Final post on the war, for now
I wasn't able to get home and watch Bush's speech last night on Iraq (it was 6 p.m. out here), but I did read about it and the Democratic response by Sen. Reed. I also watched four presidential aspirants (Obama, Giuliani, Edwards, and McCain) give their thoughts on it and the war later on in the evening.
To be honest, I wasn't happy with anyone. I do not support calls for an immediate withdrawal, because we are seeing some progress in Iraq. But I have to agree with Democratic critics when it's stated that 3 out of 17 benchmarks that have been met is pathetic and of that, it has been mainly helped by factors other than the troop surge.
Both Obama and Edwards talked about the need for political reconciliation in Iraq and getting the Shia and Sunni to sit together and work things out, failing which we would pull our troops out. They are both intelligent men, so I am sure they knew that what they were talking about was complete garbage. Most of the people in power, which now belong to the Shia majority, have NO INTEREST in working things out with the Sunnis and political progress will continue to be tortuously slow, if at all. While many Iraqi politicians may act along with the U.S., they are in reality being controlled by hardline clerics such as al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army. al-Sadr can't wait for American troops to leave. He doesn't want to work with the Sunni minority, he wants to ethnically cleanse them from the country. The carrot will not work in Iraq, the various sectarian tribes have to be brought together using the stick. The Sunnis aren't working with us now because they like democracy, they're cooperating because America is their only chance for survival and they know that. Similarly, only with American might behind the Sunni factions will the Shia majority be willing to sit down and talk.
So does that mean that I agreed with Giuliani and McCain? Sadly, no. Giuliani, instead of dissecting this quagmire openly and honestly, reverted to what the Republicans have been harping about for the last six years. He constantly mentioned Islamic terrorism, the dangers Iran "poses", he played the politics of fear and division that Bush & Karl Rove played so insidiously the last six years. He gave a glimpse into the future in that a Giuliani presidency would be little different from a Bush presidency, as far as the Orwellian warnings about impending doom go at least.
As for McCain, well, his boot licking of George Bush continued unabated. He continued to insist that George Bush is right, much as he has for the past year and beyond.
So you might be wondering, who did I agree with? Well, none of them and all of them, in part.
George Bush - George Bush is right about ONE THING. We have made some progress and our troops should "return on success". However, it's clear that this President does not have a plan for success. He refuses to diplomatically engage Iran and Syria, which is critical if they are to stop interfering within Iraq. If anything, he continued to vilify Iran and ensure that our troops in Iraq face a much tougher task than they have to and will have to stay put much longer than is needed. According to his plan, six months from now, we will be at the same troop strength where we were a year ago and even in January 2009, when he will be leaving office, there will still be 100,000 troops in Iraq!!! If that's what's needed after exhausting all the resources at our disposal and ensuring stability, then fine. But, if this President doesn't want to do the tough things that are needed on the diplomatic front, such as engaging Iran, then his plan is UNACCEPTABLE. His ideological stubbornness is unfair to the troops, it's unfair to the Iraqis, it's unfair to America!
Democrats - I cannot agree with calls for an immediate withdrawal. It would be disastrous and it's playing partisan politics with the security of a nation, a nation we illegally invaded. If we get it wrong, then in any genocide or ethnic cleansing that follows, the blood will be on our hands. However, the Democrats are dead right in calling for engaging countries "we don't like too much" such as Iran and Syria. The Democrats need to drop their calls for an immediate withdrawal and ensure that we use all the diplomatic, as well as military, tools at our disposal to ensure Iraq's stability and get the troops home as quickly as possible.
What the Dems need to do: It's clear that this neo-con administration will sooner disappear rather than diplomatically engage Iran. That leaves the Democrats with only one choice. Impeach Bush, impeach Cheney, and let a President Pelosi do the job right. This President cannot leave his mess for the next one. Once he's impeached, let's try him for war crimes as well.
Sadly, the Dems are too scared to do what's right, they just want to do what's politically expedient. So they'll continue with calls for an immediate withdrawal, Bush will continue to ignore them, he will leave office in January 2009 with 100,000 soldiers in Iraq fighting and dying for a half-hearted cause.
