The Iraq Study Group Report

[innerSpaceman]

... came out today, and I've read every word of it.

If this is the solution we've all been waiting for, the intervention that all of Bush's current and former administration members have been trying to get ahead of all month so that when they kowtow to it, it will look like their idea ... well then we are in frelling trouble.


What a bunch of absurd retardedness. I paraphrase Alex from another thread when I characterize it in all seriousness as essentially saying the way to do better in Iraq is to do things better.

It is so unspecific as to be yawning in its chasmic emptiness. And it assumes a sudden perfect functioning of the state department, the justice department, the intelligence community, the administration, and all other nations on earth as to be the most boring yet fantastical fairy tale I have ever read before bedtime.




(it wasn't really bedtime when I read it, but it sure did put me to sleep)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Not to mention the absolutely ridiculous notion that we could get Iran or Syria to help us on this. Hell, even if they did, it would make us look like desperate, pathetic retards.

I'm not saying we shouldn't work on our diplomacy with those countries - quite the contrary. But come on, you gotta be kidding me. When they aren't hating us, they're hating each other, including Iraq.

I'm also so sick of the idea that America can bring peace to Israel, and that everything that happens in the Mid East hinges on it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Actually, there have been many examples in history of successful resolution to conflict coming from including our "enemies" in talks. Syria and Iran have a vested interest in a stable Iraq.

As for the report...yeah, largely fluff and easily ignored by the emperor. If anything meaningful is to be taken from it, it's simply the notion that, while specific timetables are not necessarily optimal, SOME form of goal/consequence setting must be done. We can't just say, "We'll be there until they want us to leave," because that leaves zero motivation to accomplish squat. We need to say, "Get your act together in these specific ways or else you'll suffer these specific consequences." Anything else is an open invitation to take advantage of our "generosity". And namely, those goals should include getting Iraqi forces competent and trustworthy enough to do the policing themselves, and getting the government to a point of actually talking to ALL sects of Iraqis as well as its neighbors.

[SacTown Chronic]

Jim Baker can go back to his day job.