Operation Enduring Presence

An interesting op-ed piece in the Seattle PI discusses US intentions with regard to its "enduring" presence in Iraq. Of course, the mainstream media parrot what they're told in the regular press briefings, that Iraq belongs to Iraqis, we liberated tham, will not stay one second longer than necessary, blah blah blah so we don't often get a lot of regular info on this subject (kinda like the issue of Iraqi civilian casualties). As the Chicago Trib (and a few other brave pubs) reported last year, the US is in the process of building and intends on operating indefinately at least 14 permanent military bases in Iraq, a country roughly the size of California in geography and population. To my knowledge that will be the largest US military presence, in terms of real estate, in any foreign country ouside of Germany (with the possible exceptions of Japan and Korea).

And as the PI points out, in addition the US has earmarked half a billion dollars to build what they call the "largest embassy in the world". That would make Iraq the largest imperial land grab since the post-war expansion of the former Soviet Union.