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March 20, 2008 - 7:07am.
Five years ago this month, American troops liberated Iraq from Saddam Hussein. Then came the hard part. American intelligence had been wrong about Saddam's stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction: They were nowhere to be found. Most academic experts had failed to perceive the currents of religious extremism and sectarianism running just beneath Iraq's secular surface. State Department consultants and U.N. advisers proved unequal to the task of building democratic political institutions quickly from scratch. The media had understated Saddam's barbarism: It had been too risky to report in depth on the mass graves he filled with dissidents; the tens of thousands of Kurds gassed to death in their villages; the camps where he trained terrorists for assignments abroad. As a consequence, few anticipated how severely Iraqis had been traumatized. And America's military, so adept at bringing down a dictator, was unprepared for the "small war" that would follow: terrorist attacks on innocent Iraqis that the "international community" would blame not on the perpetrators -- but on America. Like most military strategists of the late 20th century, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld envisioned wars of the 21st century as akin to computer games. Advanced technology, more than blood and sweat, was supposed to be decisive. And in a place like Iraq, it was believed, the U.S. "footprint" should be as light as possible because close proximity to American soldiers would surely incite the natives to violence. The result of so many errors and misjudgments was catastrophic. Three years after the liberation of Iraq from Saddam, much of the country had been taken over by al Qaeda. Other areas were under the sway of Iranian proxies, in chaos, or close to civil war. Iraq's military had been disbanded by the American envoy at the time, L. Paul Bremer. America's forces were cooped up in heavily guarded Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) waiting for actionable intelligence that seldom arrived. When it did, they would drive down roads that their enemies had lined with bombs. Finally, after the 2006 election rebuke to President Bush, a new defense secretary, Robert Gates, was assigned to the Pentagon, and a new commander, Army Gen. David Petraeus, was deployed to the field of battle. American forces set out to liberate Iraq for a second time. The Petraeus strategy was nothing if not counterintuitive: He gave the enemy more targets and assigned them to more vulnerable positions -- outside the well-guarded FOBs and in the shadowy streets. But once the Iraqis understood why the Americans were there -- to defend them from terrorists -- they provided a wealth of intelligence. Before long, Americans and Iraqis were fighting side by side against their common Islamist enemies. That was historic. It should have been big news. But the media were not much interested. As one well-known reporter told me: "It doesn't matter." The important action, he said, was taking place not in Baghdad but in Washington, where politicians were reading the polls and finding Americans discouraged and ready to cut their losses. What's more, such groups as MoveOn.org -- heavily invested in an American defeat they could blame on Bush, Vice President Cheney and the "neo-cons" -- had a well-funded plan, "Iraq Summer," that was to make it politically untenable for members of Congress to continue to support the Iraq mission. What this perspective failed to take into account: The startlingly rapid progress that Petraeus and his troops would make against al Qaeda and the Iranian-backed militias. That was coupled with a battle of ideas on the home front: Tenacious pro-mission groups -- such as Vets for Freedom, Families United, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Move America Forward, Freedom's Watch -- formed a loose but effective coalition that matched MoveOn.org for congressional contact, and told the stories most reporters would not. One can say the invasion of Iraq was unwise: Before committing troops to battle, a president should have a realistic understanding of what can be achieved, in what time frame and at what cost. One can say the occupation of Iraq was bungled. What one cannot say is that regime change in Iraq was unjustified -- not if you know Saddam's record, his clearly stated intentions and his ties to international terrorists. These include, as a new Pentagon report reveals, a group headed by Ayman al-Zawahiri, now al Qaeda's second-in-command. Nor can one say that the outcome in Iraq -- the heart of the Muslim Middle East -- will be inconsequential to the outcome of the wider war being waged by militant, supremacist Islamist movements intent on nothing less than the destruction of America and the West. (Clifford D. May is president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a policy institute focusing on terrorism. E-mail him at cliff(at)defenddemocracy.org)  Technorati Tags: FUBAR
Capitol Hill Blue's columnists, blogs and reader comments Capitol Hill Blue is an independent, non-partisan news site that belongs to no political party and subscribes to no political or philosophical point-of-view. Our columnists and bloggers are welcome to their opinions but readers should understand that their views do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of this web site. We also welcome comments in our popular ReaderRant discussion forum. Copyright © 2008 Capitol Hill Blue
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Once again, it needs to be
Submitted by pollchecker on March 20, 2008 - 10:07am.Once again, it needs to be pointed out that the author of this disinformational propaganda is a member of a neo-conservative think tank that includes prominent supporters of the failed policies of Bush/McCain.
