Posted on 08/06/2007 9:02:21 AM PDT by Contentions
There is a fascinating tidbit buried deep in this Washington Post story on America’s troubled relations with Pakistan’s military dictator Pervez Musharraf. After explaining why U.S. officials are bothered by Musharraf’s lackadaisical response to the Islamist extremists who have found a refuge in Pakistan’s tribal areas, Post reporters Karen DeYoung and Joby Warrick write:
"Musharraf also had a complaint of his own: His leverage over the tribal militants had slipped because of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Foreign fear of the might of the U.S. military, felt throughout the Muslim world immediately after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was dissipating as U.S. troops became increasingly bogged down in Iraq. Now, he said, tribal leaders who had once cooperated with Musharraf because of his alliance with the Americans saw little reason to be afraid."
This confirms an essential and important point: that it was not the decision to invade Iraq per se that is causing an increase in terrorism, but our failure to secure victory, at least so far. And it contradicts one of the most common talking points used by Democrats such as Barack Obama, who argue for a pullout from Iraq: that a decision to leave Iraq will enable us to fight more effectively in Afghanistan.
(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...
General Nancy Pelosi probably isn’t helping much either.
An excellent point. We pulled out of Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia. What kind of impression has this left on the world?
Probably a very powerful one.
The avg despot would rather the US invade and attempt to
occupy/pacify rather than use the Surround and Pound approach
of PGW I.
People are too busy fighting the last war. The media is so
sure that Bushman will war w/ Iran and that that war will involve
the current Iraqi model.
MV
review
Obama will straighten this boy out.
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