Here’s Michael Barone’s astute analysis of the Iraq options facing the president, including Bush’s present inclination to raise troop levels as Kagan and Keane(but not the Joint Chiefs) advise. The article doesn’t include Barone’s clear and persuasive advice on what the president should do. He does endorse a stirring quote from Charles Krauthammer to the effect that there remains no alternative but "to change the culture" of the region. But how, exactly, at this point?
Thank you, Peter, but I do not see how we even can change the culture of our region, in any positive way. How do we expect to do that for someone else?
This from Barone made me as close to happy as I can be on this topic, "Many Democrats who enjoyed rousing crowds with calls to bring the troops home are now thinking about the consequences of an American defeat–and of being held responsible for it."
The there was this from Krauthammer on despair The reason that there is general despair now is because if it proves to be true that the Bush Doctrine has proclaimed an idea of democratizing the Arab/Islamic world that is unattainable and undoable, then there are no remaining answers to how to counter ultimately the threat of Islamic radicalism. Which despair I’ve been experiencing since David Tucker’s made me think the loss inevitable. Well, he did suggest Afghanistan might be doable, but if we must give up on Iraq, I don’t see how Afghanistan won’t become the next focus and then fall, too. Of course, as my sons remind me, there was nothing I was going to be doing about it, anyway. I’ll go make more Christmas cookies.
Kate, Have a great Christmas! The bottom line: We can’t affort to leave Iraq and we can’t afford to stay there. We’ve had some effect on their culture, but it’s not been so good so far.
Yes, that’s just it and isn’t it awful. We hear from time to time that it’s better in the country than it appears on the news. And I know that what America seems like on the news is not exactly what we experience, is it? That bit from earlier in the week about the Iraqi economy was a rare bright spot. It is not just about Iraq, of course, as sad as it would be if it only were.
Of course, the nice thing about being Christians is that we can pray and feel that we are doing something, and weirdly, sometimes prayer even seems to have effect.
Merry Christmas to you, Peter!
Folks, we still have tools in our arsenal...we don’t need to win in Iraq to win the Crusade (yes, I believe that’s what this boils down to). The greatest threat is internal...we need to shut down immigration from Islamic countries clear across the Western world. Their ability to harm us will be reduced greatly as a result. The second step is to have an ENERGY POLICY...my God, it’s so simple. To drain the swamp you need to dry up the petrodollars. Third, massive global propaganda would help...speak up for ourselves! Have some civilizational confidence for a change! Honestly, the fastest way to whittle down the Islamofascist threat is to laugh at their stupidities and brutalities. That’s how the Klan was undermined, and that works wonders against all variety of thugs (in conjunction, of course, with more muscular policies).
We really can win, but it takes imagination, intelligence, and the courage to take the longer road.
Yes, dain. What you say sounds good, and is cheering. I’ll try to laugh at them, and if you have any suggestions as to what the very private citizen can do, let me know.
Merry Christmas!