[AZ_Cowboy]

Lieutenant General William E. Odom, U.S. Army (Ret.), is a Senior Fellow with Hudson Institute and a professor at Yale University. He was Director of the National Security Agency from 1985 to 1988. From 1981 to 1985, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, the Army's senior intelligence officer. From 1977 to 1981, he was Military Assistant to the President's Assistant for National Security Affairs, Zbigniew Brzezinski.

Translation: Another talking head who has been out of the loop for nearly two decades.

The dude was around during the Carter Administration, I notice. To put it mildly, the Carter Administration was not overly successful in its dealings with Islamofascists.

The conclusions are a bit odd, too. To prevent an outcome mirroring that of Vietnam in Iraq, we need to take the same route we took in the Vietnam War?

[Billthedrill]

"My idea of American policy toward the Soviet Union is simple, and some would say simplistic. It is this: 'We win and they lose.' What do you think of that?" -- Ronald Reagan, to future National Security Adviser Richard V. Allen, 1977.

We win and they lose. Works for me.

[Jim Robinson]

Why in the hell would we cut and run when we are winning the war? In case you haven't noticed, Saddam and his army have been destroyed. His murderous fascist regime is no more. Saddam is in chains and awaiting a date with the hangman. The Iraqi people have been liberated. They've installed a new constitution and are on the eve of electing their new government. They are recruiting and training their own security forces and will soon be ready to defend themselves. The war in Iraq has been spectacularly successful! Why pull out on the eve of victory and let all of this collapse?

[Tribune7]

from 1977 to 1981, he was Military Assistant to the President's (Jimmha Cartah) Assistant for National Security

That explains that.

[LexBaird]

This is filled with so many logical fallacies, poor reasonings and outright falsehoods that it beggars description. This isn't reasoned criticism; it is outright propaganda of the sort that caused the real defeat in Vietnam. As this Odam was no doubt a high level "thinker" at the time of Vietnam, he clearly ossified his world-view then.

[Richard Axtell]

This former military man's prescription for failure and decline is reflective of the failed Carter administration that actively sought the decline of the United States as a superpower, and was dismissed for its incompetence. Failure breeds failure, and this old and feeble man needs to be ignored.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

The military's main job is to protect the country, even if it means taking a bullet to do it.

Right now the military in Iraq is the primary target of the terrorists. They are focusing most of their efforts against our troops. Therefore, just by being there, the military is protecting the USA.

Yea I don't like soldiers being killed, but better that than having civilians killed here.

[righttackle44]

If this guy is not talking farts, then he's talking
garbage.

[The Duke]

My question is, "What's wrong with kicking their asses?"

[penowa]

Remember this old fool from his stint on CNN or MSNBC, can't remember which, during the first Gulf War? He was wrong on EVERYTHING then and I see he hasn't changed a bit or learned a thing.

[Anti-Bubba182]

If that was the authors title, he can't have expected to be taken seriously.

[Diplomat]

Questions for the administration: "Why do the Iranians support our presence in Iraq today? Why do they tell the Shiite leaders to avoid a sectarian clash between Sunnis and Shiites? Given all the money and weapons they provide Shiite groups, why are they not stirring up more trouble for the US? Will Iranian policy change once a Shiite majority has the reins of government? Would it not be better to pull out now rather than to continue our present course of weakening the Sunnis and Baathists, opening the way for a Shiite dictatorship?"

The Iranians want us to stay in Iraq? One of many fabrications littered though out his analysis. Iran is stirring up trouble in the manner consistent with how they've operated the past 30 years. By using surrogates as much as possible and financing what they can.

Even though there is plenty of leftist ideology throughout, he really gives himself away here by blatantly stating it would be better to let the baathist rule and start saddam II. Yes communism will work some day, some where. It won't lead to starvation, mass murder and tyranny. See, I listened in college.

Imposing a liberal constitutional order in Iraq would be to accomplish something that has never been done before. Of all the world's political cultures, an Arab-Muslim one may be the most resistant to such a change of any in the world.

The left cannot contain their inherent bigotry and elitism. If these people have no ability to govern themselves in a civilized manner, then we don't get the opportunity to forever ignore the region because of the lands ability to accumulate wealth through oil. If what he suggests are true, then Darwin has the inside track on how this one ends up.

[Biblebelter]

Lieutenant General William E. Odom, U.S. Army (Ret.), is a Senior Fellow with Hudson Institute

You can translate that as head cheerleader for the New World Order.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Too bad today's Democrats were not in charge of the Congress in 1941-1945.

Just imagine a world with no Jews, no blacks, no bilingual schools(only German).

I fear the Democrats much more than Al Qaeda!!

[glorgau]

The Lieutenant General is a small strategic thinker. His is a 2 year plan, not a solution to the problem.

[Rembrandt_fan]

A child could successfully counter the arguments presented in this article. For example, the statement, "There is no question the insurgents and other anti-American parties will take over the government once we leave."

No question? Really? It may be true that the new Iraq might not choose to closely ally itself with the US, but that is its option as a sovereign nation--even one without former 'insurgents' (oh, how I hate that term) in power. To make the statement the author did, unequivocally and absolutely, is the most rudimentary fallacy one can imagine. And it goes downhill from there. And yes, Virginia, the term 'hyperpower' is hyperbole, coined by our buddies the French, and credibility does matter in world affairs. This guy wouldn't make it on the freshman debating team.

[yldstrk]

Hey stupid, the Islamists want us dead, ya unnerstand? Ya never cowere infront of a bully, ya see? We are gonna kill 'em, ya get it? now shaddup.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

It is rapid withdrawal, re-establishing strong relations with our allies in Europe, showing confidence in the UN Security Council, and trying to knit together a large coalition including the major states of Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, and India to back a strategy for stabilizing the area from the eastern Mediterranean to Afghanistan and Pakistan

John Kerry's talking points.

[syriacus]

So, are we left with the option that the Anti-war folks preferred --Saddam's "containment" by the world community?

Pre-War "containment" of Saddam failed more each day.

1. The oil-for-food program was corrupt
2. The weapons inspections were a farce
3. US and allied planes were targeted
4. Uninspected flights to Baghdad gutted the sanctions
5. Terrorists were training in Iraq
6. Saddam brutalized our fellow human beings

Saddam was thumbing his nose at decent people as he rewarded his collaborators.

Bush interrupted Saddam's staging of a comeback.

[Valin]

There is no question the insurgents and other anti-American parties will take over the government once we leave.

I got $20.00 that says it don't happen.