Iraq

Pointless

Posted by on August 4, 2006 at 01:07 PM

After opining for the need to "stay the course" Tom Friedman admits it's time for a new strategy in an piece in The New York Times:

When our top commander in Iraq, Gen. John Abizaid, tells a Senate Committee, as he did yesterday, that “the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I’ve seen it,” it means that three years of efforts to democratize Iraq are not working. That means “staying the course” is pointless, and it’s time to start thinking about Plan B — how we might disengage with the least damage possible.

also...

...we can’t throw more good lives after good lives.

Since the Bush team never gave us a Plan A for Iraq, it at least owes us a Plan B...

...The longer we maintain a unilateral failing strategy in Iraq, the harder it will be to build such a coalition, and the stronger the enemies of freedom will become.

Have your own thoughts about the need for a new direction? Write your own Op-Ed or Letter to the Editor this weekend.

Comments (13) «

THE FAITH BASED MORON PLAYING PRESIDENT = "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"

(MSNBC) "BAGHDAD, Iraq - Hundreds of thousands of Shiites chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” marched through the streets of Baghdad’s biggest Shiite district Friday in a show of support for Hezbollah militants battling Israeli troops in Lebanon."

THE FAITH BASED MORON PLAYING PRESIDENT = IMPEACHMENT = PRICELESS

1
america1st on August 4, 2006 at 03:17 PM

So the head of the President's cheerleading squad has packed up his tent and left. He couldn't take the heat any longer? Or was the approaching mid-term election too hard to face?

I'm glad he came to his senses on at least one of Bush's misguided policies. Now maybe he could start that the economy is rosy for everyone.

2
SandyH on August 4, 2006 at 03:54 PM

"...the harder it will be to build such a coalition..." improbable now, soon impossible.

"...and the stronger the enemies of freedom will become." likely, more determined too.

tom understand the dynamics. the overseas networks are raking us over the coals... we're in the burning box with isreal. if global warming doesn't melt us, the faith based moron with no B or C or ... will. who is minding the country? surely isn't the moron on vacation in crawford. cindy can have him.

3
america1st on August 4, 2006 at 03:56 PM

That`s why we need someone in the White House who actually has some intelligence.Instead we have people who are greed driven,and could care less about anyone else.

4
virgo on August 4, 2006 at 09:28 PM

Ironically, the best way for the current administration to get out of Iraq is to vote Democrats into office.

It would also be a vote for returning to reality.

5
Rally on August 6, 2006 at 11:52 AM

Yeah, We will clean up their mess, and they will forever be saying we "cut and ran" even though we would be saving lives, and getting some of our credibility back with the rest of the world.
Republicans don't know anything about gratitude. Of course, you can tell how they express gratitude by the way they are crapping all over the soldiers with their "targeted pay raises" and the ongoing destruction of the Veterans' Administration.
Let's get enough real Democrats voted into office so we can start the impeachment hearings this January.
Take out the bastards!
MAKE LEAVENWORTH KANSAS THE NEW WEST WING OF THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!

6
Butte on August 7, 2006 at 01:57 AM

This mess George Bush has put the world in has only started. By attacking Iraq he has opened a can or worms that will last for many, many years to come. George bush can not kill everybody. They all have children that will grow up and hate us more then they do now. George Bushs greed is going to hurt this country and the world for a long time. We are only in the early stages of the hurt. But thats right. George Bush is a Christian?? Ya RIGHT.

7
usahope1 on August 7, 2006 at 10:51 AM

****RELIGION OUT OF GOVERNMENT****

I was at the tag office on Aug. 2, 2006, and a man began a conversation with me who seemed interested in telling me about his morals, values and the importance of his religious beliefs in government; the man was for Borrow and Spend Government to support his morals, values and religious beliefs; and, although he said that he would not borrow more than the value of his own personal and real property, spend the money frivilously and pay all of his income and savings in interest, that would make him poor and cause a loss of his possessions to his lenders if he could not pay the interest; he felt that it was alright for the Government to do so because that was different. This Religious-Right man said he was a Phd, and he felt strongly that he was intelligent and his course of action was a smart course of action. What kind of warped logic and reasoning is this that is coming from the Religious-Right that has this obviously intelligent man so badly brainwashed and indoctrinated???????

When money is borrowed, someone has to pay down the principal, and pay interest for the use of the money until the principal is payed down. Is it the logic of "these people", the Religious-Right, that the Religious-Right will get other people to provide the labor to pay down the principal and pay the interest for the use of the money they want the government to spend in the same fashion that Washington, Jefferson and all of the other Conservatism Conservatives of the American Revolution did, with slaves paying the price for their benefit???????