To be honest, I wasn't happy with anyone. I do not support calls for an immediate withdrawal, because we are seeing some progress in Iraq. But I have to agree with Democratic critics when it's stated that 3 out of 17 benchmarks that have been met is pathetic and of that, it has been mainly helped by factors other than the troop surge.
Both Obama and Edwards talked about the need for political reconciliation in Iraq and getting the Shia and Sunni to sit together and work things out, failing which we would pull our troops out. They are both intelligent men, so I am sure they knew that what they were talking about was complete garbage. Most of the people in power, which now belong to the Shia majority, have NO INTEREST in working things out with the Sunnis and political progress will continue to be tortuously slow, if at all. While many Iraqi politicians may act along with the U.S., they are in reality being controlled by hardline clerics such as al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army. al-Sadr can't wait for American troops to leave. He doesn't want to work with the Sunni minority, he wants to ethnically cleanse them from the country. The carrot will not work in Iraq, the various sectarian tribes have to be brought together using the stick. The Sunnis aren't working with us now because they like democracy, they're cooperating because America is their only chance for survival and they know that. Similarly, only with American might behind the Sunni factions will the Shia majority be willing to sit down and talk.
So does that mean that I agreed with Giuliani and McCain? Sadly, no. Giuliani, instead of dissecting this quagmire openly and honestly, reverted to what the Republicans have been harping about for the last six years. He constantly mentioned Islamic terrorism, the dangers Iran "poses", he played the politics of fear and division that Bush & Karl Rove played so insidiously the last six years. He gave a glimpse into the future in that a Giuliani presidency would be little different from a Bush presidency, as far as the Orwellian warnings about impending doom go at least.
As for McCain, well, his boot licking of George Bush continued unabated. He continued to insist that George Bush is right, much as he has for the past year and beyond.
So you might be wondering, who did I agree with? Well, none of them and all of them, in part.
George Bush - George Bush is right about ONE THING. We have made some progress and our troops should "return on success". However, it's clear that this President does not have a plan for success. He refuses to diplomatically engage Iran and Syria, which is critical if they are to stop interfering within Iraq. If anything, he continued to vilify Iran and ensure that our troops in Iraq face a much tougher task than they have to and will have to stay put much longer than is needed. According to his plan, six months from now, we will be at the same troop strength where we were a year ago and even in January 2009, when he will be leaving office, there will still be 100,000 troops in Iraq!!! If that's what's needed after exhausting all the resources at our disposal and ensuring stability, then fine. But, if this President doesn't want to do the tough things that are needed on the diplomatic front, such as engaging Iran, then his plan is UNACCEPTABLE. His ideological stubbornness is unfair to the troops, it's unfair to the Iraqis, it's unfair to America!
Democrats - I cannot agree with calls for an immediate withdrawal. It would be disastrous and it's playing partisan politics with the security of a nation, a nation we illegally invaded. If we get it wrong, then in any genocide or ethnic cleansing that follows, the blood will be on our hands. However, the Democrats are dead right in calling for engaging countries "we don't like too much" such as Iran and Syria. The Democrats need to drop their calls for an immediate withdrawal and ensure that we use all the diplomatic, as well as military, tools at our disposal to ensure Iraq's stability and get the troops home as quickly as possible.
What the Dems need to do: It's clear that this neo-con administration will sooner disappear rather than diplomatically engage Iran. That leaves the Democrats with only one choice. Impeach Bush, impeach Cheney, and let a President Pelosi do the job right. This President cannot leave his mess for the next one. Once he's impeached, let's try him for war crimes as well.
Sadly, the Dems are too scared to do what's right, they just want to do what's politically expedient. So they'll continue with calls for an immediate withdrawal, Bush will continue to ignore them, he will leave office in January 2009 with 100,000 soldiers in Iraq fighting and dying for a half-hearted cause.
posted by Vivek at 7:18 PM
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