It looks to me like WE are the ones flanked right now, considering Saudi isn't really an "ally" we can count on for much.
Clearly the best solution is to parcel Iraq up into 3 or 4 parts, and call it a draw.
Posted on 01/15/2005 2:30:04 PM PST by Prost1
Chaos will flourish in the Middle East if President Bush’s policy continues unchanged
EVEN DONALD RUMSFELD, in his more private moments, must wonder if the invasion of Iraq was really such a good idea. It has become obvious to almost everyone else, including many such as myself who originally supported the war, that it has been a huge mistake. My support was based solely on the evidence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), on which the intelligence was exaggerated and which Washington has just admitted it is no longer looking for. There is absolutely no evidence that Iraq was supporting al-Qaeda. I believe that the real reason for the war, at least in the US, was to create a reasonably democratic, free-market Iraq to act as both a beacon and a rebuke to other countries in the region. That possibility looks more and more remote. The forthcoming elections look unlikely to produce a government with real authority and legitimacy, or to stop the violence, but they must go ahead; let us hope that they prove a step on the road to normality. Despite the bombing of the UN headquarters in August 2003, the current appalling level of violence did not begin until March 2004, a year after the invasion. It might have been more easily contained if the postwar administration had not made so many early mistakes.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Untrue. We don't give a fig about UN resolutions. The invasion of Iraq occurred because it was a state sponsor of terrorism. It was picked (from several such sponsors) for strategic reasons.
I genuinely don't understand this analysis. He appears to be basing the prospects for the election soley on the "level of violence". That is on an insurgency with a level of popular support less than three percent (and falling). That just doesn't make any sense.
He has to basically ignore that millions of Iraqis are registering; that there are thousands of candidates, many who have already been serving in civic and local elected offices; that there are around 200 hundred political parties; that many parties are running multi-ethnic, multi-tribal and/or multi-sectarian slates of candidates; that virtually no extremists or hard-core separatists have been elected to civic and local offices so far, and they don't seem to have any better chances in the national elections.
In short I see high enthusiasm and a creditable (and frankly somewhat surprising, considering the circumstances) level of responsibility and tolerance among Iraqis. Apart from the elections there are many other positive factors. Soaring business startups, huge inflows of private capital, increasing confidence of Iraqi armed forces and police (and increasing fear of them on the part of the insurgents), etc, etc.
Sure the violence is heartbreaking, but at the big picture level this is looking pretty good. Just opposite of the author, I am more and more confident with each passing day.
Most of them are DU trolls, or DU shills, you can tell, they just repeat the DNC mantra or whatever they hear on CNN or the Chris Matthews show.
Because our military is there, and we are unable to make any large scale land strikes anywhere else right now.
Same reason I think China will strike Taiwan sooner than later, because our focus is concentrated very heavily on Iraq.
Yeah, like New York City. And this time with a nuke.
Glad this country's safety isn't dependent on your level of strategic thinking.
WMD's mostly went to Syria and some to Iran.
"If we fail in Iraq, the terrorists win and we all lose."
A bit over the top, don't you think?
I believe that we call Iraq a draw, let the Sunnis have the civil war they obviously want, and figure out what our next move should be in the larger WOT.
Iraq is a small piece of the big picture.
"Winning" Iraq doesn't mean overall victory in the WOT, and "losing/quitting" Iraq doesn't mean overall loss in the WOT.
Iraq is more like round 2 of a 15 round heavyweight fight, IMO.
"Problem is they aren't content with keeping it inside their borders."
Who was Zarqawi before we showed up there?
Saddam was a threat because most of the world was in on the scam of keeping him in power at any cost. Gore was supposed to win and the US was supposed to go into a mini or maxi depression, the world was shook when Gore didn't pull off the coup. The commies are in control of most of the west in case you haven't noticed.
That view is both simplistic and naive.
Let's hope no one takes your advice. Why did we go there if we are going to let Iraq be broke up into tribes again ? Beaindead !
Make that, Braindead !
A civil war would be a failure and a victory for the insurgents.
"Some "conservatives" buy the MSM line that we "waited"."
----
It is frustrating to me to see, on a daily basis, Freepers bemoaning media bias ... and then in the next breath, swallowing the defeatist garbage about Iraq whole-hog.
It's what my blog is for:
http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com
When Joe Hadeneunf shows up on the thread you know Hillary Clinton is close behind.
Funny how we side with the UN on rulings we approve of and condemn them when it's against our interests.
You really want to know why we invaaded? IMHO Daddy's unfinished business and the later failed assination attempt. Period. Nothing else adds up, WMD's, UN resolutions, or a democratic Iraq.
"A civil war would be a failure and a victory for the insurgents."
So you think the Sunnis are just going to give up their centuries long hatred of Shia because Allawi "wins" the "election"?
A civil war is INEVITABLE.
"Why did we go there if we are going to let Iraq be broke up into tribes again ?"
Uh, WMD?
Saddam was a threat to the United States?
Remember that...?
Regime Change. Remember that ? You buddy Blozo Clinton even said that.
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