October 14, 2006

Leaving Iraq. The Tulip or the Star?

I was unable to post this earlier for some reason, so am trying again. The basic situation here is that, like Rusty, I'm not sure what comes next. Rusty asks:

So, is leaving the answer? Or is there something else we should be doing?

Possibly both?

I think we have to leave for two reasons. One is that we ultimately have to draw-down until we disappear, so that the credit and legitimacy associated with victory over the Islamofascist insurgency in Iraq accrues to the new government. They need it, just as all newly formed governments need legitimacy. The other reason is that we now have other materializing challenges.

Note: I'm assuming that far from the MSM's conclusion that we're losing and that Iraq is a quagmire, we've essentially won. Barring some miracle the Sunni version of Islamofascism will be ejected, eventually. They're at a strategic disadvantage, and judging from their own communiques they know it.

But that leaves us with a dilemma.

Since I'm a bicycle enthusiast I've chosen to illustrate the dilemma as analogous to Lance Armstrong's choice of whether, and how, to allow Marco Pantani the win on the Mont Ventoux stage of the Tour de France in 2002. Armstrong's "big idea" was that by making a magnanimous gesture he'd create a strategic ally in his overall effort to win the Tour. But it didn't work out that way. The problem was that he didn't pull up soon enough, so Pantani (and more importantly Pantani's fans) knew that the victory had been gifted. Had Armstrong been more clever he'd have made the arrangement far less obvious, and still have won Pantani as an ally.

So, borrowing from this analogy we need to leave early enough that any final victories won't be attributed to the US. That's the bitter pill we must swallow in service of a larger goal.

I think the best way for us to accomplish this tricky transition, without sacrificing our own reputation and appearing weak (which would help Islamofascist recruitment like nothing else), is to simply move on to another military mission, or at least clear the decks so that we can be ready should we need to act. We can rightly say that we didn't leave because we were defeated, but because we had pressing concerns somewhere else. The draw-down probably should be gradual, but still faster than would have seemed prudent a few months ago. Maybe the Baker Commission will give us some cover?

And where should the next engagement be? The tulip or the star?

Tear it up.

Posted by: Demosophist at 12:03 PM | Comments (33) | Add Comment
Post contains 433 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Syria?

Posted by: garrett at October 14, 2006 04:19 PM (zBUou)

2 I figure Israel can handle Syria, no?

Posted by: Demosophist at October 14, 2006 04:20 PM (hSo4/)

3 I think... no, scratch that; I know that a great deal of our collective problem with the whole "us vs. the world" thing, is that we have no one who is willing and able to effectively communicate with the world as did the Gipper; he is gone, and his like no longer walks the earth. These are dark days indeed; descibed to us by a man who can't seem to get his tongue out from behind his eye tooth long enough to see what he's saying. Regardless of the sincerity of his message or the fortitude of his integrity, if he is not easily understood, he is not easily believed, and thus a vital trust is lost. It is far more advantageous to be a clever liar than an honest bumbler, as Bill Clinton can well attest, because it is bad enough to endure punishment when caught in the wrong, but it is far, far worse to be punished for trying to do what is right. The fact that Clinton is internationally adored while Bush is universally reviled is very telling about the state of the world in which we live.
If we could only communicate our good intentions to the world, we might drown out a good deal of the rabid, anti-American hysteria, but no; there is no one. Our enemies know the value of a good pep talk, and harangue their people constantly, and shower them with lies, outrages, absurdities, and tales so unbelievable as to make many in the West doubt that such a thing could be possible, because obviously nobody would be so stupid as to believe such things, and thus the entire story must be completely made up by those mean ol' wingnuts who are all fat, white, racist Christians, and live for the singular purpose of seing brown people suffer.
But the skeptics are limited in their perception of reality by their jaundiced outlook, through rose colered glasses no less; and so the skeptics, whom we know as "liberals" or more appropriately, "those people who practice self-loathing as religiously as their hated enemies, the odious Christians, practice love and forgiveness". Well, the skeptics are generally out of touch with reality, and live in an upside-down world where the minority rules and free expression is far more important than mere human dignity, and where shame is a vice and shamelessness a virtue. Reality is a poison to them, and so they try to destroy it by working toward getting everyone in the world to proclaim that freedom is slavery, the truth is a lie, and ignorance is strength. They cannot be trusted to behave in a sane, rational manner, as history clearly has recorded, and thus must be counted as dangerous at least, if not as enemies.
So, if the liberals get what they want, and American power is diminished in the world, or destroyed altogether, the world will be engulfed in a war that will never end until the last person is enslaved to islam or dead. Marxism and islam were once blood enemies, but the Left has now embraced islam, and support them in their short-term goal of bringing down America, because they think the muslims are going to win anyway, and so the liberals think they've saddled a winning horse, which they intend to ride to global dominance throught the UN. An overwhelming lust for power, sandwiched between cowardice and delusion, causes people to do strange things, but that's the long and short of it; thus we have gays siding with those who will hang them at the first opportunity, women siding with those who will stone them to death at the slightest provocation, such as say... breathing too loud, and various "brown people" who hate "Evil Whitey" so bad that they will willingly become the slaves of islam to see the West fall.
So, to come back to my original point; if we don't get someone who loves and believes in America, and who can speaky the English, to start talking to us and the world, and drown out our enemies, and I mean muy pronto!, we're going to start coming apart at the seams, because I don't think too many people trust the government much anymore, regardless of party affiliation, and that does not bode well at all. I fully expect a shooting war on our own soil pretty soon, if only because nobody is showing any inclination to resist our enemies' attacks, which is mainly because anyone who dares fight back is in greater danger from our own government than any enemy, but I doubt that We the People will put up with that much longer.

