Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Deserving of Criticism
Yesterday the L. A. Times carried an editorial which I found to be somewhat critical of Speaker Pelosi and indeed of all the Democrats regarding Iraq. Now it's the Washington Post's turn. Man, how bad are you when the normally reliable cheerleaders are turning against you?
Best paragraph from Do we really need a Gen. Pelosi? in the Times:
Members of Congress need to act responsibly, debating the essence of the choice the United States now faces -- to stay or go -- and putting their money where their mouths are. But too many lives are at stake to allow members of Congress to play the role of Eisenhower or Lincoln.
Best paragraph from The Pelosi Plan for Iraq from the Post:
In short, the Democratic proposal to be taken up this week is an attempt to impose detailed management on a war without regard for the war itself. Will Iraq collapse into unrestrained civil conflict with "massive civilian casualties," as the U.S. intelligence community predicts in the event of a rapid withdrawal? Will al-Qaeda establish a powerful new base for launching attacks on the United States and its allies? Will there be a regional war that sucks in Iraqi neighbors such as Saudi Arabia or Turkey? The House legislation is indifferent: Whether or not any of those events happened, U.S. forces would be gone.
They sound like Vice President Cheney.
Best paragraph from Do we really need a Gen. Pelosi? in the Times:
Members of Congress need to act responsibly, debating the essence of the choice the United States now faces -- to stay or go -- and putting their money where their mouths are. But too many lives are at stake to allow members of Congress to play the role of Eisenhower or Lincoln.
Best paragraph from The Pelosi Plan for Iraq from the Post:
In short, the Democratic proposal to be taken up this week is an attempt to impose detailed management on a war without regard for the war itself. Will Iraq collapse into unrestrained civil conflict with "massive civilian casualties," as the U.S. intelligence community predicts in the event of a rapid withdrawal? Will al-Qaeda establish a powerful new base for launching attacks on the United States and its allies? Will there be a regional war that sucks in Iraqi neighbors such as Saudi Arabia or Turkey? The House legislation is indifferent: Whether or not any of those events happened, U.S. forces would be gone.
They sound like Vice President Cheney.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:56 AM 
Comments:
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My guess is that even if Pelosi, et al. could get something like this passed, the President would veto it if possible, and ignore it otherwise.
Nevertheless, if it did have its desired effect of forcing us to cut and run from Iraq, I don't see al Qaeda getting a real foothold in Iraq. There are just too many Shi'a and Kurds there to allow that to happen. Rather, the ethnic cleansing, which seems under the surge to be being reversed a bit (with Sunnis moving back into their homes in mixed neighborhoods) would accelerate. The justification by a lot of the Shi'a seems to be that if the Sunni Arabs won't shut down the indiscriminate murder of innocent Shi'a, including children, etc., then the Shiites only choice is to remove them.
But the real danger I see is the possibility of an Sunni Arab intervention, presumably led by the Saudis, to protect their brethern. But if that were to happen, Iran would not be far behind (or more realisticly, is already there).
And that is the scenerio that I don't think that Mrs. Pelosi, et al. have really thought through.
Nevertheless, if it did have its desired effect of forcing us to cut and run from Iraq, I don't see al Qaeda getting a real foothold in Iraq. There are just too many Shi'a and Kurds there to allow that to happen. Rather, the ethnic cleansing, which seems under the surge to be being reversed a bit (with Sunnis moving back into their homes in mixed neighborhoods) would accelerate. The justification by a lot of the Shi'a seems to be that if the Sunni Arabs won't shut down the indiscriminate murder of innocent Shi'a, including children, etc., then the Shiites only choice is to remove them.
But the real danger I see is the possibility of an Sunni Arab intervention, presumably led by the Saudis, to protect their brethern. But if that were to happen, Iran would not be far behind (or more realisticly, is already there).
And that is the scenerio that I don't think that Mrs. Pelosi, et al. have really thought through.
I think the scenario where a Sunni dominated country comes to the aid of the 'oppressed' Sunni minority in Iraq is a longshot. Same with Iran intervening. I think the Iraqis are capable of being as good as Turkey as far as government is concerned. I agree that Kurdistan will probably be stable but there can be elsewhere local enclaves of al Qaeda (just as there are in Pakistan), so it will be a constant struggle for about 3 or 4 more years. I wonder if we have the stomach to keep going? If we don't, it will be a rough times for our children's children.
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