Journal DaytonCIM's Journal: But, it's still NOT Vietnam REDUX 12
Haditha.
And no end in sight for US Troops in country.
And an Iraqi government without a clear mission or authority or police force or military.
But, it's not Vietnam.
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But, it's still NOT Vietnam REDUX
There's nothing worse for your business than extra Santa Clauses smoking in the men's room. -- W. Bossert
No sir, it is decidedly worse. (Score:1)
Re:No sir, it is decidedly worse. (Score:2)
Yep, Still not Vietnam (Score:3, Insightful)
First of all, our overall foreign policy goals are extremely different. McNamara, Kissinger, and company followed an overall strategy of supporting any government friendly to US interests, regardless of that government's legitimacy, method of acquiring power, treatment of their citizens, etc. The US helped overthrough legitimate democratic South Vietnamese governments for the purpose of installing ever more corrupt, but thought to be reliable, dictators. It is the same thing we attempted to Iran, Panama, and dozens of other places.
Bush's foreign policy goals are decidedly liberal, more in keeping with Wilson and Carter than with Kissinger. He is working very hard to establish a legitimate democratic popular government in Iraq.
If Bush's motivation was different, we would already be out of there. The thirty day plan to get out of Iraq goes as follows: Day 1 - meet with Kurdish and Shiite leaders. Tell them "You get the North third, and you get the South third, and what you do with the Central third is your business. We're happy to sell you whatever weapons you want and we'll guarantee your borders. Sell us oil at $30 a barrell and leave your neighbors alone. Deal?" Day 2 - Kurds and Shiites say "Deal". Days 3 through 30 - the trucks roll as American troops are withdrawn. Day 31 through 365 - the Kurds and Shiites - still a bit peeved about Saddam - essentially wipe the Sunni Arab population off the map - no more insurgency because they are all dead.
Great plan. Cheap oil for the US, no more American blood spilled, peace in Iraq. It is a minor thing that several million Arabs die, but dems the breaks.
That plan would work, would have the troops home by 4th of July, and would halve the price of gas. But Bush is an idealist, and so won't go for it. Kissinger would have done it. But the W could stand for Woodrow.
Re:Yep, Still not Vietnam (Score:2)
Re:Yep, Still not Vietnam (Score:2)
Doubtful. There is a lot more animosity there than a westerner might think, on account of the whole Arab vs. Persian thing. Shia Arab Iraq would be interested in an Iranian alliance provided that they are the leaders of such an alliance and Iran follows. I doubt that Iran would be willing to go along.
Additionally, a free Kurdish state in the north further destabilizes Kurdish areas of Iran. An Iran embroiled in its own civil war is less likely to be looking outward.
Re:Yep, Still not Vietnam (Score:2)
Re:Yep, Still not Vietnam (Score:2)
Keep hoping for the worst (Score:3, Interesting)
25 million people freed. Elections in both countries and all you can do is wait with baited breath for the next little tid bit of bad news. I suppose you'll want to march them out back and shoot them all without bothering with any technicalities like a trial eh?
And don't even bother with the "but I support the troops" BS.
Re:Keep hoping for the worst (Score:2)
I wouldn't be so harsh on Dayton. He's just not a happy optomistic fellow, people have trouble dealing with him and he has trouble dealing with them.
These inane rants are just his way of trying to lash out at a society that he seems at war with. With all thats happened in this technological and geek friendly world its sometimes easy to forget the anti-social angst that some hold on to.
Re:Keep hoping for the worst (Score:2)
Freed? Freed to do what? Let's be honest with each other: life in Iraq is worse today than it was under Saddam. Not that I am advocating the return of Saddam, but we must be honest. And after we're honest and recognize that we are heading down a
Re:Keep hoping for the worst (Score:2)
Interesting theory. We need to make peace with the likely consequences, however. First of all, it probably means all out civil war in Iraq, leading to large scale atrocities in the short term and probably partition in
Uhhh (Score:2)
Removing the troops is just stupid. As long as Iran continues to meddle and supply guns and explosives and other local countries pour in all of their jihadi forces why should we pull out of the fight?
If we pull out