Posted on 12/10/2006 9:04:14 PM PST by neverdem
Strategic redeployment. Phased drawdown. Exit strategy. However one phrases it, Washington seems to be turning a page in the story of Iraq. The midterm elections, the subsequent resignation of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the release of the Iraq Study Group's report last week all suggest that the transformational objectives that led U.S. forces into Iraq are being supplanted by an unmistakable and bipartisan desire to bring troops home, end this mess and move on.
That impulse, while understandable, reflects the national narcissism that dogs much of U.S. foreign policy. We think Iraq is about us. We made it happen and we can undo it. But one-sided solutions for ending the Iraq war are as unrealistic as the one-sided impulses that started it. Even as we seek to remake history, it is remaking us.
The economic and political forces that drew the United States into Iraq -- quite different from the reasons the Bush administration gave for the invasion -- remain powerful, exerting a pull that will be hard to resist. Oil, of course, is foremost among them. But also important are the threats and tensions linked to oil: Washington's decades-old rivalry with Iran, the growing dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the fear that the Middle East's simmering conflicts will erupt into a broader, bloodier and far more costly war.
To its credit, the Iraq Study Group recognized many of these dimensions. But, however we may try to extricate ourselves from Iraq today, the best we can hope for is an end to only this latest chapter of U.S. military involvement in the region. There is no getting out of the Middle East. Even if we leave now, we'll be back.
In future history books, this war may be known as the...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
And they are doing it louder after the election after doing everything possible to aid the Dem victory.
With a few disagreements here and there on my part, I was pretty much left with "why didn't this journalist write this 3 years ago?"
I will read it again in the a.m. when I am not gaga tired, but there is much truth in the article.
Methinks the author has stumbled into the ultimate truth. And just wait until the nukes start falling like snowflakes throughout the ME. Everyone will be involved.
I really like your Tagline. That would make a great paper for a HS student.
Kind of funny the name of their leader has a cold cut in it.
If on day one of the Vietnam war we had started flying 25 B52's sorties a day and dropping 1000 bombs each and every day and started "talking" to the communist, three years later they might have had enough "talking" and got the heck out.
I don't know whose idea it was to fight a war with people willing to fight to the last man and we are to fight and not have any collateral damage?
I will know were serious when we introduce guided napalm.
I was sad to read that we de commissioned the last of our napalm stock, right after 9/11
Over the long-term, one reasonable approach in the Middle East could be called "parallel containment:" The United States must contain the complex threats it faces in the region, and at the same time try to limit our vital interests there. On the first score, Hezbollah and Hamas must know that the United States is present and stands ready to take action. Iran must know that it will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, period. Moderates in the region must know that we will stand by them, with economic aid and political support, helping to restore U.S. moral authority in the Middle East. And everyone must know that an attack against Israel will always be considered an attack against America. On the second score, we must embark on the long-term but critical task of reducing our energy dependence on the Middle East. No strategy in any Gulf war could produce more lasting change in the region than a prolonged fall in oil prices.
I agree with the above as would the Bush administration. Unfortunately, we can't get anyone other than Israel to support us on preventing Iranian nukes. Not to mention the fact that the democrats give appeasers a good name and are now empowered.
At the same time, the situation in the region was immeasurably complicated by the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and President Harry S. Truman's support for the new entity.
Eggzactly!
If they leave "support units" there, you'll have hundreds of Black Hawk's down! It's going to be total chaos!
And asking the very people who've fed people over their borders to kill our troops, the Iranians and Syrians, is spitting on our troops graves. We're sick to our stomachs from the sheer ignorance of it all...
We've just surrendered out of fear. The insurgents turned up the heat because they sensed it and they were right!
I'm going to repeat this until I'm blue in the face... our failure was in "not standing united for the very beginning!"
Starting from ex-presidents and senators being traitors during a time of war and even speaking ill of our Commander in Chief while on foreign soil! This is an era of very fast media. Sound bites are heard around the world the very day they are played.
The things that were said for "political gain" were devestating to our nation.
Things like "Bush lied to get Iraq's oil" (gee, that one worked didn't it!). All the good ole' boys like Teddy Kennedy, Howard Dean, Charlie Rangel and the likes with their scream fests that were aired around the world!
Not to mention Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and so on and so on!
These type of outburest were unprecedented in our nations history during war.
The American people STILL remain ignorant to the enemy that wants us all dead or submissive to Islam.
There's a cancer spreading, and it's a fast growing cancer. I'm not sure it's curable. Not after what we just witnessed.
Their (Islams) children are being taught to kill us/infidels in their maddrasses. Our children are being taught to play nicely with dolls and toys!
It's frightening...
The old saying "you never know what you had until you've lost it" comes to mind. "What price freedom?"
My english isn't the best, but I know what we've watched happening. I know what we feel in our hearts.
We are so proud of our troops. We think our nation and the American people were the quitters. Senators and ex-presidents were the ones who failed us!
Early on the WRONG message was sent to the world. It caused our allies to pull back. After all, if Senators and ex-Presidents doubted a sitting President, how could we expect other nations to trust him?
If the majority of the main stream media mistrusted this administration, how could the world trust it?
No, things were going so right it scared the heck out of the left!
All for the sake of politics!
They couldn't put our country first...
It made us sick then, and now... God protect us all!
I don't want to leave this for future generations so some old fart politician/business partners can update their retirement villas.
"Oil, of course, is foremost among them."
Whatever happened to the "No blood for oil" mantra? Now that the Dems are in charge, the media is all in favor of "blood for oil."
Personally, I think we should stop tweaking the Russian's nose. If we can make nice with the Saudis to get their oil, we should be able to make nice with the Russians.
I say Old Boy, I hope you're not a female, with our current account deficit in overseas trade and fiat currency, how about energy independence? IMHO, we are financing our enemies.
Prairies could fuel the future
Superefficient, Cost-Effective Solar Cell Breaks Conversion Records
Energy independence isn't going to happen. Besides, I would rather use up their oil first. He who has the last barrel of oil rules the world.
We've been funding our enemies for years. Personally, I'd rather fund our Russian enemies than our Islamic enemies.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.