Bush's Iraq is a disaster, and Kerry should steer clear of it. (TAP)

[kentuck]

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=7685

<snip>
For the most part, John Kerry has a far more sensible Iraq policy than George W. Bush does, and this should serve him well in the campaign. Yet if Kerry is not careful, Bush's quagmire could turn into Kerry's.

In his speeches, Kerry has warned that we need to remove the "Made in America" label from the occupation. Kerry would give a UN High Commissioner for Governance and Reconstruction dominant role. He would replace the US force with a NATO force under an American military commander.

So far, so good.

<snip>
The trouble with this stance is that the Iraq occupation is turning out to be a complete disaster-for Bush and for America's role in the world. The war stands condemned as both a practical failure and now, with revelations of something close to torture of Iraqi prisoners, a moral failure as well.

Public opinion is very rapidly turning against this needless war. If Kerry does get elected, he will need to drastically change the policy. But in the meantime he has to be very careful not to make the war his own

...more

[Jacobin]

1. "Internationalization" is becoming sillier and sillier by the moment

Iraqis want all foreigners OUT of their country, besides which fact, who the hell would go there now?

[brokensymmetry]

2. I've got an idea.

From a song:

Ya gotta know when to hold 'em.

Ya gotta know when to fold 'em.

Ya gotta know when to walk away.

And know when to run.

It is time to run. As in cut and run.

[Jacobin]

5. Or....

The problem is all inside your head", she said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
She said "it's really not my habit to intrude"
Furthermore I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
So I repeat myself, at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover, fifty ways to leave your lover

Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
Don't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free

She said "it grieves me so to see you in such pain"
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again
I said, I appreciate that, but would you please explain about the fifty ways

She said, "why don't we both just sleep on it tonight"
And I believe, in the morning you'll begin to see the light
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover, fifty ways to leave your lover

Just slip out the back, Jack, make a new plan, Stan
Don't need to be coy, Roy, just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus, don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee, and get yourself free


- Paul Simon -

[mike_c]

3. he needs to GET OUT OF IRAQ....

Period. Not replace U.S. command or force with some other entity under U.S. control. Not build the monster embassy and the permanent military bases. U.S. out of Iraq!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. Kerry needs to do the following when he gets into 1600:

1-Give the illusion of "stabiliazation".
2-Form and train the Iraqi Military
3-Form some type of governing body
4-Get the U.S the HELL out of there
5-Iraq will fall into Civil War the moment we leave

The reality is that this is our only option. The Iraq War was a mistake, it is a mistake, and it will always will be remembered at a mistake. It is President George Bush's Vietnam.

Iraq will have to deal with itself. I'm sorry to say that this is the only option. The Neo-Cons have to be outed this fall.
If the Shrub can legitimatly convince 51% of Americans to vote for him then he will be able to convince them to support another ILLEGAL WAR. My faith in the people is limited. As Howard Stern is saying,
Vote Bush out or let America Die. It's your choice America. How much to you really care about it?

[sandnsea]

6. He also said...

"This moment in Iraq is a moment of truth. Not just for this administration, the country, the Iraqi people, but for the world. This may be our last chance to get this right. We need to put pride aside to build a stable Iraq."

He's very aware of what a disaster Iraq is.

[mike_c]

8. "we" cannot build a stable Iraq....

Kerry is buying into the PNAC dogma if he thinks we can or should even attempt to. Every day Kerry keeps foreign troops in Iraq will simply exacerbate the disaster.

[sandnsea]

10. Who should keep Iraq secure?

While the leaders of the country attempt to come together to build a government?

[kentuck]

7. I think there are two basic possibilities ....

Will Iraq be a worse disaster with us there or with us gone. I think they will have a better chance at forming their own government with us gone. But, they may choose to be a fundamentalist government? There is a good chance they will not, because they were the most secular Arab country in the Middle East before Bush's invasion. It's going to be difficult whichever route is chosen. It will not necessarily be better with us there.

If we stay, it will continue to be a disaster for us and for the Iraqi people. I think with those choices, we could pull out and should pull out. We should not even attempt to continue the folly of the Bush neocon policy.

[BabsSong]

9. John doesn't have to worry his pretty little head about this.........

because there is not one camera in America turned on him as we speak. John is a ghost. Bush's every fart is covered as Rummy crows about the greatness of the master and the shortcomings of "stupid me". Again, John is scrubbed. And every one in America says "Kerry??--so what the hell would he do differently while not bothering to listen". We may glorify in "damn it, this ought to hang Bush". It won't. In the end, they will rally around him even more as the injured party. And the more attention given to this over the next six months the more John becomes "John who???".