United States repeats tragic foreign policy
The Iraq Study Group speaks ominously about "dire and deteriorating" conditions yet states that, "We agree with the goal of U.S. policy in Iraq."
With misleading statements such as " … subject to unexpected developments in the security situation on the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq," one could almost forget that more than half of our forces in Iraq are not combat brigades, that many of those supporting troops must have force protection, and that the phrase "unexpected developments" leaves much room for equivocating.
Moreover, the study group wants the "withdrawn" troops to be "redeployed" either inside or outside of Iraq.
On Nov. 7, did we vote for troops to be transferred to "permanent" Iraqi bases or to increase troop levels?
This administration, if it knows history at all, is condemned to repeat it. Three years and 60,000 deaths after repelling the North Korean invasion of South Korea, we negotiated a settlement of the status quo. Following a failed policy of Vietnamization, we left Vietnam after 10 years, 55,000 dead, and again a status quo.
Defense Secretary Gates and Grigori Rasputin seem intent on repeating our tragic foreign follies in Iraq.
Gerald W. Meisner
Greensboro
Comments (11)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
So far we've not heard from Gates - so you're either inside the crony loop, Mr. Meisner, clairvoyant, or guessing.
I also fear too much water has leaked out of the lake. "How do we save the water supply now?", cry the fools that spent six years holding the sluice gate wide open with crys of "stay the course!
Posted on January 4, 2007 6:15 AM
I agree with this lte. We are doomed to failure in Iraq not because of the "Iraq Surrender Groups'" recommendations, but because America has become a PC nation where protecting the 'rights' of terrorists take priority over winning a war.
Posted on January 4, 2007 6:21 AM
"On Nov. 7, did we vote for troops to be transferred to "permanent" Iraqi bases or to increase troop levels?"
I don't know. You tell me. You seem to think you know the reason behind why everyone voted the way they did.
Personally, I voted against flag burning, homershexuals hitching up, and stem-cell murderers. ;)
Posted on January 4, 2007 9:17 AM
Neo, apparently the Iraqis are buying into PC, demanding a full investigation as to why poor 'ol Saddam was taunted before being hung.
Posted on January 4, 2007 9:44 AM
It will be interesting to see how Gates begins to clean up Rummy's mess. Gotta love the interview with Gerald Ford where he said Cheney had become quite "pugnacious"! Yeah, I'd say.
I pity the poor lady or gentleman who is elected President next go around. They will HAVE to raise taxes, and will HAVE to rebuild the military. Whether Repubublican or Democrat, the next President has been screwed by the current intransigent administration. God help us all!
Posted on January 4, 2007 10:21 AM
DD,
I don't think they are going to wait until the next President to raise taxes. A democratic party is not going to make Bush's tax cuts permanent. Agree with them or not. I'd be in favor of at least keeping some of them in place for middle income families. I think if Bush had some savvy, he would have repealed some of the tax cuts for the richest of the rich.
As far as the Ford interview, I think the guy was a class act and everything I've ever seen gave the impression that he thought pretty highly of Cheney, but didn't mind calling a spade a spade. I don't know why he requested that this interview not be released until after his death but I do think it would have been a little more respectable if they could have at least waited until the man was laid to rest before releasing it.
I still disagree with his pardon of Nixon however.
Posted on January 4, 2007 11:13 AM
With endorsements like this, it is little wonder the democrats seized control of the house and senate:
"Of course Americans should vote Democrat," Jihad Jaara, a senior member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group and the infamous leader of the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity,said.
"This is why American Muslims will support the Democrats, because there is an atmosphere in America that encourages those who want to withdraw from Iraq. It is time that the American people support those who want to take them out of this Iraqi mud," said Jaara.
Posted on January 4, 2007 11:21 AM
"I pity the poor lady or gentleman who is elected President next go around. They will HAVE to raise taxes, and will HAVE to rebuild the military. Whether Repubublican or Democrat, the next President has been screwed by the current intransigent administration."
That's exactly the point Bartlett made about Jimmy Carter. fwiw, Gates is pretty appreciative of Carter too ..
Perhaps the title Worlds Worst President is dependent on whom he/she follows?
Posted on January 4, 2007 3:51 PM
James,
Regarding the next president:
Some of my thoughts yesterday were this:
"Why in the heck is every news outlet reporting Barack Obama's past drug use as NEWS? Like its some recent discovery or something. Just how old is that book?"
The only logical conclusion I have is that his campaign folks made sure that this story got blown up now so they can head off any attacks later in the run-up to 2008. By then it will certainly be old news.
Not that I care. I totally believe in second chances and his experimentation back then would have absolutely no bearing on my vote.
Just interesting to see the political machine at work is all.
Posted on January 4, 2007 4:00 PM
nitpicker, I will say that the revelations of Barack Obama's drug use as a teenager scares me much less than reports of late Chief Justice Rehnquist's addiction to prescription drugs while an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16443186/
Posted on January 5, 2007 10:05 AM
Based on Gate's statements today and the President's speech yesterday, seems Meisner is clairvoyant. That, or maybe he just keeps up with political events better than the rest of us.
Posted on January 11, 2007 5:21 PM