[cripplecreek]

The terrorists have made it very clear that if we cut and runm they're coming after us.

[Gordongekko909]

You owe me one keyboard.

[speedy]

Treason seems to be the in thing this season. Like a lot of other fads, it won't look so hot a bit later.

[sionnsar]

The US invasion of Iraq only serves the interest of:

Certainly not the Iraqis headed to mass graves and shredder machines To begin with.

[fat city]

Wow- and we paid this guy?

[Cacique]

I for one am glad this idiot is no longer in a position of influence. His arguments seem plausible on the surface, but they are the arguments of an academic. The world works by schoolyard rules. And those rules mean that whoever is the tough guy always gets chalenged. To cut and run invites nothing but relentless abuse and is perceived as a sign of weakness. In the Darwinnian world of schoolyard rules the weak get eaten for lunch.

[Starter]

"So why is almost nobody advocating a pullout?"

Because, despite your bleatings to the contrary, it's an idiotic idea?

[armydawg1]

You could have saved a lots of space by just saying surrender is the best course.

[Sterm26]

I suppose that handing the terrorists a massive, unearned victory isn't that big of a deal. After all, we're the "hyperpower", our credibility means nothing, and allowing AQ, and their leftist allies, to crow in the worldwide media about driving out the infidel might make the world a safer place.

If I have any problems with the handling of the war, it's that we're not being ruthless enough.

[Trailerpark Badass]

and squanders US military resources that otherwise might be finishing off al Qaeda in Pakistan.);

Huh?

[okie01]

The good general would seem to owe more to Yale than to West Point.

I would point out that Odom's generation of generals were not known for their war-fighting abilities nor strategic acumen.

McMasters captured their essence in Dereliction of Duty

[Brett66]

What's wrong with winning?

[Uncle Vlad]

From 1977 to 1981, he was Military Assistant to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs, Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Ah, yes, the Carter administration, which raised "cut and run" to an art form.

[jim-x]

Tagline says it all...

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Must be nice living in such a simple black and white world, Mr. Odom.

[JAWs]

Let's go through the points in order.

1. This would guarantee the Iraqis we want to win will win. CF: Vietnam 1975. Ted Kennedy is still in office.

2. Speaking of the 70s... Brings to mind Moynahahn's quip about how it was inconvenient to be an enemy of the US, but lethal to be an ally. Hyperpower status needs to be maintained. It can slip away.

3. The Sunnis are anti-American. The Kurds and Shia are not. Give them the strength and the capabilities to run the country and the pool for the Ba`athists dries up.

   And (despite many wiseguy comments to the contrary) I do not believe that Islamic society is any more immune to the powers of democratization than the Japanese or South Koreans were. It just has to be implemented.

4. Iraq is already a training ground for terrorists.
   Maybe. But, unlike under Saddam, they can't train openly inside Iraq.

5. Iran is happy we're there? Right. Maybe they see the US troops as a target of opportunity, but there is real nervousness in Tehran that so many US guns are in a quarter from where they've been attacked before. The stress is affecting the regime.

6. Have you seen how nervous Assad Jr.'s been lately. If Ivy didn't drag Saddam out of his spider hole, he'd be still openly raping Lebanon.

7. We delay the conflict until it stops being relevant or until our side can win.

8. But South Vietnam's political leaders lost the war.
   This is an outright lie. Congressional Democrats, strengthened by the radical influx in 1974 cut off all military aid over the protests of the scandal weakened White House. South Vietnam could not stop the NVA because they did not have the ordinance, equipment or fuel they were guaranteed under the agreements that led to the 'Peace Accords.'

9. Sorry, but these sweeping statements are so vague (yet risible on so many levels) that one has to look askance at them with no comment beyond a scoff.

[Redbob]

"What’s wrong with cutting and running?"

Nothing.
If you're a pussy.

[Redbob]

"What’s wrong with cutting and running?"

Nothing.
If you're a pussy.

[Col Freeper]

Well Owen_ do you have any position/comments on what you posted here?

[No Longer Free State]

I looked up Odom's bio the other day. He's no warrior. He got to where he did the same way Clark did. Political assignments. Attache, instructorships, etc.