his confirmation.

Sorry, no link. I heard this live on C-Span2 yesterday. I just thought it was interesting, because we have heard rumors that Condi Rice might be nominated. This is the first time I heard about Paul Bremmer.

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. With his record of success he would be...........

perfect for the shrub cabal.

[Jacobin]

4. Yes. He presided over one of their vaunted Successful Catastrophes

Anyway, Doesn't Bremer have a home in the south of France?

Wouldn't that disqualify him from serving in a republican administration?

on edit: typo

[fob]

6. Correction: catastrophic success

:evilgrin:

[Eloriel]

12. LOL -- I think you had it right the first time

:evilgrin:

ROTFL. Too cute.

[peacetalksforall]

2. They keep a tight circle. Hardly diversified or far reaching.

That's what happens when someone runs a secret sub-government - best to keep the secrets contained.

[fdr_hst_fan]

3. Uh, "too busy"?

Whatever happened to the Congressional subpoena and "contempt of Congress"?

[joanski01]

5. Unfortunately, Republicans control

the Congress. Remember when the Dems threatened contempt of Congress because John Ashcroft wouldn't answer certain questions. Nothing happened. Repukes wouldn't go for it.

[merh]

7. Will he pay back the $20 billion discoveredmissing from the Iraqi coffers

after his very quick and premature departure????

:shrug:

[cliss]

8. That's right.

Nothing like padding the expense account a little, right Paul?

[Disturbed]

9. What's $20 Billion...

matter? It's only the US taxpayer money.

[maxsolomon]

10. too busy relaxing in the south of france

you have to hand it to bremmer: he came home alive.

[cthrumatrix]

11. bremmer left iraq running nice & smooth according to shrubya.....

[Eloriel]

13. This is some of the most disgusting news I've heard for a while

Er, at least since this morning.

I'm sure it'd go over really well with the rest of the world, too. Strong arm tactics, stupid mistakes, smoke and mirrors, rob the treasury. Well, what else could we expect?

[Disturbed]

14. Bremmer left this behind in Iraq.

The Hand-Over That Wasn't: Illegal Orders give the US a Lock on Iraq's Economy
by Antonia Juhasz

Officially, the U.S. occupation of Iraq ended on June 28, 2004. But in reality, the United States is still in charge: Not only do 138,000 troops remain to control the streets, but the "100 Orders" of L. Paul Bremer III remain to control the economy.

These little noticed orders enacted by Bremer, the now-departed head of the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority, go to the heart of Bush administration plans in Iraq. They lock in sweeping advantages to American firms, ensuring long-term U.S. economic advantage while guaranteeing few, if any, benefits to the Iraqi people.

The Bremer orders control every aspect of Iraqi life - from the use of car horns to the privatization of state-owned enterprises. Order No. 39 alone does no less than "transition from a … centrally planned economy to a market economy" virtually overnight and by U.S. fiat.

Although many thought that the "end" of the occupation would also mean the end of the orders, on his last day in Iraq Bremer simply transferred authority for the orders to Prime Minister Iyad Allawi - a 30-year exile with close ties to the CIA and British intelligence.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0805-07.htm

*This is why no Repub. or Dem Admin. will ever leave Iraq. Any rumors to the contrary should be viewed as BULLSHIT!!!

[Eloriel]

15. Thanks for posting that

I had actually forgotten just HOW rotten Bremer is. shudder

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

16. Doesn't Bremer have Henry Kissinger's hand up his anus?

L. Paul Bremer was the Managing Director at Kissinger & Associates for 11 years, before he became the Caliph of Baghdad. I was always under the impression that Henry Kissinger might have actually had a major voice in the running Iraq from afar.