The Chicago Tribune- July 9, 2008-
Last year, when Democrats in Congress tried to lock in a timetable for a troop withdrawal from Iraq, their legislation was based on the notion that we'd already lost an unwinnable war. Now Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki proposes a timetable for a U.S. withdrawal, evidently for exactly the opposite reason: He thinks we've won.The Wall Street Journal- July 9, 2008-
A year ago, the conventional Beltway wisdom had it that Iraq was a failed state. Today, the same wisdom holds that it is less chaotic but still fragile, dependent entirely on a U.S. presence to survive. But judging by recent comments from Nouri al-Maliki, even this view may be out of date.The Australian, July 9, 2008-
IRAQI Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time called for a timetable to be set for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed.
...Mr Maliki, who boasted last week that he had crushed terrorism in the country, suggested it was time to start setting time lines.
Sorry defeatists. It's over.
You were wrong on the most important national security discussion of our time.
We won in Iraq.
You were wrong.
Related... The US has lost 2 soldiers in Iraq this month.
The Anchoress writes about winning today-- something all democrats should read.
This European seems to get it.
ReplyDeleteLet’s not forget how Europe does wars.
Usually we wait and wait until the enemy starts attacking, then we let them win a bit, then we fight until we are tired, then we just call the US to come over to clean our mess.
That is what happened in WWI, WWII, and the Balkans.
Does this strategy, as applied to Iraq, sound vaguely familiar of any group in the United States ? Hint, they usually wnat the "mythical UN force" to replace the US.
A year ago I predicted that in order to insure a Democrat presidential victory come election 2008 MSM would take Iraq off the frontpage by reporting victory no matter what was happening on the ground; today could be a real full-blown civil war in Iraq(not the manufactured on we saw over the last four years) and MSM would have still reported victory. At the time I thought it would be a cover for Hillary however I did not expect MSM to destroy Hillary using by Obama.
ReplyDeleteAll this stuff coming out of MSM about Iraq is more smoke and mirror to get Americans conned into thinking the American economy is worse than Hurbert Hoover and that there is no war against Islamic Jihadism.
syn
The real fun starts when Dems start claiming they won the war by doing x. The spin will give you whiplash.
ReplyDeleteThe Dems hopefully will lose seats this coming fall, as well as their false Marxist messiah.
ReplyDelete"IRAQI Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time called for a timetable to be set for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed."
Actually, I believe this is incorrect statement by the Australian. Maliki and others called for timetables before under pressure from Shia tribal leaders, including Sadr.
One thing we should never do is discuss timetables or show our hand to the enemy. Syria, Iran, Al Qaeda and Sadr have not given up yet. And Sadr is dangerous in Iran.
Maliki seems to be experiencing euphoric moments of victory, but we must remain cautious. Petraeus committed to a review after Surge forces leave and a 45 day wait period, which was very smart on his part. There will inevitably be more draw downs in the future.
But there are large logistic problems, air support, etc., which give America commanding lead over the battlefield which Iraq simply does not have and will take at least a decade to become self-sufficient. Training and routing out corruption, plus remaining as a neutral party between long time foes is important too.
The Kurds, the Anbari tribes, the Sunni know this and will refuse to go along with to quick reactionary withdrawals until they feel secure that a Shia led government will not punish them based upon Saddam's past.
We must be careful and practical moving forward.
Caution, Optimism, Practical Iraqi Status Report Link
I'll be watiing to hear from General David Petraeus. We do not need to make the mistake of pre-pull out planning without first securing an irreversible trend in diplimatic, political and free market systems in Iraq.
If it's Bush's fault that we were "losing", who's fault is it that we'r winning?
ReplyDeleteI used to work for a company that had a policy of a "minumum two week notice" before resigning. We always wonder what they would do if we gave them 5 years notice .. could the lay us off earlier ?
ReplyDeleteI see Mailki doing exactly that.
Obama wants 16 months .. Maliki say 3 years.
Would Obama be stupid enough to force a 36 month withdraw down to 16 months when he knows he can blame Bush if the 36 month withdraw goes badly, whereas if he makes it 16 months and it goes badly .. it all his own fault ?
8MyFoot said...
ReplyDeleteIf it's Bush's fault that we were "losing", who's fault is it that we'r winning?