I dearly hope we won't.

We can't afford to.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at October 14, 2006 04:31 PM (v3I+x)

4 IM:



"Regardless of the sincerity of his message or the fortitude of his integrity, if he is not easily understood, he is not easily believed, and thus a vital trust is lost. It is far more advantageous to be a clever liar than an honest bumbler, as Bill Clinton can well attest, because it is bad enough to endure punishment when caught in the wrong, but it is far, far worse to be punished for trying to do what is right."



Not to make too much of it, but I think this was the thesis of Plato's Republic, so the issue has been around for awhile. Fortunately the other side is often no more elequent.


"So, if the liberals get what they want, and American power is diminished in the world, or destroyed altogether, the world will be engulfed in a war that will never end until the last person is enslaved to islam or dead."



That's probably the future. It's about time, however, that some charisma were invested in the effort to forestall that future. I nominate Newt.  Don't know anyone who could more eloquently express
the required ideals, unless it's VDH... and he's not running.

Just about any price is worth paying now to prevent paying that back end price. When will we get that?

Posted by: Demosophist at October 14, 2006 06:37 PM (hSo4/)

5 I would not pay any attention to Rusty's defeatist hand-wringing.

Posted by: Darth Vag at October 14, 2006 06:47 PM (HSkSw)

6 I don't think Rusty's being defeatist.  Except, of course, about the diminishing possibility of retaining control of congress.  That situation looks pretty grim.

And there's no one to blame, really, except the Republicans.  They've had plenty of opportunities to get this right, but they're not really very adept at politics.  I hope to eat those words, but fear I may go hungry.

Posted by: Demosophist at October 14, 2006 06:52 PM (hSo4/)

7 leave iraq, then blow it to he**. 

Posted by: sparkey308 at October 14, 2006 07:01 PM (DqWBf)

8 This is funny:
 
8 "Agree with jumping the shark ... seems every headline that is negative drives the jawas head over heels over the next shark. So it will be how low can they go before the last jawa drowns."
 
Professor Shackleford used to be funny. He used to be a cheerleader for the good guys. Now, too often he sounds like Lady Macbeth wringing her hands.

Posted by: Darth Vag at October 14, 2006 09:20 PM (HSkSw)

9 Darth Vag:
Talk about man bites dog too!
I'm not sure why you're calling a contributor here a pig, and a Liberal Plant, but then to bash the guy who runs the blog as a 'hand wringer' is fucked up. don't like it? go read elsewhere.

Posted by: davec at October 14, 2006 10:17 PM (QkWqQ)

10 Darth:

Might be time for you to go somewhere and cool down.  Final warning.

Posted by: Demosophist at October 14, 2006 10:58 PM (hSo4/)

11 Impy:"If we could only communicate our good intentions to the world..."

You mean your wish to eradicate Islam?
Your heartfelt sincerity is touching.

Posted by: Greg at October 14, 2006 11:13 PM (PnoGS)

12 It's usually possible for a matador to kill a bull by deftly sidestepping, and then driving the sword through the head and neck, into the heart.  Makes a lot more sense than getting on all fours and charging the bull like an animal.

We've had a successful military strategy in Iraq (contrary to what the MSM claims), and but what's left is a move that puts the enemy (rather than us) off balance.  If it happens to look like something else, so much the better.  In war, victory often goes to the side that is better at misdirection and deception. Well almost always, in fact.

Posted by: Demosophist at October 14, 2006 11:17 PM (hSo4/)

13 Actually greg, the option of exterminating the muslims will be the only
one left to us solely because we chose to not fight back for so long,
and have let the enemy become strong enough to threaten us, which was,
and is, mainly because lefturds like you jump and and scream racism
every time someone does suggest actually exercising our right to self
defense. We could have prevented all this decades ago,  but people
like you have made so much noise that you have kept gutless politicians
from performing their sworn duties, and you're happy about it. You are
a piece of shit traitor and deserve nothing more than a bullet to the
back of the head and an anonymous spot in the landfill, and your
opinion means exactly nothing.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at October 15, 2006 08:25 AM (v3I+x)

14 Impy,
You whining milksop.
You have the House, you have the Senate, you have the Presidency, you have SCOTUS. Your ilk has won every vote, been granted every appropriation, neutered your frightened political opposition with charges of treason. Stripped the Bill of Rights with the Military Commissions Act. This is your mess. Stick your nose in it. Taste it. Suck it. Slurp it. Gargle it. Choke on it. Describe the bouquet for us.

