I don’t have an answer for Iraq. Nor do I believe any of the reporters, pundits or anyone else has one. If people think freedom, democracy and free markets happen overnight, they are in for a rude awakening. The future of Iraq is being written as we watch and we’ll know how well it turns out far into the future, not now.
I DO remember reading that President Bush and the military had a flexible timetable of this taking ten years, at minimum, to stabilize Iraq and that our force presence would gradually diminish over time as the Iraqis themselves took more control. I also read we would have some military there even longer, if tensions in the Middle East remained the same as they’ve been for generations. Considering our problems with Iran and Syria, this makes a lot of sense to me. Add in the problems in Lebanon and Palestine, and the region is volatile enough that we need to have troops there.
It would be funny were it not so sad to see the Democrats struggle to create some relevance for their party. These ideas are the same ones we’ve been discussing for four years now, and they still don’t have a clue for how to proceed. The media is having a ball with the “go big” versus “go long” versus “go home” strategies. Interesting in that go big is simply a rehash of more troops on the ground to enforce our will on the Iraqis, go long is the current strategy, and go home is the same Democrat Party line of cut and run. Nothing new here except for the packaging. It appears we have to break things down into short sound bites so the Democrats will understand what the discussion is all about.
Well said Morgan!
Very good points! I agree 100%. Did you post on Kristin's thread yesterday? This needs to be there!!!!
You have hit the nail on the head about the timeline. 10 years may not be enough, but I'll bet if we "go long" it will be much better than today. Nobody in this country has any patience. They're like that poster from the 70's, the one with two buzzards sitting on a branch of a tree in some desolate landscape. The one looks at the other and says, "Patience my ass, I'm gonna kill something!"
Now after 3 years people here want the happily ever after ending or they'll vote in politicians who'll take the ball and go home. Nyah, nyah, nyah!
As Ronald Reagan used to say, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" The war they'll get for the war they'll abandon will be horrific and deadly compared to the one they should be showing a stiff upper lip and a little resolve over. Patience my ass, I guess!
A free Iraq is worth the fight.
To measure how long battles last in an area where fighting has gone on for hundreds of years is sheer folly.
The stakes are high we need to be there for the duration.