Letters to the Editor
Ijon Tichy
Published Letters: 452 Editor's Choice: 69
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Here's the problem
[Read the article: The senators vs. the president]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So long as everyone agrees with the assumption that withdrawel of US troops would lead to civil war and catastrophe for the region, then no one is going to agree to set any conditions to pull out. It is dishonest to demand Maliki meet benchmarks or we withdraw if we already believe we can't withdraw, especially if Maliki doesn't meet his benchmarks. This is the biggest reason you won't see a resolution with any teeth in it.
Sure, Bush is taunting the Dems to cut off funding. He knows they won't, due in part to the "catastrophe" assumption, as well as political concerns. However this "all or nothing" strategy only guarantees the situation will get worse, not better. Each month has seen the violence get worse and January has set a new record.
The only viable alternative is political negotiation, between the Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites and between the neighboring countries. Yet, for reasons I can only think of as criminally insane, this administration is more intent on fomenting further instability and violence with its bellicose statements and actions against Syria and Iran.
Unfortunately, Congress may have the power of the purse, but it has no power to force the administration to negotiate with Iran or Syria, let alone step in and negotiate on America's behalf. Diplomacy resides solely within the Executive Branch.
One possibility is if Congress made a commitment to cut off funding unless the Bush administration meets certain benchmarks; which would include a sincere effort to work with both the Iraqi factions and Iran and Syria to stabilize Iraq. Congress could also demand a specific plan and timetable for training Iraqi police and military, and proposed redeployment of US troops.
A clear declaration by Congress that "victory" is a slogan, but not a plan, and unless Bush delivers a clear plan for the next two years to Congress, Congress will cut off funding. Sadly, I don't think anyone doubts that this Congress lacks the political backbone to agree on such a resolution.
Meanwhile, the deaths continue as we teeter to an even more senseless and unjustified war with Iran.
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The media is an ass
[Read the article: Hadley: The NIE supports a surge (even if it doesn't say so)]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Gah. Things in Iraq and the Middle East are spinning out of control and we are cursed with a media bent on three syllable sound bites, as if "civil war" means anything or even still means what it once meant.
"You keep saying that word but I don't think it means what you think it means."
Princess Bride.
(My dentist plays it over and over in the waiting room. I asked the secretary why she didn't switch it out with something else, maybe Jackass II or Barney the Dinasour III and she explained, the little kids love it, it calms them down and they really like seeing it again. Like my dentist I fully intend to use that line again and again. It is so appropriate to this administration.)
But I digress.
Like War Room pointed out. It is much worse than civil war. Iraq is a civil war wrapped in an insurgency, injected with foreign intrigue from other countries, agitated by violent tribal infighting like say Bosnia 1995, and finally shaken, not stirred by absolute lawlessness, ala Chicago during prohibition. It is like the American Civil War mixed up with Vietnam during Dien Bien Phu, toss in a spring or two of Watts 1965, top off with the French Reign of Terror, and add a little wit with "Say hello to my little friend."
I don't think Dante could have composed a circle of hell the type we have created in the birthplace of civilization.
That has to be a crime right?
Yet, in the midst of this catastrophe to keep pressing Hadley to say "civil war" is like some kid who finally overcomes the bully and keeps demanding he say "uncle." On the surface it seems to be the thing to do, unless the bully happens to be the leader of the USA and the kid yelling uncle happens to be a free press with a duty to do more than win a schoolyard fight.
I leave to the next century's historians to debate how a stained blue dress is more serious than a blood stained foreign country. But hey, there's a schoolyard fight going on. Let's go watch and cheer.
I don't blame the administration. (well yes I do, but it interferes with my point) They are what they are and as Mickey Kaus will crow about, they've never (allegedly) made any secret about their neocon expansionist and warlike intentions. But for god sakes we the people set up a system to supervise our public servants. But we also guaranteed a free press to help us in the babysitting. You the MSM have just been told it is not a civil war it is so much worse than that and all you can do is play a game of "Say it! Say it! Say civil war!"
This is the political equivelant watching two brothers fighting over who started a fire in the very midst of that fire. If I was a fireman I'd just turn around and walk out. But, its my house which is on fire.