December 14, 2006

A level of incompetence I thought was impossible

How is it that we have not heard more about this? Anyone who wants to know why we are failing so miserably in Iraq should look at this. The most incompetent administration in American history. Unbelievable.

I can guarantee you that incompetence at this level would have led to impeachment for Clinton and the American people probably would have agreed. But somehow, this administration can completely politicize the rebuilding of Iraq and the media sits silent.
Ties to GOP Trumped Know-How Among Staff Sent to Rebuild Iraq - washingtonpost.com: "
After the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in April 2003, the opportunity to participate in the U.S.-led effort to reconstruct Iraq attracted all manner of Americans -- restless professionals, Arabic-speaking academics, development specialists and war-zone adventurers. But before they could go to Baghdad, they had to get past Jim O'Beirne's office in the Pentagon.

To pass muster with O'Beirne, a political appointee who screens prospective political appointees for Defense Department posts, applicants didn't need to be experts in the Middle East or in post-conflict reconstruction. What seemed most important was loyalty to the Bush administration.

O'Beirne's staff posed blunt questions to some candidates about domestic politics: Did you vote for George W. Bush in 2000? Do you support the way the president is fighting the war on terror? Two people who sought jobs with the U.S. occupation authority said they were even asked their views on Roe v. Wade .

Many of those chosen by O'Beirne's office to work for the Coalition Provisional Authority, which ran Iraq's government from April 2003 to June 2004, lacked vital skills and experience. A 24-year-old who had never worked in finance -- but had applied for a White House job -- was sent to reopen Baghdad's stock exchange. The daughter of a prominent neoconservative commentator and a recent graduate from an evangelical university for home-schooled children were tapped to manage Iraq's $13 billion budget, even though they didn't have a background in accounting."

3 comments:

Bootleg Blogger said...

Streak- The Bush admin has been consistent from day one, wouldn't you say? Loyalty, cronyism, and checking off on a few position statements have far outweighed experience and competency for these guys. They got away with it because they were given carte blanche for a few years when America was in a state of fear and, to a degree, revenge. Thousands of people are dead due to this administrations practices and policies and the American public's unwillingness to hold them accountable. It has to be one of the strangest and saddest chapters in our history. The mob got scared and handed power over to Caesar. The responsibility is shared by anyone who voted for him and any congressman/woman who voted to give him the power. Later- BB

volfan007 said...

oh, those dirty, low down, conniving, thieving, conspiracy minded republicans are the reason the hurricane hit new orleans and the ms gulf coast...they are the reason we have poverty in america...they are the reason why people are mugged in nyc....they are the reason why teen girls get pregnant....they are the reason that alabama fired thier football coach.

oh my goodness! lol.

volfan007

Anonymous said...

volfan, either address the substance of the piece or shut the hell up.

BTW, not that this matters to you, but I don't think most Republicans are like this. In fact, what has stunned me from the beginning was how my Republican family and friends seemed to overlook this administration's corruption and basic incompetence. They all want, at a base level, good government.