It Didn’t Work (Buckley declares Iraq a failure)

National Review Online ^ | 02/24/06 | William F Buckley Jr

[CometBaby]

"I can tell you the main reason behind all our woes — it is America." The New York Times reporter is quoting the complaint of a clothing merchant in a Sunni stronghold in Iraq. "Everything that is going on between Sunni and Shiites, the troublemaker in the middle is America."

One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed. The same edition of the paper quotes a fellow of the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Reuel Marc Gerecht backed the American intervention. He now speaks of the bombing of the especially sacred Shiite mosque in Samara and what that has precipitated in the way of revenge. He concludes that “The bombing has completely demolished” what was being attempted — to bring Sunnis into the defense and interior ministries.

Our mission has failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans. The great human reserves that call for civil life haven't proved strong enough. No doubt they are latently there, but they have not been able to contend against the ice men who move about in the shadows with bombs and grenades and pistols.

[garv]

You do understand that without Buckley the modern conservative movement would not exist, right?

Watching members of a conservative website that very well might not exist in the absence of Bill Buckley is astounding.

While I am fully supportive of the WOT and our efforts in Iraq, anyone who believes with any degree of certainty that a stable democracy will be the ultimate outcome must have some pretty strong stuff.

[jennyp]

But it is sad to read so many treat him as if he were Chauncy Gardner.

LOL! You mean I don't have to feel vaguely inadequate as I drift into a stupor waiting for him to finish his sentences, with all those big, obscure words, intoned ponderously?

[SteveMcKing]

Correct -- conservatives, liberals, and neocons are a continuum of good, evil, and useful.

We have (perhaps by necessity) successfully persuaded hordes of analytically inept moral slobs into voting with us. When ever righteousness again becomes un-cool, I don't believe we can count on them.

[B Knotts]

I would suggest people read the whole article before attacking WFB.

Yes, he is saying that the project in Iraq has failed, but he is saying that we should not allow that to create a feeling that democratization can never work.

Also, he suggests that if we were willing to take the kind of measures we did after WWII, we could still make it work.

[Yardstick]

Wow, rough day. First Fukuyama and now Buckley.

I don't believe Buckley has been a believer in the mission in Iraq from the very beginning.

I don't remember Buckley's position in the beginning, but he's been teetering on the brink of declaring Iraq a failure for a while now. I guess the Samarrah mosque bombing pushed him over the line.

It's going to be interesting to see how Rush Limbaugh reacts to this. Buckley is a huge hero of his.

[B Knotts]

There are too many here now who adhere to a man, rather than a philosophy.

[beaver fever]

"This is a great disappointment."

It shouldn't be. In the 60's Buckley was the scourge of the left.

In 2005 he's the scourge of conservatives.

The truth is that Bill F has never cared what anyone thinks of him.

On this issue he is pointing out something that anyone would be a fool to ignore. Whoever bombed the mosque planned it well ahead of time for maximum political effect.

Bill F is just pointing out how the perceptions of Iraqi's to this incident is changing conditions on the ground.

To extrapolate from Bill's argument Iraqis are asking themselves, "I the Americans can't protect our holiest shrine. So what can they do?"

This incident has undermined a year of progress on the ground. All because a bunch of Zachawi's foot-soldiers could wander around Bagdad in stolen police uniforms unchallenged and blow up a Mosque.

I don't blame the Shiites for being POed.

[AmishDude]

This wouldn't be the first time that Buckley was wrong. Bush has a much longer-term view. Iraq will not be won or lost in his term.

[COEXERJ145]

Interesting comment, Newbie.

[SteveMcKing]

"You mean I don't have to feel vaguely inadequate as I drift into a stupor waiting for him to finish his sentences, with all those big, obscure words, intoned ponderously?"

Would you prefer hip-hop?

Pygmy? Bushmen 'click'?

[Larry Lucido]

Buckley is wrong here, but that takes away nothing from his illustrious career. He was, after all, one who in 1955 stood athwart history and yelled "Stop." He inspired others who have since taken up the mantle. I grew up politically on National Review during the 80's (favorite reading material of one Ronald Reagan) and I'll always feel a debt of gratitude to this man.

[GSlob]

"Our mission failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans."
Then DO NOT contain these animosities - just condone or even encourage them fighting it out to the bitter end. Those still remaining at that end would be grossly weakened and utterly exhausted, thus easier to contain.

[AmishDude]

I will say goodbye to this liberal piece of crap website.

Oh, stop teasing us.

[Old Professer]

We have gone from God and Man at Yale to Man and Boy for sale; oak trees on mountain tops cast long, but lonely shadows.

[FightThePower!]

This war will end just like Vietnam I'm sorry to say.

[Old Professer]

It's little bill.

[operation clinton cleanup]

For crying out loud.. divide the country into three parts.. let them name their own countrys.. and let them fight it out.. Jeese.. they will end up doing that anyway.. It took Saadam wholesale murder to stop that from happening..

Glad Honest Abe did not take that approach back in 1865.

[FightThePower!]

Yeah, the war on drugs is working just fine. Keep believing that.

[B Knotts]

It may, but if it does, it will be largely for the same reason.

[SteveMcKing]

For consistency, may you wish to remove Buckley's image from your profile?