Makes sense to me, the troops have done what troops can do, and they've done it very well.
The problem is there's a lot they can't do.
They can't make sunnis, shi'ites and kurds like each other or work together. They can't impose the rule of law or any of the other important trappings of civil society.
Grapes from Chile arrive in great quantity, at the right time to be ripe, transported to the winter US by people who don't like Americans and don't care if Americans starve, let alone caring about the interests of Americans.
Yet it all works like a precision watch.
Trade, property rights, mutual monetary advantage, is all it takes. Not liking the other guy.
having Sunni's like Shia and vice versa was never ever in the cards. attempting to raise the bar there is BS.
The goal in my mind has alwys been to avoid genocide and to establish a representative government that can hold the country together. The abuse that the Shia took from Saddam and his Sunni Bathists was a lot worse than Sherman marching to the sea. If Iraq turns out to have a government and a civil society as efficent and fair post-reconstruction Georgia, there is a chance at ultimate peace. But it will take generations for "reconciliation"
Drudge loves contradictory headlines, especially on global warming, where you'll typically see one headline saying that the science is settled, global warming is a fact, skeptics need to be jailed, along with a second headline in which skeptical scientists worry about global cooling.
Drudge also loves posting headlines about "houses of filth" in which some batty individual is hording cats or other animals. He can't resist those, posts them every other week or so.
Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, February 10, 2008; Page A01
"Over 16 pages, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader detailed the organization's demise in his sector. He once had 600 men, but now his force was down to 20 or fewer, he wrote. They had lost weapons and allies.
He also provided detailed information about five battalions of fighters, all weakened by desertions or dismantled."
I feel lucky Pelosi wasn't around during WW2. The White Flag Democrats are intent on losing this war. Obama, Clinton; it makes no difference. Retreat is surrender, and they mean to retreat, without returning.
As for those who think Hillary has some sort of toughness regarding terrorists, you have forgotten that Pres. Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 members of FALN, a terrorist group seeking to 'liberate' Puerto Rico from the US, that set off 120 bombs, including in NY City and Chicago from 1974 to 1983. (Its 1975 bombing of Fraunces Tavern in New York killed four and injured 63)
I feel lucky Pelosi wasn't around during WW2. The White Flag Democrats are intent on losing this war.
Pogo, read the President's speech announcing the surge. Name one of the goals announced in that speech that has been met by the Iraqi government. (And the fake anti-baathification law doesn't count, everyone knows it is Orwellian doublespeak).
you have forgotten that Pres. Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 members of FALN, a terrorist group seeking to 'liberate' Puerto Rico from the US, that set off 120 bombs, including in NY City and Chicago from 1974 to 1983.
And you have forgotten that Pres. Bush refused to prosecute or deport an anti-Castro Cuban terrorist who blew up a passenger plane.
I guess terrorism is okay as long as your victims are communists or sympathetic to communist regimes. That is why nobody mentioned the death of one of the greatest mass-murderers of the twentieth century last week (Suharto).
Yes, the various factions don't need to like each other, but they need to work together. The point of the surge was to give them time to figure out how to do that.
Acknowledging that the military can only do so much is not a critique of the troops. Seems I can recall a certain candidate in 2000 who argued that nation building was not the purpose of our military.
Irrespective of what eventually happens to Iraq, the Iraq will take its place alongside the Spanish Civil war, the decision to drop the A bombs on Japan, and Alger Hiss' politics as an enduring controversy. Yet another litmus test for one's politics.
Pelosi - Living proof that chronic non-lethal level dosages of BOTOX cause brain damage.
Harry Reid - Living proof that all Mormons are not smart, nice and strange - like Mitt. Harry is stupid, nasty, and so pedestrian he lacks the imagination to rise to "strange".
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18 comments:
Makes sense to me, the troops have done what troops can do, and they've done it very well.
The problem is there's a lot they can't do.
They can't make sunnis, shi'ites and kurds like each other or work together. They can't impose the rule of law or any of the other important trappings of civil society.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Grapes from Chile arrive in great quantity, at the right time to be ripe, transported to the winter US by people who don't like Americans and don't care if Americans starve, let alone caring about the interests of Americans.
Yet it all works like a precision watch.
Trade, property rights, mutual monetary advantage, is all it takes. Not liking the other guy.
