Ed Koch: Let Our Allies Contemplate What Life Will Be Without Us

Realclearpolitics ^ | Fri Dec 22, 2006

[presidio9]

Last Sunday on "Face the Nation," Bob Schieffer asked former Secretary of State Colin Powell if he agreed with the proposal for an increase in American troops in Iraq. He said, "I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into Baghdad for the purposes of suppression of this communitarian violence, this civil war, will work."

Of course, Secretary Powell is right. We can never take sides in a civil war and expect to win. Militants on both sides of that civil war appear to hate us, and that includes the Shia and the Sunni. We had expected the Shia to welcome us, since they had been persecuted by Saddam Hussein when he was in power. However, any good will has been lost. The Shia, who represent 60 percent of Iraqis, are exacting vengeance upon the Sunnis for all of the persecution they inflicted upon the Shia when they ran the country under Saddam Hussein. The Sunnis, who appear to be more secular in their views, would normally be that part of the Arab population that would identify with us. But no. Even though they acknowledge American soldiers often protect them from Shia revenge, they continue to attack American military forces with roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Sunni militants also appear to be responsible for more casualties among Iraqi civilians than the Shia militias.

We should not take sides in this civil and religious war in which each side is engaged in imposing its will on the population and to establish itself as the rightful religious heir to the dynasty of the Prophet Muhammed. I assume the physical heir amongst today's descendants of the historical figures involved will be the candidate vying to be in charge of the new caliphate that these insurrectionists and terrorists see as the final outcome of the current war with the U.S. and among themselves. We should not spill the blood of American soldiers to assist one side or the other to prevail.

But I am concerned with the even more shocking statement made by Colin Powell on "Face the Nation," that the U.S. army was "about broken." No one, to the best of my knowledge, has used that kind of expression before. Imagine the satisfaction it must have given to the leaders of al-Qaeda, the leaders of the insurrection in Iraq and particularly the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and his supporters who have constantly inveighed against the U.S. and predicted the disappearance of America, as well as the elimination of Israel.

If Colin Powell erred in his description of U.S. forces as being "about broken," shouldn't the Pentagon say so? Shouldn't we now know whether the army is capable of taking on, as they used to calim, two and a half wars at the same time? Did Colin Powell state the true condition of our military forces?

This week, the French government announced that it was removing its special forces from Afghanistan. They are the only French troops actually engaged in battle with the al-Qaeda and Taliban forces, and they are being withdrawn. Apparently, the balance of the French troops in Kabul are not engaged in combat. The New York Sun reported on December 18th, "France is to withdraw its 200-strong special forces from Afghanistan, all of its ground troops engaged in the American anti-terror operation there, authorities announced yesterday." The article went on to state, "The decision to pull the elite troops, based in the southeastern city of Jalalabad, comes as the Taliban militias are gaining strength despite the roughly 32,800 troops in NATO's International Security Assistance Force. France has balked at sending its 1,100-strong NATO contingent outside the relatively safe Afghan capital, Kabul."

If our army is "about broken," shouldn't the NATO allies in Afghanistan be rushing in troops so as to relieve us there and allow the U.S. troops stationed there to be used to supplement our troops in Iraq? What are our NATO allies for? Haven't we spilled enough blood and treasure to protect them over the years during World War II and the Cold War to expect this modest accommodation?

Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was recently in Iraq, announced, according to The New York Times, "preparations to give control of Basra, the southern city where the British military is based, to Iraqi troops were 'going well.' But he added that British troops would remain in Iraq 'until the job is done' and the Iraqi Army could stand on its own. 'We stand ready to support you in every way,' Mr. Blair said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki in the Green Zone. He flew to Basra later on Sunday."

But Blair is a lame duck and is being forced to step down next year by his own party. That New Labor Party has already made clear it intends to withdraw the British troops from Iraq. Does anyone doubt that by the time they get through with their bailing out in Iraq, their troops in Afghanistan will have departed as well?

President Bush has to feel a little like Commander-in-Chief George Washington at Valley Forge. Our allies -- NATO and regional -- turned into summer soldiers. I again urge the President to say to those allies that the day of the free lunch is over. He should put them on notice that unless they come in now and help in Iraq with boots on the ground, we are getting out, perhaps adding, because our army is "about broken."

Let's convey to them our intention to pull our troops out of Europe, out of South Korea, out of Japan and wherever else they are stationed overseas. Let our allies contemplate what life will be without us at their side.

[SolidWood]

Ed Koch may be a liberal on domestic issues, but he has a clue on Foreign Policy/WoT.

I disagree though in one point. We shouldn't be indifferent to the Sunni-Shia fight in Iraq. I couldn't care less about them, but to let this strategically important part of the world sink in chaos with incertain outcome is irresponsible. We have a claim in this area.

