Posted on 01/03/2007 2:49:36 AM PST by jeltz25
Our priorities begin with defeating the terrorists who killed thousands of innocent Americans on September 11, 2001--and who are working hard to attack us again. These terrorists are part of a broader extremist movement that is now doing everything it can to defeat us in Iraq.
In the days ahead, I will be addressing our nation about a new strategy to help the Iraqi people gain control of the security situation and hasten the day when the Iraqi government gains full control over its affairs. Ultimately, Iraqis must resolve the most pressing issues facing them. We can't do it for them.
But we can help Iraq defeat the extremists inside and outside of Iraq--and we can help provide the necessary breathing space for this young government to meet its responsibilities. If democracy fails and the extremists prevail in Iraq, America's enemies will be stronger, more lethal, and emboldened by our defeat. Leaders in both parties understand the stakes in this struggle. We now have the opportunity to build a bipartisan consensus to fight and win the war.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Anyway, If you'll notice there are a few terms/phrases missing from his new strategy: Islam, Iran, Syria, Sadr, victury, surrender, capitulation, etc... Instead the goal is "breathing space" for a penetrated and largely impotent govt. A far cry from the surrenders at Appomattox or Reims.
As long as Bush has the military and the country thinking the enemy is an "extremist movement" and its mission to provide "breathing space" there's no real hope for any meaningful success. If 4 years on, Bush still can't name the enemy and educate the nation, and define clear victory as the goal, there's no reason to expect he ever will.
Angelo Codevilla and Ralph Peters have written on this and have said that a fundamental question in any war is "who is the enemy whose death or surrender brings peace?" 4 years on, Bush still cannot tell the American people the answer to that question other than an "extremist movement". From fighting the Wehrmacht to the NVA to an "extremist movement". Not exactly a good progression.
Anyone who's studied tactics, strategy or has been in the miltary knows that adding 20-30K won't really have any meaningful long term impact and the short term impact will be fleeting at best.(unless the ROE change drastically, which is unlikely)
Gen Giap said on many occasions that as long as the US and the ARVN failed to shut the Ho Chi Minh Trail and bloc resupply from the PRC/USSR the North knew it would win. We weren't able to close the Ho Chi Minh trail or interdict supply from the PRC/USSR through Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam itself and the North won(in the long term, I think we won, but in the short term they did).
Similarly, as long as the US and Iraq fail to secure Iraq's borders, fail to interdict Iranian and Syrian support of weapons, money, men and other logistical support(and possibly Saudi now), and fail to curb Iranian subversion of the Iraqi govt(which is fully penetrated by Tehran), any hopes for victory are fanciful.
This is not to mention our disastrous ROE and other tactical decisions made by Abizaid, Casey, Sanchez and the rest of the Generals in Iraq. Suffice it to say, Grant, Sherman, Pershing, McArthur, Patton and Bradley they're not.
All this new straegy does is temporarily ease the pain without addressing the long term problems. It's certainly possible that in 20 years time Iraq will not be a problem(much like Vietnam is completely irrelevant today on the world stage), but given our current strategy I don't know if our continued presence there is going to do anything to make that happen.
Hopefully I look back on this at the end of the year and say "Boy, wasn't I an idiot! I was completely wrong on that one" I'd like nothing more than for that to be the case, but wishing doesn't make it so.
If tomorrow Bush said his goal was to pull US forces out, the Democrats would say he cut and ran. If he says we will kill the enemy , the Democrats would say we are murdering innocent Iraqis.
If we killed Obama, oops Osama tomorrow, the RATS would say what took so long.
It doesn't matter what Bush says, the RATS and the MSM will be against it.
" Hopefully I look back on this at the end of the year and say "Boy, wasn't I an idiot! I was completely wrong on that one" I'd like nothing more than for that to be the case, but wishing doesn't make it so. "
As I started to read your commentary, I was prepared to dismiss it as yet another "Bush's Fault" screed -- but instead, I can find very little to argue with.
The defining (and probably irreversible, at this point) error of the conduct of this war has been the fact that the media/punditocracy has been granted the power to set the agenda and the strategy for this war.
