Article

2011-12-13 Iraq

h/t Gates of Vienna
If I were a psychiatrist I could find the perfect label for the depths of denial or the heights of delusion that manifest themselves in Frederick and Kimberly Kagan's latest declarations on Iraq published in the Washington Post as "opinion." "Fantasy" is a more like it. Their premise is that the American nation-building exercise in Iraq failed not because nation-building is pure academic utopianism (leftist cant) that withers in real-world conditions (Islam), but because the exercise didn't go on long enough.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-12-13 14:32|| || Front Page|| [11138 views ] Top

#1 It went on TOO long as it was.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2011-12-13 15:24|| 2011-12-13 15:24|| Front Page Top

#2 Let nation-building begin at home.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-12-13 15:47|| 2011-12-13 15:47|| Front Page Top

#3 Nation-building might work if the previous nation can first be destroyed and you can start over. Japan and Germany come to mind. These wars were total wars; the will was there to continue until we won. Everyone had skin in the game. The war ended when the enemy paid too dear a price and they were beaten into submission.

Wars of attrition are costly in their own way--they bleed you. Trying to win the hearts and minds of people is an iffy, long-term process--it may never happen; sometimes the cultural divide is just too great to span. Maybe it's better to raze the country and move on.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-12-13 17:29|| 2011-12-13 17:29|| Front Page Top

#4 Whoa, there's a Tower of London in Washington???

Did Monty + Benny + Rumpole know???

gut nuthin.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-12-13 18:23|| 2011-12-13 18:23|| Front Page Top

#5 JosephM, if you can put Monty, Benny and Rumpole in the same question, you've got plenty of somethin'. :-)

Posted by trailing wife 2011-12-13 21:50|| 2011-12-13 21:50|| Front Page Top

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