If so, the Working and Poor Class and Culture, do not want to pay down the principal and pay the interest for the use of money that RIGHT-WING Conservatism Conservatives feel God wants them to have without the responsibility for paying it back.

This Right-Wing religious conservatism is a warped version of worshiping God with the tennets of that worship being based upon usary and benefit from other people's labor for your own personal benefit at the expense of others; it was warped when Washington, Jefferson and the founding fathers of the American Revolution used it, and it is warped religion today.

We, the 70% majority population of the United States, the Working and Poor Class and Culture, are not slaves and we do not want to pay down the principal and pay the interest for the use of money spent by RIGHT-WING Conservatism Conservatives on Borrow and Spend Government any more than the Phd wanted to use the same practices for his own personal finances, and I know of no one who does, if the practice applies to them personally.

This Bush Administration's Right-Wing Conservatism Conservative practice of Borrow and Spend Government that is financed at the expense of the General Population that could not afford it to begin with; that has already committed every man, woman and child in the United States to more than $30,000. of debt along with the interest on that debt at the expense of government services for which their taxes are paid must end.

God is not for the economic and political elite getting free money, a free ride, based upon usary and borrowed money, that the Working and Poor Class have to pay back; this practice must end and it must end NOW.

People are losing faith in government and this kind of behavior if left unchecked can bring the government down; for this reason this type of behavior must not be allowed to continue.

8
ThomasG_ on August 8, 2006 at 10:18 AM

"The Democrats"

Why is it that ALL the Pundits and talking heads in ALL the Media talk about the Democratic Leadership Council, DLC, democrats as being "The Democrats" when, in fact, this minority, this tiny cult of duopolistic bobble-headed usurpers of political power in the Democratic Party DO NOT REPRESENT "THE GRASSROOTS MAJORITY" OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, "The Democrats", who ARE the grassroots majority of the Democratic Party, not the tiny clique of DLC usurpers that infest the leadership of the Democratic Party.

The grassroots majority are not for conservative politics as Professor Charles Edward Merriam, a Political Scientist in the University of Chicago, in his book, "The Making of Citizens" indicates, "In the United States, if we followed the Fathers' example literally, we would disfranchise over three-fourths of our voters, re-establish human slavery, set up property and religious qualifications for office, re-establish religions, set up penal and reformatory institutions of the most primitive type, and rebuild a whole series of institutions which we should find absolutely intolerable and impossible."

"The DLC Democrats", the tiny cult of duopolistic bobble-headed usurpers that infest the leadership of the Democratic Party contrary to the best interest of the Grassroots Majority of the Democratic Party are NOT "The Democrats". "The Democrats" ARE the grassroots majority of the Democratic Party that are doing all that they can do to get the Lieberman-like infestation out of Democratic Party leadership, and the grassroots majority of the Democratic Party do not support conservative politics as previously stated by Professor Merriam. The grassroots majority of the Democratic Party support Liberal Progressive politics that favor the greater good, that is inclusive, rather than exclusive.

9
ThomasG_ on August 8, 2006 at 06:58 PM

What is the Democratic plan for Iraq and the Middle East?

10
ImaRep on August 10, 2006 at 12:06 PM

Since the United States remains in virtually every country for which we have fought, what are the Democrats talking about? Is it necessary to list the tens of thousands of troops we have stationed all over the world – looking out for OUR interest.

Lead with vision, not griping. I am a former Democrat disillusioned with Republican spending in Washington. How does the party expect us to return, when they cannot stop crying?

Be bold, and stop treating your constituents like subjects to be manipulated. It is possible to be a voice of the poor and, and still speak to the fears of the ones who actually pay for government programs.

11
excalibor on August 10, 2006 at 01:31 PM

excalibor:
There are two types of Democrats. There are true Democrats who are standing up for the people and for getting this country turned around.
Unfortunately, the DNC/DLC is infested with the other type of Democrat, the Republi-lite Democrat. They are the big problem, because these sell-outs to big business start whining and crying anytime anyone comes up with a plan that doesn't follow the Republican big-business party line.
The Republi-lites have divided the Democrat party and lead it away from its true base.
They aren't spineless, they are greedy for power and money and have sold out the American people to do it.
They all need to be fired.
Why do you think Lieberman's crying. He was one of the major sell-outs. Now a lot of the Republi-lites are mad at the Ohio voters for daring to think for themselves.
Look at what he's doing now, saying he won't bow to the American people who told him he was fired and will run as an independent spoiler instead.
And the rest of the Republi-lites are kissing his butt!
If you are fed up with Republican lies, come back to the Democrats, and help us clean house!

12
Butte on August 11, 2006 at 10:42 AM

If we "stay the course",
there will have to be a DRAFT.

13
pee-wee on August 11, 2006 at 08:37 PM


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