(It's convenient and satsifying to demonize the Dems at this point, but they're even more in thrall to the media. They're followers -- not leaders)
Beginning on 9/12/2001, every time our President has come forth with a vision, a strategy, or a goal, he has subsequently bowed to the "great yawp" (Allan Drury's eminently descriptive phrase) and backtracked and/or softened.
The media got a taste of power in the last half of Vietnam, but this is the first time in history that a non-government source has controlled every part of a war, down to what name we're permitted to call our enemies.
In my book, he's right up there with Charles the Hammer. The groundwork he's laid will facilitate the continuation of Western Civilization...if there is to be any.
It's a big picture thing.
Sorry, Mr. President, but I don't believe they do.
We now have the opportunity to build a bipartisan consensus to fight and win the war.
Now? The opportunity has always been there, Mr. President, but I haven't seen one iota of support from the Democrat leadership and I don't expect to.
Hogwash.
Even a deaf and dumb alligator poacher living in the Everglades in a hut at the edge of nowhere knows that our enemies are "Crazy Muslims"...not some ill defined "extremist movement". And further north, in the big city of say, Clewiston(pop.7173), most of the people know that Saudia Arabia is, for the most part, financing our enemy...and doing so without repercussions...and with the money we pay them for their oil.
I think the American people understand what is going on a lot better then you think they do. Most even know that Iraq is about the same size as California area wise. Of course, California will never be pacified either.
I'm with you. It would be nice if the President could show that his efforts are making the Saudi and Iraq oil a help in holding off Iran or that we did something to help the Ethiopians, but the truth about much of history is that it is years before all the facts get out. President Bush has done more to FIGHT the invading hordes than even the great icon Ronald Reagan. So far, cut and run has not been part of his action plan. Lebannon and Iran Contra are stories about not pushing the envelope as President Bush has done. / Bush is right rant off
The fundamental question is, "Whose will must be broken, and what will it take to do it?"
"The media got a taste of power in the last half of Vietnam..."
Absolutely correct. We will never win another war during a Republican administration because the Democrat media does not want a Republican to succeed. Clinton didn't have these problems, of course, when he attacked Serbia to get Monica off the front pages of the newspaper. They were happy to provide cover for him.
What a Republican president should do is pull press credentials for anyone in the msm who reveals classified material during war time. At the very least, this would show the Leftists that there is a price to be paid for undermining the war effort.
AMEN to all you say!!!
To prevent duplication, please do not alter the title. Thanks.
that's pretty much the same thing. It's like saying I want twelve or I want a dozen.
If winning the war is so important (and it is) then why does he spend any energy on this "comprehensive immigration reform" (=amnesty) nonsense. He is not going to rally the American people to the cause when in the same letter he tells 80% of them who are against this home invasion that they can stuff it.
Karl Rove the Genius. Right.
"President Bush has done more to FIGHT the invading hordes than even the great icon Ronald Reagan."
If so, why has he actively encouraged more of the "invading hordes" to settle here? Why import more Muslims as policy?
The armed forces of the US are stationed in a forward position...in the heart of the Islamic ME...in relative safety. Iran is pinched between that and an other base to the east. Insurgent radicals are focused on humiliating us there....and we're killing them, if and when possible...capuring them when necessary. You got a better plan? Huh? It was the best possible action. It leads to the broadest set of further, positive options. Good as could have been gotten. And I'm sure it has saved thousands of lives here at home. No one can say for certain. I believe it to be true.
TSA and all that other niggling s**t is what it is. Not that damn important....kinda like the Guantanimo flap and all the other pimpes on the elephant. Just not worth expending mental, physical, and money resources over. Gnats.
Furthermore...we are between Iran and Israel. Adjacent to our allied governments in Turkey, Pakistan, Jordan and Saudi Arabia....all of which are shaking at their foundations from the same Wahhab influence. They draw strength from out presence. We are the world's policeman...on scene...saving the world from pirates who no longer use balls of flaming pitch and long swords to advance their holy imprimatur for plunder. You are near-sighted.
Gee, maybe you should have thought of that before you lost your veto pen somewhere in the White House sofa cushions....
The problem is with these Middle Eastern characters, those things that should break them down only make em crazier.
We aren't dealing with rational, logical minds.
Bump
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