I agree with RH,
having Sunni's like Shia and vice versa was never ever in the cards. attempting to raise the bar there is BS.
The goal in my mind has alwys been to avoid genocide and to establish a representative government that can hold the country together. The abuse that the Shia took from Saddam and his Sunni Bathists was a lot worse than Sherman marching to the sea. If Iraq turns out to have a government and a civil society as efficent and fair post-reconstruction Georgia, there is a chance at ultimate peace. But it will take generations for "reconciliation"
Drudge loves contradictory headlines, especially on global warming, where you'll typically see one headline saying that the science is settled, global warming is a fact, skeptics need to be jailed, along with a second headline in which skeptical scientists worry about global cooling.
Drudge also loves posting headlines about "houses of filth" in which some batty individual is hording cats or other animals. He can't resist those, posts them every other week or so.
Diary of an Insurgent In Retreat
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, February 10, 2008; Page A01
"Over 16 pages, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader detailed the organization's demise in his sector. He once had 600 men, but now his force was down to 20 or fewer, he wrote. They had lost weapons and allies.
He also provided detailed information about five battalions of fighters, all weakened by desertions or dismantled."
I feel lucky Pelosi wasn't around during WW2. The White Flag Democrats are intent on losing this war. Obama, Clinton; it makes no difference. Retreat is surrender, and they mean to retreat, without returning.
As for those who think Hillary has some sort of toughness regarding terrorists, you have forgotten that Pres. Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 members of FALN, a terrorist group seeking to 'liberate' Puerto Rico from the US, that set off 120 bombs, including in NY City and Chicago from 1974 to 1983. (Its 1975 bombing of Fraunces Tavern in New York killed four and injured 63)
They were also spies for Cuba.
Why?
because Hillary was making a run forn the NY Senate, and the votes of 1.5 million Puerto Ricans were sought. She later repudiated the deal.
FALN killed cops and civilians on US soil. Don't expect Hillary ever to do anything other than what's best for Hillary.
Good God, that woman is an embarrassing mediocrity.
What a maroon. The Democrats deserve Nancy and Harry--combined IQs somewhat lower than a carrot.
I feel lucky Pelosi wasn't around during WW2. The White Flag Democrats are intent on losing this war.
Pogo, read the President's speech announcing the surge. Name one of the goals announced in that speech that has been met by the Iraqi government. (And the fake anti-baathification law doesn't count, everyone knows it is Orwellian doublespeak).
you have forgotten that Pres. Clinton commuted the sentences of 16 members of FALN, a terrorist group seeking to 'liberate' Puerto Rico from the US, that set off 120 bombs, including in NY City and Chicago from 1974 to 1983.
And you have forgotten that Pres. Bush refused to prosecute or deport an anti-Castro Cuban terrorist who blew up a passenger plane.
I guess terrorism is okay as long as your victims are communists or sympathetic to communist regimes. That is why nobody mentioned the death of one of the greatest mass-murderers of the twentieth century last week (Suharto).
Yes, the various factions don't need to like each other, but they need to work together. The point of the surge was to give them time to figure out how to do that.
Acknowledging that the military can only do so much is not a critique of the troops. Seems I can recall a certain candidate in 2000 who argued that nation building was not the purpose of our military.
Yes, the various factions don't need to like each other, but they need to work together.
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and all that stuff about people living in glass houses seems as if it might apply.
Irrespective of what eventually happens to Iraq, the Iraq will take its place alongside the Spanish Civil war, the decision to drop the A bombs on Japan, and Alger Hiss' politics as an enduring controversy. Yet another litmus test for one's politics.
More like the fall of the Soviet Union: Iraqi's and Republicans will credit George Bush. Democrats will claim Iraq got better all by itself.
"This is a failure. This is a failure..."
I didn't know there were any mirrors in the House chamber.
Don't be so hard on yourself, Nan.
Pelosi is such a joke.
"This is a failure. This is a failure. The troops have succeeded, God bless them."
Well I have to hand it to Nancy -- she managed to think of an even dumber attempt to have it both ways than Bill Clinton's "I didn't inhale".
Pelosi - Living proof that chronic non-lethal level dosages of BOTOX cause brain damage.
Harry Reid - Living proof that all Mormons are not smart, nice and strange - like Mitt. Harry is stupid, nasty, and so pedestrian he lacks the imagination to rise to "strange".
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