Posted by: Greg at October 15, 2006 10:01 AM (PnoGS)

15 Greg:
I think we should get Congress to write the Bill of Rights for Terrorists, and agents of a Foreign Power Act instead.
The reason being is it might help little scared liberals like yourself sleep at night without evacuating their bladder in their bed sheets at night. You guys all think you're so important to the Government, and a "threat" because you "know the truth", so when the Government doesn't specifically address the wording of a Bill to only apply to a specific enemy, you all think you're getting wrangled into concentration camps ran by those two evil capitalists Walmart & Haliburton.

Posted by: davec at October 15, 2006 10:42 AM (QkWqQ)

16 I was a fool to give money to this website.

Posted by: Fool at October 15, 2006 11:47 AM (HSkSw)

17 So look, anyone interested in discussing the topic?

Just watched a couple of former CIA analysts on FOX who felt that the NoKo sanctions, although watered down, were actually pretty damaging to Kim.  They claimed that he won't be able to pay his generals, so may be in deep doodoo in a couple of months.  That's sort of a nice thought, huh?

Posted by: Demosophist at October 15, 2006 02:24 PM (hSo4/)

18 There is no other issue more pressing than our pressence in Irag. Personally I agree with Vag and Rusty's hand wringing. And yes I did send money to this site. So if you want to ban me, I will put my own banner on my pathetic little site saying banned by jawa.
 
There is no win loss equation to this. We already won. We are now simply standing the new boss.
 
Too late for federalism. But it has to be settled by the Iraqis. The longer we as an occupier are in the middle, we will be inhibiting the process.
 
But withdrawing is not right either except to the borders. Just like an old school yard fight.

Posted by: SeeMonk at October 15, 2006 04:06 PM (n4VvM)

19 Apparently some can't read the "posted by" part of the post.  I
ve been considering this.  It comes down to is America qilling to do what it takes to win.  Freedom is a function of security to a certain extent.  Certain ecomomic and solial rules must be in place for it to work.  Otheriwise it becomes anarchy.  America is not realy willing t do what it takesto win.   We should have crwled all over Iraq nd disarmed the whole place leaving the beheaders nohting but sporks.  Really clamped down hard.  This seems antithetical to freedom but in the long term it's not.  Once people are fed and violence is under control they cam breath a bit and you can relax restrictions more and more as things get better.  As it stand the Iraqi's will have to fight it out.  We can't leave for the simple matter of credibility.,  We have to support  Iraq.  To abanodon it is to make out word worthless.  However our interest is to see the Iraqis step up.  Be may have to put more into it.  I see an America who deoesn't understand what it takes anymore or who is unwillig to really sacrafice today for a better tomorrow.  They will spend but not put everything into it.    This may be the correct lng term strategy actually but it sure hurts in the short term winning the hearts and minds.  But we also said we would leave so we shouldtake any opportunity we have to contract or downsize. It's a bit late to do it the way it should have been done now. So now we must both stay and leave to keep our word. It's a problem

Posted by: Darth Odie at October 15, 2006 04:28 PM (D3+20)

20 Who wants to Ban Cmunk.   Not noticed anyone saying anything about banning seemonk?

Posted by: Darth Odie at October 15, 2006 04:36 PM (D3+20)

21 This post was going fine until Darth the fart chimed in. Asshole can't even understand what SeeMonk said. It's a gay thing.

Posted by: Greyrooster at October 15, 2006 08:04 PM (syuk5)

22 But Greg - you have Lauro Chavez, Jessee MacBeth and Niaz Kahn. Stick your nose in them. Taste them. Suck them. Slurp them. Gargle them. Choke on them. Describe the bouquet for us.
 
Fucking idiot...
 
http://www.shitthrowingmonkeys.com/coolmyballs.html
 

 

Posted by: Max Power at October 15, 2006 09:43 PM (aMi4b)

23 Ah, but Max, those people, having been debunked as fakes, are
disadvantageous to gregturd's position, and so they simply do not exist.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at October 16, 2006 03:41 AM (v3I+x)

24 I would say we focus on N.K. for purely geo-political reasons in order to block China's further expansion. It's a weaker opponent, anyway.

Posted by: tbone at October 16, 2006 11:42 PM (XDUhP)

25 Leave Iraq? Are you out of your minds? The US should be building huge freaking bases on each of Iraq's borders just to remind Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Turkey that Uncle Sam is watching them. After all, the US still has bases in Germany and Japan a half-century after WW2 ended. Where better to keep the IslamoFascists off-guard than in heart of the Middle East? The message should be that the US is in the Middle East for the next century or so until every freaking Jihadist is dead and buried.


Posted by: pat at October 17, 2006 11:42 AM (bAzHs)

26

Yeah. That's what we need now is weaker opponents. As we re-enact the draft and include women, handicapped and sanitation workers. Unless we throw the bums out and fight war the right way. Divide and conquer is how I remember it being said ..... and when the war crimes tribual comes blast them too!


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