Posted on 12/10/2006 9:32:42 AM PST by Valin
AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH
Hon. George W. Bush The White House Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
You have just received the report of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group (ISG) with its 79 recommendations for policy changes, force redeployments and other course corrections with respect to the conflict in Iraq. We believe you have responded properly in welcoming this product -- but reserving judgment as to whether you will accept its suggestions.
This is especially important because of the argument being made in some quarters that, in light of the unanimity exhibited by the distinguished Republican and Democratic members of this commission, the advice offered must be accepted in toto. As leaders of the bipartisan National Security Advisory Council of the Center for Security Policy, we would respectfully suggest that people of good will and expertise from both parties can - and in many cases do - come to very different conclusions than those offered by the ISG.
In particular, members of our Council on both sides of the aisle strongly disagree with what is, arguably, the Baker-Hamilton commission's most strategically portentous recommendation:
The United States should immediately launch a New Diplomatic Offensive to build an international consensus for stability in Iraq and the region?.Iraq's neighbors and key states in and outside the region should form a support group to reinforce security and national reconciliation within Iraq, neither of which Iraq can achieve on its own. Given the ability of Iran and Syria to influence events within Iraq and their interest in avoiding chaos in Iraq, the United States should try to engage them constructively.
As the ISG's own report documents, far from being proponents of stability, the Islamic Republic of Iran and its de facto colony, Syria, have gone to great lengths to destabilize the Middle East and, in particular, to prevent Iraq from becoming a free, democratic and peaceful nation.
Americans have been murdered for nearly three decades by Iranian operatives and Tehran's proxies. U.S. and coalition personnel and civilians in Iraq are being slaughtered today by deadly Iranian I.E.D.s (Improvised Explosive Devices) and other weapons provided to like-minded Islamofascist groups.
At the same time, the Iranian regime is working to acquire nuclear arms and long-range ballistic missiles with which to deliver them. When combined with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated threats to "wipe Israel off the map" and bring about "a world without America," we face the prospect that, in due course, the mullahs running Iran will have the means to carry out their apocalyptic intentions.
In our view, opening negotiations with Iran (and Syria) as suggested by the ISG will have several undesirable effects.
First, such negotiations will legitimate that increasingly dangerous regime and reward its violent and hostile actions against us and our allies. We should rather endeavor to discredit and undermine this regime.
Second, such a course will embolden our enemies who already believe they are sapping our will to resist them.
Third, such an initiative would buy further time for the Iranian mullahs to obtain and prepare to wield weapons of mass destruction.
Fourth, entering into negotiations with Tehran's theocrats will create the illusion that we are taking useful steps to contend with the threat from Iran - when, in fact, we would not be. As a result, other, more effective actions - specifically, steps aimed at encouraging regime change in Iran - will not be pursued. Finally, we trust that you will recognize the necessity of including Israel in any regional conference in which its security and other equities might be a subject of negotiations and that, in such settings and elsewhere, you will continue to adhere to the principle that America supports fellow democracies and eschews appeasement of terrorists and aggressors.
In short, Mr. President, we encourage you to follow your better instincts. By all means, review, assess and, as appropriate, adopt the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group and those of the executive branch agencies you have commissioned. We urge you, however, to continue to reject any course of action that would signal that America has become a country that, to quote the scholar Bernard Lewis, is "harmless as an enemy and treacherous as a friend."
Sincerely,
Senator Jon Kyl
R. James Woolsey
"Oh, so you agree with the goal, ---just as long as it is easy to attain." ---So "dim"-ly predictable!
signed,
WINTER SOLDIER NORDP, REPORTING FOR DUTY, AMERICA!
In other words;
1)if you won't sign on to our end product, get off the committee before we start.
2)if you're going to publically snipe at the final result, we're wasting our time, so zip it.
BUMP!!!
I know that R. James Woolsey is a Democrat but if Bush was looking for a spook to be the new Sec Def.....
Well they cherry picked who they talked to, pretty much put only nuts and fruits in their mix of "experts" (Thomas "The Clueless one" Freidman from the NYT and Bill Kristol as "expert" witnesses?) so I guess it would be pretty logical for the President to treat them like fruit salad.
Ba-dum-bump
The Baker-Hamilton report recommendations broadcast to our enemies that America no longer has the "stones" to do what is necessary to beat an enemy into submission - the only true way to prevent long bloody wars.
If you behave submissively you invite predators to test your ability to defend yourself. If they find that you are weak, they will attack you and take what they want.
Have Whoopee cushion will travel. You know it's a standard Nielson gag, right?
Thank you for your superb, thoughtful reply, mountainfolk. Re President Bush standing firm, it will be much easier for him if those millions of Winter Soldiers let him know he has their support. A piece of paper, a quick note of a sentence or two, an envelope, a stamp and a trip to the post office -- this is nothing to ask of us when we think of all our Commander-in-Chief and the armed forces he leads are doing for us.
The members of the ISG should at this time forthwith place their heads between their legs, and kiss their butts, because we do not plan on doing so.
Good article - good points very salient. I like the direct approach.
SS
Nice, NordP. :)
then I like him more..but no whoopee cushion this time.....the weather lady at the end was the icing on the cake
Is this a favorable letter? I'm afraid to read it, as Sen. Smith's linguine spine letter was one of the last things I read last night...
"Instead of withdrawing we should initiate a bloodbath against all terrorists from top to bottom in the Middle East.....yes, that means assassins."
Yeah, but we'll never get the muslims to like us if we do that! (Sarc)
It's been reported that he has upgraded to some kind of electronic thingy from the whoopie cushion.
bump
well whatever.I've noticed thru the years people only have two reactions to a heard(or smelled) fart.
Some ,like me, laugh out loud mostly
others think it is the most vile of actions
the lader is why I'm the former.
I'm gonna go all Miss Manners on you & tell you the proper polite response it to pretend you neither heard, nor smelled it.
One of my sons is squarely in your camp, the urge to laugh is beyond his ability to control.
Is this a favorable letter?
I don't know. You tell me.
(snip)
In our view, opening negotiations with Iran (and Syria) as suggested by the ISG will have several undesirable effects.
First, such negotiations will legitimate that increasingly dangerous regime and reward its violent and hostile actions against us and our allies. We should rather endeavor to discredit and undermine this regime.
Second, such a course will embolden our enemies who already believe they are sapping our will to resist them.
Third, such an initiative would buy further time for the Iranian mullahs to obtain and prepare to wield weapons of mass destruction.
Fourth, entering into negotiations with Tehran's theocrats will create the illusion that we are taking useful steps to contend with the threat from Iran - when, in fact, we would not be. As a result, other, more effective actions - specifically, steps aimed at encouraging regime change in Iran - will not be pursued. Finally, we trust that you will recognize the necessity of including Israel in any regional conference in which its security and other equities might be a subject of negotiations and that, in such settings and elsewhere, you will continue to adhere to the principle that America supports fellow democracies and eschews appeasement of terrorists and aggressors.
In short, Mr. President, we encourage you to follow your better instincts.
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