[ClaireSolt]

Most right wing commentators take their lad from left wing news sources. We need a paradigm shift on Iraq. If instead of buying into the Shinseki argument for 300,000 troops we saw the fault of devolution into insurgency in the state of Iraq after Sadaam, that would be a start. Then give the enemy some credit, instead of blaming Bush. It is a mistake to underestimate enemies as we consistently do

And, if we had the courage to actually think of the benefits to America of a reconstructed Iraq a la S Korea or Japan, that would be more appealing than dire predictions of a regional civil war if we left.

[maica]

I think the Bush admin has been so fearful of the charge of “Imperialism” that they have not used the argument that a stable democratic Iraq will be of great benefit to the region. Since our only ally in the Middle East is a country with a name that is not even used by its surrounding countries, it is a real tightrope for us to proclaim that we want to create another ally.