February 04, 2005
Bush and Iraq
I was really hoping to see President Bush present a plan for Iraq in his State of the Union Address. And he did, in a way… In a way that really disappointed me.
The new political situation in Iraq opens a new phase of our work in that country. At the recommendation of our commanders on the ground, and in consultation with the Iraqi government, we will increasingly focus our efforts on helping prepare more capable Iraqi security forces -- forces with skilled officers, and an effective command structure. As those forces become more self-reliant and take on greater security responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will increasingly be in a supporting role. In the end, Iraqis must be able to defend their own country -- and we will help that proud, new nation secure its liberty.
In short, we're going to replace US troops with Iraqi troops, man-for-man. Iraqi-ization. Then we're going to leave. Where have I seen that plan before? And then what happened a couple years after we pulled out? Iraqi-ization. Then we leave.
To be fair, there was a little more to it,
We are in Iraq to achieve a result: A country that is democratic, representative of all its people, at peace with its neighbors, and able to defend itself. And when that result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home with the honor they have earned.
Let's see, A country that is democratic - They voted. Check.
representative of all its people - Ayaaah... What does that mean, really? The Sunnis aren't really represented, but the Shiite leaders seem willing to extend a hand... And heck, we already declared the election a success. Check.
at peace with its neighbors - Check.
and able to defend itself. - That's the open issue. Let's get those guys trained and replacing our troopers in the trenches, and then we're outta there. :/
Really, I was hoping for something better. It still makes a lot of sense to substantially increase US troop strength (the window for international forces doing any good in there is gone now, I think) and really secure the Sunni provinces. The Sunni complaint has always been that there isn't enough security in their areas to protect voters and candidates from revenge killings by insurgents. You can't expect support from people you can't protect.
I'd also like to see more UN and other NGO involvement in creating democratic institutions, an uncorrupt judiciary, and a transparent financial system. And some help making sure the country isn't solely reliant on oil income - develop some trading or manufacturing capabilities, or something. The last thing we need is another Middle Eastern government completely reliant on oil revenue, thus rendering its population superfluous.
And a quicker pace for reconstruction, restoring power, and getting water treatment plants online is a necessity. All those things are dependent on securing the country.
Those are the big Iraq issues I hoped President Bush would address. Sure President Bush presented a plan, but it's not a great plan, or even a good one. America can do better than that.
well, sadly enough, it really didn’t matter what he said. it was going to be critiqued, read between the lines, criticized, and it wasn’t going to please everyone.
you can’t wish for help from the un, as it currently stands. the un has its own problems to attend to, and hopefully pull itself from being a corrupt organization. if we received more support from other areas, then yes - this would have happened more quickly, and the burden wouldn’t have been placed souly on us. which, in the end, isn’t helping us here. so we are working as quickly as we can.
but, he has a plan. and you have to atleast give him credit for that. i’m not sure why iraq can’t souly depend it’s income on oil. atleast for its major business. i mean, look at the big coffee growing countries. they support themselves on it. isn’t that almost 80% of hawaii’s export value?
you said the sunni’s are complaining that there isn’t enough protection. are we supposed to be the ones protecting everyone?
how would you have laid out your plan if you had one. like, what would have made you 100% happy walking away from the speech?
Posted by: garvin at February 4, 2005 11:09 AM“you said the sunni’s are complaining that there isn’t enough protection. are we supposed to be the ones protecting everyone?”
Yo, Garvin.
What ever happened to you broke it you bought it?
“but, he has a plan.”
Yes, and I would say that it is the first plan he has had since we first invaded.
“you can’t wish for help from the un, as it currently stands. the un has its own problems to attend to, and hopefully pull itself from being a corrupt organization.”
Nothing has been proven about any corruption in the UN. I think that with all the good that the UN has done over the years that we should begin an investigation by giving the UN the benefit of a doubt. After all you guys have been giving the same to Bush for quite a while.
Posted by: Rocky at February 4, 2005 05:15 PMwell, sadly enough, it really didn’t matter what he said. it was going to be critiqued, read between the lines, criticized, and it wasn’t going to please everyone.
President Bush, is that you!!? :)
but, he has a plan. and you have to atleast give him credit for that.
garvin, you sound like you’re talking about a not so very bright sixth grader, rather the President of the United States. I expect my President to have a plan. That’s a given, like a doctor having a black bag or a police officer having a badge. It’s not something you give extra credit for.
What you give credit for is how good his plan is, and how well it’s executed. Getting the Iraqi Army trained so US troopers can leave is barely even a plan.
And it’s certainly not a good plan. A good plan would have dealt with, not only holding an election and providing security, but also strengthening and sustaining the democratic process so it lasts more than a couple years after US troops leave. It would deal with infrastructure, governmental process, and economic policy as I outlined in the original article.
how would you have laid out your plan if you had one. like, what would have made you 100% happy walking away from the speech?
garvin, did you even read past the first paragraph? When I write, “Those are the big Iraq issues I hoped President Bush would address,” you can be pretty sure my plan preceded it.
i’m not sure why iraq can’t souly depend it’s income on oil. atleast for its major business. i mean, look at the big coffee growing countries. they support themselves on it.
Yeah… You don’t get out much, do you garvin?
See, this is what kills me about so many Republicans. No, not the ignorance and disinterest in the rest of the world - some people are just like that. No, it’s the willingness to so quickly and happily accept mediocrity or even failure.
garvin, if you and President Bush think Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan should be the model for democracy in Iraq, that’s fine. But it’s not the best America can do.
It’s hard to tell the difference between a not so bright sixth grader and this Smirking Chimp.
Posted by: ray at February 5, 2005 11:36 AMI take it from the lack of serious dissenting commentary that everyone agrees with my post. Thanks.
Posted by: American Pundit at February 6, 2005 04:29 AMWell, this is no surprise. Shiite clerics are saying that with their new power, they’ll dismantle the current secular laws in Iraq and switch to Islamic sharia law - you know, like the Taliban. I’m willing to bet the religious police will be the next Iraqi institution created.
The current count gives Sistani’s Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and other Islamic fundamentalist groups in the United Iraqi Alliance 67% of the vote, and Allawi’s secular group has a mere 17% - just like everyone but the Bush administration and the Bush-fans predicted.
I also see where that criminal Chalabi has a good shot at being Prime Minister after all. You may remember him as President Bush’s original pick for PM, and as the guy who lied to Cheney’s Office of Special Plans about WMD, and who was convicted for embezzelment in Jordan, and who was made persona non grata in the US for counterfeiting Iraqi money last year.