[NicknamedBob]

Is this guy on something? Oh,yeah! It's Koch.

[presidio9]

I agree with most of the things Koch is saying here, but he is wrong on the point that all of the Iraqis hate us. A sizeable percentage of the Sunnis do not, and the Kurds absolutely love us.

[DustyMoment]

Koch makes a good point. I remember the survivors of the Malaysian tsunami last year crying "where is the USA? Where is George Bush?" to American TV cameras.

(Aside - It is interesting to note that all these people hate the US until something happens; then they want our money and our aid)

Perhaps it is time for the US to quit governing according to what the rest of the world wants, and start governing according to what Americans want. And, if that means we pull back from treaties and agreements (other than trade) with other countries, so be it. After all, it was another George, George Washington, who warned us against lasting foreign entanglements.

[SolidWood]

Right on, but I would say there are even more Shias than Sunnis who like us. With the exception of Sadr's "men" and other militias, the Shias have been definately more cooperative to us then most Sunnis.
Like always in history a loud mob of idiots with arms and no morale are all that is needed to surpress silent majorities.

[bill1952]

They are the only French troops actually engaged in battle with the al-Qaeda and Taliban forces, and they are being withdrawn

Yawn.

As for all iraqis hating us, he is nuttier than a fruitcake.

[sgtbono2002]

I wouldnt pay too much attention to what Colin powell has to say. he has never shown himself to be all that right when it counted.

[ozzymandus]

Powell is way more interested in being in the favor of the MSM than in doing what is right.

[nothingnew]

Most of the article was OK, but here's the money sentence..."Let our allies contemplate what life will be without us at their side."

FMCDH(BITS)

[Digger]

All of these presidents are so compromised & run by a grp of elites that the middle class people that make the country work have no say so at all in our future. The next butt that becomes president will be no better than this one - of course, that's what happens in a cartel because of no competition or new ideas.

[hnj_00]

more & more it is becoming evident that powell the darling of the msm seems to be a poster child for what affirmative action appointments are about....he blames Bush I for not going all the way into iraq and Bush II for going all the way!!!....sounds like he was for war before he was against it.....he is now sounding a lot like some lib/dem comedian!!!!

[sgtbono2002]

Powell was a messenger boy for Bush 1. Powell was a good Captain in Viet nam, but it appears thats where the Peters Principle kicked in.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Better yet, Ed, let this whole damn world contemplate life without this Republic that they all love to hate.

It's easy to find someone to hate, but where does one in pain find someone to love and empathize with them, and forgive the spiteful way the sufferer has treated them and still share every throb of their pain?

There will never be another USA, once the rabid dogs she feeds , gnaws off the hands with which she feeds them and starves to death herself being unable without hands to even feed herself.

Only a world of ungrateful lunatics would hate the USA.

[redangus]

Machavelli understood this better that most when he said if you can not be both loved and feared it is better to be feared. We worry to much about being loved by people who hate us. We need to change our world view to one in which we do what is best for this country regardless of what the rest of world thinks. Add to that that there are strings attached to our help. If you want our troops, money, goods, markets etc. then you side with us or going begging elsewhere. I remember back in the 70's when they pulled the plug on our fuel supplies. Many including me said let them starve. If they won't sell us the oil we need at a fair price then they can eat sand. All the Liberals went nuts. We can't do that, we can't hold back food supplies to the children etc., well how do they think we produced those foodstuffs with horses and mules. I'm pissed at the world, but more pissed at the American leadership that continues these suicidal policies, and always looks at what is best for America as a last resort if an option at all.

[hinckley buzzard]

Let our allies contemplate what life will be without us at their side.

No problem. They will simply use the blandishments of the Saudis to rationalize signing on with the other side and continue their march to oblivion.

[Stallone]

Colin Powell?

Affirmative Action, in action.

[ghostcat]

"Powell was a good Captain in Vietnam,"

That's not what I heard from someone who served with him. A person I have known and trusted for almost 50 years. This individual retired out of the army around 1980 as one of the most decorated soldiers of his time, most of them combat related. He tells the story of a certain officer named Powell trashing a multi million dollar helicopter when he accidentally set off and dropped a white phosphorous grenade in the cockpit.

[jordan8]

Koch has spent his whole life helping to tear the guts out of this society and Western Civilization. Spent his whole life promoting multiculturalism and "tolerance." The West rolling over and playing dead for Islam is just the logical extension of multiculti. If you want a real laugh, stick a microphone under Eddie's nose and ask him to comment on Virgil Goode's remarks about Muslim immigration.

[F.J. Mitchell]

BUMP.