Letters to the Editor
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Good Will Hurting
I never assume the good will of a politician. And General officers are politicians. To some extent, any officer trying to make General is.
But I believe that most of the brasshats want to protect their service branch from the ravages of the Great Neocon Experiment.
Bush hasn't broken the military, yet. That's why we are seein pushback re:Iran. Fighting a war on three distinct front with troops stretched thin is not attractive to the people whose careers depend on the troops.
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@Reilly
Yeah: I would like to get that guy Kagan up one morning and take him up on a ten mile run. Just before breakfast.
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Silash
Yes, that is what I believe, even though I did not listen to the AEI presentation.
I just don't see how you can form a belief about what someone meant in a speech that you haven't listened to. I did listen to it. The whole point was that the Iraqi population is tired of fighting. They won't fight any more. The only real problem that we face there is Al Qaeda. Iraqis want a civil, peaceful society and ever since the Surge happened, they aren't fighting any more.
It wasn't Sunni/Shiite specific. And as I said, this isn't the first time that Shiite factions have fought each other. He was proclaiming peace generally in Iraq except for Al Qeada. Just go listen to what he said.
And, even if you were right -- and honestly, you're not -- don't you think it's still worth pointing out that 3 supposed Iraq experts all got together to proclaim how great things there were and less than 24 hours later, substantial instability and violence broke out?
And it's not as though this was unforeseeable. It's been clear for a long time that the cease fire could be withdrawn at any time, that Sunnis could be biding their time to fight the Shia again. They purposely conceal those things because they want to claim that the Surge has brought happiness and peace to Iraq.
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Pro War:
If the neo-cons had served in the military or seen combat that would make them less personally reprehensible, but they would still be completely wrong about all their views.
Of course, the open question is, would they still hold those views if they stood to lose anything of value out of them? That McCain is equally crazy suggests not, but then I think he is sincerely deluded whereas I think the neo-cons are disingenuously so. That's just one read and probably not worth much.
As for cheap shots, these characters have been crying treason at their opponents for 5 years, I feel no remorse over pointing out their personal cowardice. We're not the ones arguing that this war is key to the survival of western civilization. It's just a stupid wasteful tragedy that needs to end yesterday.
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What civil war is that?
I was under the impression that there was no civil war in the first place. And now what never really existed is over?
Praise Jesus!
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No
"Following through on an implication of your comment, let me ask you a question. Do you think it is important for elected officials to have served in the military?
We seem to place so much value on military service in our public officials, but that has never really made sense to me."
The answer is no, I don't think is important for elected official to have military experience. I think we should honour it in its presence, but we shouldn't demean its absence. There are plenty of ways of serving one's country and there are plenty of ways of leading a life of public/national service without serving in the military.
It's the hypocrisy of the 'chickenhawk' argument that's repellent though: it's generally made by people arguing against a point of view they'd have no respect for no matter who is holding it. It's just an opportunistic cheap shot.
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We are Winning
"Pudge" Kagan and "Hair" O'Hanlon need to strap on packs and get their sorry asses over to Iraq.
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Please don't post the soldier's identity
Glenn,
The mother who wrote to you is right to be proud of her son. God bless them. But she has no idea what she and her family is in for if she allows her brave son to appear on your web page representing a rebuke to the Kagans of the world.
Hopefully I'm wrong, but if you put his name forward, how long do you think it will be before someone is checking their countertops, visiting her house, etc.? How long until they're checking the kerning of her email and insisting that the photo was really taken in Delaware?
I'm not trying to be funny. She doesn't deserve that, and neither does he. I wish you would let it go.
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Wingnut Progress
Now that the Civil War in Iraq is over, as per Grand Omnificent Wizard Kagan, I suppose that means that he finally admits that there was in fact Civil War in Iraq in the first place. ahh, wingnut progress...so grand.
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A little Scenario
No one will be able to extricate us from Iraq, painlessly.
Look, do you guys remember, from the run up to the war, and then as each facet of the war, the incompetence, the outright lying, the descent into military barbarism, was discovered, the co-ordination between the White House, the media, and the Armed Forces. In each case, the invasion, occupation set up, looting, detaining, well everything, there was an exquisite ballet between the players to concoct legal justifications, obscure or hide information, and finally obscure or abrogate responsibility. All of that, and probably much more.
So what happens if the next President gets in and says: Okay, we're gonna fight this war, I believe in this war, even if we are just fighting our way out of this war. But we are gonna start, from this day, no more lawbreaking, no more obfuscation, and no more contractor stealing, and Oh, the detainees, I want those men tryed or let go.
See, he's not stopping the war, he's just trying to fight it so it won't stain the reputation of the first non-white President. It's a heavy burden, being the first, and Obama's got to at least want that.
"But President Obama", they say, "If we fight the war the way you want, why, we can't fight it! Can't you let us slide a little?"
President Obama says,"Men, Fightin' Men, I'd love to, but the minute I get so much as a parking ticket the MSM and the right-wing noise machine is gonna be all over my black ass. Listen sukas, I'm the first non-white President, I just can't take a chance, besides, they would" and here he chuckles ironically,"lynch me!"
The Generals go away and think about it. They think about accountability and responsibility for their actions, and how you could have a beer with George and about the next day Obama gets a note: "We think Iraq can take care of itself, and besides our men need a serious rest. We'll be out before you know it. I'm sure nothing bad will happen"
Are you starting to get me now. Don't use the enlisted men to hide behind. Upper ranks do that all the time. You don't have to join them. Not for the contractors sake, at least.