Free Republic

American, or even future Iraqi, military prowess won't be enough to defeat Iraq's bloody insurgency. Victory in Iraq is going to come as much — or more — from political/economic progress in that battered nation as it will from military dominance.Which means that — rather than engaging in mostly useless, politically-motivated caterwauling about a U.S. military "exit strategy" from Iraq — Washington's political class should be concentrating on developing a comprehensive political/economic/military strategy to compel the insurgents to plan their exit strategy.As we all know from our still-painful experience in Vietnam, battlefield victories, while important, are often irrelevant in determining...

WHEN a new CEO takes over a failing company, it's not at all uncommon to fire (or force out) a couple of senior people. After all, senior management is responsible for an organization's poor performance, so why keep the deadwood around? Sure, lopping off heads can be a risky strategy. But it certainly makes the rest of the employees stand up and take notice. And it sends a clear message: "Things are going to change. Get with the program — or get out." [snip]* Accountability: The CIA is responsible for some of this nation's most significant intelligence lapses —...

Is Uncle Sam getting a bit weak in the knees after hitting a rough patch in Iraq? The abrupt recall of Coalition Provisional Authority czar Paul Bremer to Washington for emergency consultations must have left jihadists cheering and Ba'athists guerrillas high-fiving each other. From Vietnam (1973) to Lebanon (1983) to Somalia (1993), America's enemies have come to believe the United States has no stomach for casualties - that we are nothing more than a paper tiger. Now they wonder if the Americans are looking to cut and run from Iraq (2003) by turning over power to the Iraqis as soon...