WKC writes another ARTICLE..Washington Post

[capi888]

The Smart Surge: Diplomacy

By Wesley K. Clark
Monday, January 8, 2007; Page A15

The odds are that this week President Bush will announce a "surge" of up to 20,000 additional U.S. troops into Iraq. Will this deliver a "win"? Probably not. But it will distract us from facing the deep-seated regional issues that must be resolved.

The administration views a troop surge of modest size as virtually the only remaining action in Iraq that would be a visible signal of determination. More economic assistance is likely to be touted, but absent a change in the pattern of violence, infrastructure enhancement simply isn't practical....

MORE


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/07/AR2007010700980.html

[Sparkly]

1. Good!!

Looks like an edited version of the UK article, but Americans need to read this!!

One of the most obvious points I keep yelling at the TV talking heads: "Even if militia fighters in Baghdad can be temporarily suppressed, they could redeploy to continue the fight in other areas." Why is nobody else mentioning that??

It's the same mentality that has continued this mess -- the notion that there's an "enemy" and all we have to do is "git 'em;" the same mentality that's behind the old "fight 'em over there so we don't have to fight 'em here" line. As if it's all an elaborate game of whack-a-mole with one finite number of "enemies," and once they're all gone, that's it.

They're just throwing more gasoline on the fire.

Kudos to the General for making these points, in such a clear way.

[capi888]

2. He doesn't give up Sparkly

McCain had an op-ed also today....Wes is scary smart and knows if he pounds away the AMERICAN people will fight this grandiose attempt this administration is trying to save their sorry A**!!!!

[Sparkly]

3. When will he be out from under that Fox contract??

I keep wishing he could be heard on the other cable networks!!

Have you heard anything about that?

[capi888]

5. No I haven't !!! Dern It!

I think he wants to continue talking to the viewers on FOX, to inform them, as so many from the neo-con side, are now GETTING IT!! However, I DO think it will be over SOON. I think he has a strategy, and I am not questioning his plan, but I also am getting impatient. Can you just imagine the request that will come out for him AFTER the contract expires. ESP if he announces...

YOU KNOW the MEDIA, is reading his Op-Eds, and viewing him on FOX....they will be scrambling and you can bet Wes will be READY..Guns loaded..MASTER STRATEGIST!!!!

[Cameron27]

4. More:

snip> "A new U.S. ambassador might help, but the administration needs to recognize that the neoconservative vision has failed.

Well before the 2003 invasion, the Bush administration was sending signals that its intentions weren't limited to Iraq; "regime change" in Syria and Iran was often discussed in Washington. Small wonder then that both countries have worked continuously to feed the fighting in Iraq."


Good, it's in WaPo; the country needs to be aware of the neocon's agenda. I can only imagine the contempt Wes feels for these chickenhawks and their grandiose plans.

[Pithy Cherub]

6. Cable news keeps using the number

40,000. That type of escalation is scary because we are fighting a war on a tactic that has no end. this is a Bush war without end.

Wes is right to focus on the fact that Bush keeps focusing on a military solution rather than the harder concepts of a diplomatic or political one. This is beyond bad and we are all trapped in the Bush nightmare. I am so glad Wes has not declared his run yet, because his voice can be heard without that filter while he spells out home truths!

[FrenchieCat]

7. Beautifully stated.........Clark's view in this Op-Ed!

and much on the netroot about it except for here.

On dKos
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/8/103118/4547

Arkansas Politics Blog
http://arkansaspolitics.com/blog/?p=533

Z Poliblog
http://zpoliblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/playing-catch-up.html

Talking Points Memo
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/011834.php

Daily Background
http://www.thedailybackground.com/2007/01/08/the-daily-brief-monday/

Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
http://xnerg.blogspot.com/2007/01/math-of-escalation.html

EdCone.com
http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2007/01/clark_on_iraq.html

Too Sense
http://halfricanrevolution.blogspot.com/2007/01/wesley-clarke-no-surge.html

Human Voices
http://fogghorn.blogspot.com/2007/01/no-exit.html

This Space Intentionally Left Blank
http://thissilb.blogspot.com/2007/01/wesley-clark-vicious-ethnic-cleansing.html

Cab Drollery
http://cabdrollery.blogspot.com/2007/01/time-to-stop-madness.html

The Political Chase
http://www.thepoliticalchase.com/journal/2007/1/8/wes-clark-hello-mcfly-diplomacy-not-more-troops.html

Vision for America
http://visionforamerica.com/archives/65

The Poor Man Institute
http://www.thepoorman.net/2007/01/08/indeed-2/

http://www.awesclarkdemocrat.com/

http://www.rapidfire-silverbullets.com/2007/01/the_smart_surge_diplomacy_wapo.html

http://cernigsnewshog.blogspot.com/2007/01/surge-protection.html


Right Wing:

Jay Reding (UK)
http://www.jayreding.com/archives/2007/01/08/step-one-solve-an-intractable-problem/