|
|
| Gen. Abizaid Stay the Course - Response to Andy D. |
| Friday, November 17, 2006 |
Did you see the comments yesterday (November 15) by the leading military figure in Iraq? He didn't use the exact words but it sounded a lot like "stay the course". The Democrats are the first to point to the military if it disagrees with Bush, but when the military agrees, they are either quiet or try to undermine it.
I believe we need a new direction in Iraq. I don't believe that involves a "phased withdrawal". The tactics we have been using up until now are not working in the current situation. Time to change gears. Maybe it is time to take the gloves off. Maybe it is time to reevaluate how we wage war. I think Bush, the Republicans, and the Democrats need to listen to the assorted panels going on right now to find a new course in Iraq. We can only hope they can set aside their politics long enough to find what works best for the Iraqi's and the Americans, and not what looks good in the polls. (Political Friends)
I did find this article stating where yesterday US General Abizaid testified to congress that it was best to maintain the existing troop levels in or to maintain some type of security in the country. And, that does sound like something that the Democrats have painted themselves into a corner on. They have to advocate and increase or decrease in troop level and cannot advocate that the troop levels stay the same without appearing as bald faced politically expedient liars. I just want them to make the best decisions from this point forward, but you know that they have to push for something that doesn't look like staying the course. And, the majority of the Dems have already cast their lot on exiting the scene stage left.
This is a really weakness for the Dems at this point and could cost them some of the good favor they earned. I can understand your point. It seems like the Democrats have pickled themselves and now they must put there congressional seats where there mouths have been and disagree with the General Abizaid's assertion that:
Our troop posture needs to stay where it is," and the use of military adviser teams embedded with Iraqi army and police forces needs to be expanded, Abizaid told the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was the first hearing on Iraq policy since last week's elections gave Democrats control of both houses of Congress starting in January. Abizaid is right. The politicians need to listen to the general on this one – unless they truly believe that wars are too important to be left in the hands of the generals who have to fight them.
I'm trying to find some better links to the release you referred to. Can you help me out? Nonetheless, I believe what you are saying, it seems like there are mixed messages being put out to the public by the Iraqi and US leaders.
The "stay the course" or "send more troops" would seem like the appropriate lines of though for a the Iraqi leaders to make sure they expressed privately to the US leaders. Would you really want someone to run off with the hose and baking soda if you were smoking a cigarette on a tinderbox, full of tenders, and soaked in gasoline?
When you see articles like this one about Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki asking the US to hand over the security situation to Iraqi security forces faster.
If that happens, a fresh round of ethnic cleansing is likely to ensue. (In my opinion.)And, the prime minister will need to flee the country - because he won't be able to control it.
It is still remarkable that the UN has not yet entered Iraq to create the conditions for peace. Actually, it is shameful. The milk has been spilled and there is a lot of work in cleaning it up.
I agree with you that there needs to be action taken to revise this new idea about how to wage war. It is wonderful to be surgical when you have an enemy that is dependent on fixed positions, but it makes no since against a guerilla army. I know this might sound counter intuitive, and I'm no West Point grad, but what good does a surgical strike do against an enemy that can blend into the background and doesn't depend on any fixed bases?
Guerillas are effective, because of their ability to cede and regroup quickly. Basically, the entire environment has to be made uninhabitable to overcome gorillas. This seemed to the thinking in the past. |
posted by Domesticated Dog @ 12:07 AM   |
|
|
|
|
|
