Thursday, November 08, 2007
Lose by Any Means Possible
I think that we are seeing demonstrable, often positive changes in Iraq--changes that came from Iraqis weary of war and the excesses of thuggish “insurgents”, the creative leadership of General Petraeus, more troops, the the aggressive tactics of the surge. Iraq isn’t won, but these changes do seem to be creating an environment where the political victory can incubate. A real victory seems more possible now than it did less than a year ago; nothing is guaranteed, I realize, but if we continue to let the military do its job we can give the diplomats and politicians the time to do theirs.
Which is why I am surprised by this from Nancy Pelosi--a move that seems calculated to toss some red meat to the Kossacks and progressives, but which might just confound the general public.
“This is not a blank check for the president,” she said at a Capitol Hill news conference. “This is providing funding for the troops limited to a particular purpose, for a short time frame.”
The bill would set the requirement that troop withdrawals begin immediately and that soldiers and Marines spend as much time at home as they do in combat.
The measure also sets a goal that combat end by December 2008. After that, troops left behind should be restricted to a narrow sets of missions, namely counterterrorism, training Iraqi security forces and protecting U.S. assets.
I’ll be curious to see what support she gets from the Democrat candidates for the presidency--obviously Kucinich will like the legislation, but what will Edwards, Clinton, and Obama say publicly? This does seem to confirm that ensuring defeat is the policy of at least some of the Democrats’ leadership. Announcing to the world that we are no longer willing to support our troops or our mission will send a message of abandonment to our friends and encouragement to our enemies. Brilliant.
And, no, I’m not an absolutist. There is a time when a nation must face up to defeat and failure. You can’t fight a war forever. It’s just better to make that choice when you’re actually losing.
Comments & Trackbacks
General Pelosi—She just oozes with military expertise.
<quote>General Pelosi—She just oozes with military expertise. </quote>
Huh ... I thought that was botox. (shrug)
Anyway I expect this out of her ilk. So far, fortunately, they have been losing at making us lose.
"So far, fortunately, they have been losing at making us lose.”
It’s time that congress critters “spend as much time at home as they do in” Washington DC. What will be the last right lost in an unwinnable cause?
A military victory means what. Hopefully it would mean that the soldiers can come home, but other than that what will it mean?
A military victory can’t really be divorced from the political victory--you don’t commit troops and money with the goal of simply bringing the troops home as soon as possible. So, what does a victory look like?
For Iraqis and Americans, a victory would leave an Iraq behind that is stable and capable, in large part, of taking care of its own security issues. Where a small contingent of American troops could be left safely behind to advise and assist in Iraq’s internal and national security issues as they arise, but with the ultimate responsibility for those issues in Iraqi hands. A victory also entails the continuation of a democratically elected, constitutional government that is reasonably free of corruption and works to build Iraq toward being the peaceful economic power that it should be.
A victory would also leave an Iraq that acts as an example of what political reform in the Middle East can mean: prosperity and friendship with the West instead of the kleptocracy that it replaced.
How many of those goals are within reach? Not sure, but, as I said, I think that now isn’t the time to abandon the effort.
All of those goals are in reach, the limiting factor is the will of the American public. Which is being undermined daily by people more interested in short term political advantage than actually carrying out principles they’ve espoused for years.
Can I get an amen?
Amen. And B men too. And D and E and all the rest.
But not C.
...did I just Godwin the thread?
Hmmmm…
I feel a post coming on…
Either that or it’s just gas.
Check with me in the morning.