Posted on 12/09/2006 8:17:07 AM PST by etradervic
The widely touted Iraqi Study Group has been revealed to be a disappointing hodgepodge of suggestions which, in part or as a whole, do not constitute a coherent strategy or serve to promote American long-term interests. In a case of life imitating art, waiting for Godot was much more meaningful than the arrival.
When the ISG “recommendations” that have been tried or have currently been implemented are removed, we are left with several mediocre ideas that are overwhelmed by the preponderance of a few that are patently absurd. The myopic suggestion of conjoining stability in Iraq to Israeli “land for peace” is so foolish that I feel ashamed that there is even a need to respond to such a notion. The obvious illogic of associating Iraqi stabilization, which we would like to assure in the short-term, with a peace process that history measures in decades is ludicrous and irresponsible. At worst, this is an abandonment of Israel and a circuitous way of blaming the innocent, the Jews, for having the audacity to exist.
The desire to form a regional “Support Group” with Iran and Syria with the aim of procuring their aid in the advancement of peace and stability is sophomoric in its formulation and intellectually dishonest. Does this inanity really require any further treatment?
One of the items on the ISG grocery list that falls in the “been there, done that” category is that the regional (and world) threat posed by Iranian nuclear weapons should be addressed via the UN Security Council. The key word is SHOULD. However, China and Russia have confirmed that they will not arrest Iranian nuclear adventurism with the imposition of sanctions or military ultimatum. Both of these nations are content with a tumultuous Middle-East and with the American expenditure of lives and capital.
President Bush has indirectly addressed the ISG report by reiterating the position that our objective is “victory.” All Americans, with the exception of the Democrat left-wing, desire victory. The question that remains in the minds of Americans is how? What is our strategy? We have defeated the enemy, toppled the Baathists, promoted Democracy... Now, how do we leave Iraq as a stable nation capable of self-defense from threats within and without? Is our strategy to wait for the Iraqi Government to develop sufficient strength while destabilization is promoted by an unchecked Iran and Syria? Is it not our responsibility, at a minimum, to defend our troops from the machinations of these terrorist states while they are bravely serving abroad?
The failure of the ISG is a testament to the untenable concept of leadership by committee and in a way is an affirmation of the pre-eminence of our representative Government. We elect those who serve and lead based upon our own viewpoints. Coalitions composed of disparate points of view are incapable of affording effective leadership that is resolute in its objective. In President Bush, we have an articulated, unequivocal mission – victory. The vacuum, that caused so much false hope to be gratuitously bestowed upon the promulgation of the disappointing ISG report, concerns the path that will secure our victory. In this regard, there exists an excess of polite deference to antagonistic perspectives within the pretentious Washington coterie and a dearth of clarity that Americans deserve.
The Iraq surrender group proposed a "chat and run" strategy.
Iraq Study Group: Choosing To Lose
One thing is missing in their report. This world of ours is in the middle of major conflict.....could be considered WWIII, a religious war. Look at the Iraq, Lebonon, Syria, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Europe, Russia, Phillipines and the list goes on. It will hit here in the US one of these days unless we have the balls to stand up against it and admit who is causing all the problems. Muslims, but our media won't admit it either. Who are the waring factions in the list above and other countries? We are in a religious war!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How much did the members of this group get paid? How about their staff, how much did they get paid?
Same old "Independent Commission" crap. Independent from what?... Reality?
i understand that Baker has never been a supporter of israel. but is there evidence that he is an anti-semite, as you charge?
The Republican and Democratic pragmatists could be the death of the USA.
I don't believe we have any choice since the Moderate Muslim's will not stand up against the fanatics. Muslim's cannot attack another Muslim and it's not our position or job to do it for them. That being the case, how do we tell them apart? When it comes down to it, we need to protect ourselves and just like war, the innocent will some times get caught up in it. Either they stand up against the radicals or they fall in line with them.
Perhaps we should revert to the simpler strategy of "cut-and-run", without all this business of bringing in Iran and Syria for their contributions. Then they shall have to meet directly, without the US as intermediary.
Oh, I forgot. They ALREADY meet directly, without the aid and assistance of the US.
We are just getting written out of the script now, is all.
And the "stability" we so desperately seek, shall continue to elude us and everybody.
James Baker was just doing the bidding of his Saudi masters. Baker and his commission gave the Saudis everything they paid for.
I wonder if James Baker was part of the group that recommended to President George H.W. Bush that he strike a deal with Congressional RATS to raise taxes in exchange for a promise from the RATS to cut spending.
It's hilarious the way buffoons are running out and buying this "study group's" pamphlet when it can be downloaded free off the internet. LOL! I guess maybe they just want to impress their friends and neighbors by carrying it around with them during the holidays. There are too many weirdos living in this country.
Here's what I propose. Why not gather a group of Freepers that have experience from a military, political, organizational and execution perspective and do just that. You will need to have 2 or 3 people from each discipline to make it work and to cover all the bases so there is no room for disagreement.
My guess is you won't find something that is going to be 100% effective or have the good members of Free Republic be in harmony with your outcomes.
The Iraq mess is a very complex situation. We can't stay forever, which it looks like me may, and we can't just walk away.
There are portions of the Iraq Study Group report that I find hard to agree with too. But clearly our current and past strategies haven't worked in a critical region in Iraq, and being led by the best and brightest. Why pick on this group. I don't see anything in their report that would necessarily make the wheels fall off more than they already are.
It is also anti-Semitic.
In the ISG report, the only thing that really stood out in my mind is beefing up the training of the Iraqi security forces. Most of our effort should go into this aspect of the report, and the rest of our forces should just stay out of the way and protect Iraqi infrastructure. Getting in between the Saudi backed Sunni's and Iranian backed Shi'a doesn't make sense to me. I just don't know why we have to hitch a sell out of Israel while we are at it.
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