Last summer it was Bush’s "Operation Forward Together." Today it’s "We’re not winning, we’re not losing." Huh? Additionally, whatever name you give it, no matter how it is accomplished, the Iraq Study Group‘s “The Way Forward” is merely the way out. The group took nine months to tell us what we already knew: "The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating."
One of the ISG members, Vernon Jordan, said, “We didn’t talk about how we got here," which must have been exceedingly difficult, considering the majority of Americans can hardly think about anything else. Which means, from the ISG point of view, we must not look back. We must only look ahead, away from the negative. Away from American dissenters accused of being traitors. Away from Cheney lying again and again about Saddam’s connection with Al-Qaeda. Away from Cheney’s secret energy meetings and his no-bid contracts to cronies. Away from torture and the loss of habeas corpus, and away from America’s loss of its moral high ground in the eyes of the world.
No, don’t look at all that. Forget how imperfectly better we were before the toxic Bush administration came into power. Forget that Bush, with his usual total disrespect for the rest of us, said, “We’re absolutely winning," and in his mean-spirited way told us just before the mid-term elections that a vote for Democrats is a vote for terrorists which was the same as giving us the finger. No, don’t look back, Baker tells us. Only look forward to the least damaging resolution to our entrapment in a foreign civil war, and away from the worst foreign policy disaster in this country’s history.
The President is currently thinking of reversing and expanding the military for the “long struggle,” a new term along with “surge” in his lexicon of words and phases meant to blow another smokescreen to hide the latest bait and switch, while the new Secretary of Defense Gates is seen on television in Iraq, in a staged setting, being told by a non-commissioned soldier that we need more troops. Well if I were a soldier there, I too would want as much help as I could get and would respond in kind. The generals until now have been steady in their opposition to more soldiers without a “well-defined mission,” whatever that means; but is it possible that Bush, in another reversal, is bribing them into compliance with a big military budget boost? Huh? Wish I knew.
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Article comments
1 - Bliffle
GWB is such a knucklehead that he couldn't even recognize the lifesaver his dad threw to him. And the yes-men around GWB had no reason to help. So we shall carry on with this lost adventure in spite of all common sense. How stupid. So many people will die, so much money will be spent, for one mans ego. Was it MacCauley who said "war is the vanity of kings".?
2 - Martin J. Ryan
Bliffle--Thanks for the comment. I know little of poetry, but I found a Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1800-1859, who said: "In every age the vilest specimens of human nature are to be found among demagogues." Not bad, since it applies to every era, maybe especially ours.
3 - Belizaire
Bliffle, why take a lifesaver when you are confident that you can swim to shore?
Defeatism never pays off, and if the rest of the world is against us that merely shows what utter fools and traitors they are. And they will pay and are paying for that foolishness.
4 - Bliffle
If you really believe you can swim to shore with a concrete block around your neck you are truly a fool. And what better describes Iraq than a concrete block?
5 - Georgio
I agree with Biffie but if the fool is hell bent on having a surge then the only one that makes sense to me is to destroy the Sardar army and secure Bagdad but I have read he has over 100000 fanatics and in house to house fighting we would lose so the only alternative to that is bomb the shit out of them from the air which would kill thousands of innocents and I don't think we have the stomach for that so if we can't win then GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE !
6 - D'oh
Interesting, some may say that "defeatism" never pays off,and they make a valid point. However, ignoring the reality of a situation is ALWAYS a disaster, no matter the circumstance.
Wisdom is knowing the difference between when determination is the way to go and when re-thinking circumstance and course of action is required.
This statement,"and if the rest of the world is against us that merely shows what utter fools and traitors they are. And they will pay and are paying for that foolishness.", clearly demonstrates the mind of a sociopath, who cares not for anyone and is incapable of empathy or sympathy in any form.
Clear examples can be shown with the difference between the initial invasion of Afghanistan, where even Russia and China said, "go for it, need any help?", and the world was united behind the cause as just and responsible. Compare that to the entire mess'o'potamia and also note how the universal goodwill has evaporated.
Add to that the strategic failure of the U.S. being shown to be ineffectual because of what has been mishandled in Iraq and even a "life preserver" will not be enough.
7 - B elizaire
Georgio, weren't the Sardar the imperial stormtroopers in the Dune series? Is THAT why Iraq is such a mess?
8 - Bliffle
Surge, eh? You can surge 30,000 or 40,000 or whatever and it will disappear into the blackhole of Iraq without making a difference. We surged 500,000 in Vietnam.
9 - Georgio
B elizaire I don't understand your comment ..
10 - troll
Belizaire - that would be the dreaded Sardaukar