Article

2006-10-25 Iraq

The insurgents are hitting their targets--in Washington.

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Posted by Mike 2006-10-25 07:10|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 /begin rant/
The points made and conclusions drawn by the author(s) are so mind numbingly obvious it almost hurts to read them. I find myself scratching my head in wonder as to how any rational, free-thinking American can allow these certainties to escape them at this crucial time.

Any retreat is a defeat at this stage. We should continue to put pressure on the Iraqi government to get their act together or suffer the consequences. Lot's of pressure at that. But I think it is a mistake to threaten them with withdrawal if they don't make it happen yesterday. We all want it to happen yesterday. Yet settling differences that have existed for decades, centuries even, doesn't happen overnight, in a few months, or even a few years. Doing so in a country that has been murdered, raped and pillaged by a brutal dictator for 30+ years makes it doubly difficult. What the US and American people should be doing right now is emphatically declaring our collective desire for a free and democratic Iraq and pledging our unwavering support in helping that young country achieve it.

We should approach this on a phase basis, with various stages within each phase. IMO that's exactly what the Bush administration is doing, based on what I've seen. That's a real strategy, folks. But the media and half the country is blind to it because they are more interested in winning political power than doing what is right for this country and the rest of the free world. Shame on them. May the American people have the clarity of vision to see through this when they pull the levers in a few short weeks.

These phases probably look something like this:

Phase I: Includes military, economic, and political support*. Goal is to establish the institutions necessary to properly govern and secure the country while giving it a chance to prosper economically. We are in the last stages of this phase.

Phase II: Includes mainly military and economic support. Begins after political institutions have been established to properly govern the country. We are in the early stages of this phase.

Phase III: Includes mainly economic support. Begins after political and military institutions have been established to properly govern and secure the country. This phase has yet to begin.

Phase IV: The country is a self-sufficient democracy, economically prosperous, and a strategic ally in the war on terror. Thus dealing a serious blow to the jihadis and denying them a safe haven wherein they can operate with impunity.

Patience, people, patience. Tis a virtue that pays handsomely.

*Support here is defined as active, "boots-on-the-ground" aid and assistance.
/end rant/

Posted by eltoroverde 2006-10-25 15:55|| 2006-10-25 15:55|| Front Page Top

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