This is the plan that will end the Iraq War.

[Caro]

The excerpt below is posted with the full knowledge and permission, even encouragement, of the author, who wants his essays to be read by as many people as possible.

Send a message about this essay to [email protected] or post a comment at The Hill’s Pundits Blog, and it may be read by your senators and congressman! From The Hill:

Plan B for Iraq policy: a 60-day bipartisan initiative

By Brent Budowsky

… Today, there is no political, diplomatic or economic strategy that will improve life for Iraqis. There is only a far-too-late counter-insurgency tactic, without a rational strategy, without appeal to Iraqis tired of carnage, who lack confidence in American occupation.

Victory, defeat, surrender and retreat are words without meaning. Timelines only have value within a clear military and political strategy, implemented with real military and political tactics…

Here is Plan B: a 60-day funding plan with a new vote at the end; an American offer for a cease-fire with all indigenous Iraqi combatants; extreme and aggressive pressure on Maliki to achieve long-discussed political changes; the Baker Hamilton Group undertaking a bipartisan mission to enlist massive financial assistance from Europe and Gulf states for post-war Iraq; and a foreign minister-level regional summit within the 60-day period, including Iran and Syria.

The president, Joint Chiefs and congressional leaders should meet at Camp David, followed by public hearings, to devise a true bipartisan strategy including a dramatic new commitment to fund urgent military, troop and veterans needs.

For any policy to avoid the Iranian outcome, genocide, ethnic cleansing, Vietnam quagmire or endless carnage with rising American death tolls, two imperatives must be met:

First, the pressure of a new congressional vote on the Maliki government and all parties would be extreme and excruciating. If there is any chance for an internal political solution there must be extreme pressure creating a calculus where Iraqi leaders have more to gain ending the carnage then continuing it indefinitely.

Second, there must be a powerful appeal to the hearts, minds and patriotism of average Iraqis tired of war, ready for hope, and yearning to reconcile with each other and unite to kill al Qaeda terrorists who create and exploit their misery….

Budowsky is a contributing editor to Fighting Dems News Service and former aide to Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and Bill Alexander, former chief deputy whip of the House. He can be reached at [email protected] and read on The Hill’s Pundits Blog.

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Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com