Article

2007-12-21 Iraq

Bush not satisfied with progress in Iraq

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Posted by Steve White 2007-12-21 00:00|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 US President George W. Bush said on Thursday he was not satisfied with the central Iraqi governments record on reconciling the countrys rival sectarian groups and carrying out reforms

Two in one day?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2007-12-21 06:35|| 2007-12-21 06:35|| Front Page Top

#2 national reconciliation -- key for an eventual US withdrawal
-- remains elusive.

Behold one of the key errors that has shaped the viable yet disappointing trajectory of the Iraq operation. Dunno if it was mostly the mistaken and gullible acceptance of the Arab psywar concept that "occupation" was something that had to be avoided at all costs (i.e., don't bother about us folks, we're just passing through, really we are, honest). Or an even more inept effort to cater to impatience and irresponsibility at home. Either way, disastrous move.

And I've never been much impressed by this goat rope of pressing the Eye-rakis on a laundry list of ~~Sunni~~ US demands. The logical extension of this - explaining the Surge as merely an effort to create "space" for the Iraqis to jump through our hoops - was a mistake of Carter/Clinton dimensions. It seems that the public temperature in the US has cooled sufficiently in direct response to the security gains (uh, that is "security", for those at the NSC, DOD, and in the senior ranks who seem unclear on the concept - not "reconstruction" or "reconciliation") to keep the ship afloat.

The prez would have to answer questions about this issue anyway, but making it part of our actual declared strategy/policy was just short of idiotic.

We went to Iraq to advance vital national security interests, and of course we will always be the arbiter of success on that mission. Especially given our adoption of a weak occupation model, our only leverage on the Shi'a has always been the threat of abandonment - which of course produces precisely the opposite result to what we desire, both among them and the Sunnis.

Posted by Verlaine 2007-12-21 11:16|| 2007-12-21 11:16|| Front Page Top

#3 ...but insisted it is functioning and passing budgets... If a snipe at our own congress, a good one. If not, should have been.

Heard his speech the other morning, he sounded good.

In other news, more crapulant video games coming soon!

Posted by swksvolFF 2007-12-21 11:44|| 2007-12-21 11:44|| Front Page Top

#4 He whacked the Democrats hard too, odd you don't hear that? (Sarc)

Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-12-21 14:25|| 2007-12-21 14:25|| Front Page Top

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