| THE
BLUE RED
COLUMN
The Mountain Press
| |
|
Bush should stop worrying about 'wrong message'
By: JIM ANDERSON July 10, 2005 The mission - "defeating terrorism" - is a blurry abstraction without an end. The original goal has morphed from "protect America against WMDs" into "build democracy in the Middle East." What is Bush's exit strategy? When can we leave Iraq? Nobody knows. Bush says we'll leave "when it's over and not a day later." Rumsfeld says insurgencies can last "eight, 10, 12 years." Incredibly, Bush and crew once held - and ignored - the right plan. Over 2002-03, a superb team of State Department experts wrote a blueprint for success, "The Future of Iraq," which predicted almost everything that occurred. What happened? Rumsfeld ordered the team leader, Thomas Warrick, fired and trashed their plan as "not supportive." Today, the president urges: "Stay the course!" But hard-jawed stubbornness is not a plan, either, when you're dead wrong. No doubt, at the Charge of the Light Brigade, Custer's Last Stand, and Pickett's Charge, some brave fool stood, cheering everyone onward toward avoidable doom: "Stay the course! Stay the course!" All sincere Americans faithfully support our troops. None seriously argues we should surrender to terrorists, betray our allies, or just cut-and-run. Solving Iraq will take time. And good planning. President Bush needs an exit strategy with a timetable. He refuses because, he says, it would send Iraqis, our troops, and enemies "the wrong message." He should quit worrying about his message and deal with the harsh reality of Iraq. This day, somewhere in America, a pair of solemn-faced warriors in dress uniform will approach a family's doorstep, knock respectfully, and deliver a horrible message - one more young American has sacrificed everything to help "democratize" Iraq. Those are the real "wrong messages." They should stop, the sooner the better. -Jim Anderson is president of the Sevier County Democratic Club (www.sevierdemocrats.com). ©The Mountain Press 2005 |
Top Stories
Setting date for Iraqi departure would be mistake
By: JOE BAKER July 10, 2005 President Bush has been pressured even by some Republicans to devise a timeline for the war, complete with an exact date at which all U.S. forces will be removed from Iraq. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but rather an issue of basic military science. The idea of publicizing the specifics of our war strategy is a recipe for disaster. The announcement of a timetable would embolden the insurgency and accurately guide them through a potentially more successful military campaign. Although we continue to suffer the pains of war in Iraq, leaving on a specific date guarantees failure. Setting a deadline for departure would eliminate one of the oldest, most basic military principles - the element of surprise. For centuries leaders have learned military philosophy and tactics from the teachings of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu and Karl Von Clausewitz. These teachings all espouse that surprise is an essential factor of victory. In the case of Iraq, we must not offer intelligence that can easily be used to undermine the efforts of our troops. Beyond the fundamental issues of military science, there can be no deadline for securing peace and instituting principles of freedom. We didn't start this war to wipe out one tyrant and watch him be replaced by another. We have democratic objectives, and there can be no time limit by which they must be accomplished. -Joe Baker is a Sevierville attorney and active in the Republican Party. ©The Mountain Press 2005 |