Speaking of Iraq….
I was speaking with someone yesterday over what to do about Iraq. They were hesitant over a pullout and they were wondering if there was a “middle” point between stay and go. I’m afraid not.
Check out this NYT guest op-ed coauthroed by 7 soldiers.
In the end, we need to recognize that our presence may have released Iraqis from the grip of a tyrant, but that it has also robbed them of their self-respect. They will soon realize that the best way to regain dignity is to call us what we are — an army of occupation — and force our withdrawal.
Until that happens, it would be prudent for us to increasingly let Iraqis take center stage in all matters, to come up with a nuanced policy in which we assist them from the margins but let them resolve their differences as they see fit. This suggestion is not meant to be defeatist, but rather to highlight our pursuit of incompatible policies to absurd ends without recognizing the incongruities.
The entire piece is worth the read. Folks - we screwed up Iraq. Badly. For blame, we need to look in the mirror. The sooner we realize that the easier it will be to truly turn Iraq over back to the Iraqi’s.
Congressman Reynolds, Kuhl and Walsh you might want to read this piece before your upcoming “stay the course” votes in September.
Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation yesterday clarified what the Petraeus report was actually going to be. It will be written by the Bush administration and will contain a summary of information provided by General Petraeus.
Well, I can feel another round of “stay the course” coming in September.