10:21 AM
I think Nancy Pelosi thanked Iran, didn't she?
Things that make you say, Huh?
I would say that the real losers on Iraq are the several hundred thousand dead Iraqi civilians, who would not have died had the USA not invaded in the first place. Their blood is on the hands of all the people who supported this war, including Gateway Pundit.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the Queen Bee and the older Dems mentioned in this post have to go and change their Depends nappies about now. It must stink to high heaven.
ReplyDeleteBoy, they must be angry at the betterment of things in Iraq. I sure would love to be a fly on the wall in any of their office. If only just to see them seethe. All this and BDS [Bush Derangement Syndrome], too!
Seriously, I don't see how they truly believe that their words and behaviour will help our military or the Iraqis, or the Afghans for that matter. What's done is done. Let's just help our people get the job done well. That way they can come home more quickly.
I would say that the real losers on Iraq are the several hundred thousand dead Iraqi civilians, who would not have died had the USA not invaded in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI would say that the real losers on Iraq are the several hundred thousand dead Iraqi civilians, who would not have died had the Saddam Hussein regime acted and governed in a responsible and rational manner.
Their blood is on the hands of all the people who supported this war, including Gateway Pundit.
Their blood is on the hands of all the people that opposed removing that dreadful regime, including you.
lol - awww, Lil' Punter is mad!
ReplyDeleteHe's posting in bold letters to show us he's very serious.
Let's review shall we: Maliki rejects McCain's indefinite occupation and very publicly sides with Obama on timelines.
McCain lies through his teeth and claims that Malaki didn't call for timelines.
Dana Perino says the White House will reject Malaki's request.
That means Iraqis, Americans, Obama and Malaki all want US soldiers out of Iraq.
Bush and McCain can't even get their stories straight.
Not to mention Iran and N. Korea got a free pass for 6 years with their nukes, bin Laden continues to enjoy his freedom, and we never found or destroyed a single WMD in Iraq.
Punter response? "You were wrong on the most important national security discussion of our time."
Uh, yeah. Smoke another one Cheech. The invasion of Iraq was obviously a mistake.
But wave your skinny fists in the air and carry on with your chest-thumping bravado. I'll enjoy rubbing your face in it next year.
Sucker.
Gogli ... let me remind you again, it is you who are delusional.
ReplyDeleteIt is the Big 0 who has been wrong all along ... for had taken his advice and left, al-Maliki would probably not be in a position to assert himself this way ... or for that matter, be in any position of power at all ... that is, if he remained alive after we left, with AQI and al-Sadr both trying to grab his power.
And let me remind you that, if you dig a little deeper, the timetable we are talking about here is NOT for total withdrawal from Iraq, anyway ... just a pullback from the cities to bases in the countryside.
Just like we've always planned ... for this is the basis of Sen. McCain's "100 Years" comment people like you love to misquote. We will support Iraq, the same way we have supported Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
Still, publishing a timetable is IMPRUDENT, for it gives the enemy a measure of your resolve.
But, let us let the political battle go on between the Coalition and Iraq ... for it is a political battle, something that is a vast improvement over the status quo circa 2002/2003. Actually, it is a sign of PROGRESS.
And something far beyond the simplistic -- not simple, simplistic -- analysis you have offered of American and Iraqi public opinion.
Like this ...
Not to mention Iran and N. Korea got a free pass for 6 years with their nukes,
Because people like you made -- and still make -- so much imprudent noise, our leaders, and the leaders of our allies were/are dissuaded from doing the right thing with regards to these miscreants.
If you truly believe that this is wrong, why aren't you protesting in support of continued confrontation for these thugs? Your silence on this -- beyond using it as an illogical anti-war talking point -- is hypocritical.
bin Laden continues to enjoy his freedom,
Free to use a cave as his bedroom and bathroom ... rendered impotent, and rendered that way without us repeating the Soviet debacle in Afghanistan for the sake of symbolism in capturing him.
and we never found or destroyed a single WMD in Iraq.
My two cents ... on your nonsense. The WMD threat is about far more than finding actual, ready-to-use shells.
If your ideas carry the day after 20 Jan 2009, I hope you enjoy the taste of crow ... because ...
... With Big Zero we will party like it's Nineteen Seventy-nine!