Since my blood pressure rises every time I read the distortions of the facts that Mr May dares to write each week, I will limit my ranting to the title alone.
"A war too long with unexpected consequences"
BS! There were plenty of people around as early as 2002 when you guys first started talking about your plans against Saddam, that it wasn't a matter of if you were going to invade Iraq but when.
And that it would be another prolonged fiasco just like Vietnam where there were thousands of needless deaths and casualties that effected an entire generation and thier families. You politicians call that an unintended consequence of war.
BS! You say
I say BS! It was unjustified by any rule of law. When you iniate and attack another person, it doesn't matter what the reason, you are still responsible.
Now if you are attacking as a result of self defense from an emminent threat that's another story. This is the HOGWASH that you guys continue to spout forth like vomit.
Well the intelligence used by GW and cohorts was fixed. They knew and you probably know. If you don't you are sir a complete idiot. It was all a pack of lies and when someone had the audacity to step up and call you guys on it, you attacked viciously like the rabid dogs you are.
Yes everything and anything has and could have been predicted. It in fact should have been predicted if GW was not an incompetent boob whose sole focus along was to remove Saddam from power at all costs. THIS HAS CLEARLY BEEN DOCUMENTED.
When GW stood on that ship and said Mission Accomplished, it was no lie. It was the truth. He had accomplished his mission of removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq.
I just have to laugh when I remember GW's comments about Nation Building in 2000 when he was debating VP Gore. How I wish someone would post those words on YouTube.
I can and do say that what happens in Iraq is totally inconsequential to the larger picture of terrorism around the world that you sir are allegedly fighting against.
I just find it odd, that this is the first war in history that is fought on a battleground far, far away from where the REAL ENEMY LIVES.
Well, we all wonder who are
Submitted by sawbuck on March 20, 2008 - 10:59am.Well, we all wonder who are the 30% who still support Bush. Here's one of them. It's not Bush's fault, he's just the 'Decider' and the Commander in Chief. It's Moveon.orgs fault. They cheer on the terrorists and root for America's defeat. It's the intelligence community's fault for letting Bush cook the books and cherry pick intelligence. Just disregard the Downing Street Memos which clarified that the neo cons were skewing the intelligence to fit their goals. Disregard the PNAC doctrine which called for all of this in 1998.
Forget that the Iraq Study Group, the 9/11 Report and the most recent Pentagon Intelligence Reports all concluded that there was no AlQueda in Iraq before the invasion.
From the administration that was going to bring 'Accountability and Morality' 'back' to the white house.
Just a litany of excuses, blame shifting and distortions.
I guess I understand why
Submitted by old_curmudgeon on March 20, 2008 - 12:04pm.I guess I understand why these types of POV need to be included once in a while as counterpoint for discussion. Maybe. But, these POVs are obviously based on non-facts and as so not really worthy of discussion. After what these POVs and those enablers that espouse them have done to our country over the past 10-20 years, it's time that they are marginalized off the table. They had their say and it was found to be lacking in substance. Hate and ethnic racism really has no part in the American fabric anymore. It's time to move on. We are better than this, I believe, from an idealist POV - though that is harder and harder to put faith in nowadays with reality being what it is.
As for the article, whatever these guys are taking used to be illegal when I was younger, bright-eyed and full of hope - not yet tainted by the realities of time. I guess for the self-anointed ones everything is legal.
Nobody should have been
Submitted by JudyB on March 20, 2008 - 2:10pm.Nobody should have been surprised by Bush/Cheney's war or it consequences...Bush chose Cheney as his vice, and was fully aware of the fact that in 1992 Cheney had began drafting a foreign policy plan that was geared towards American military global preeminence and American control of the Middle East. That plan was submitted to Clinton via a letter written in 1998 from "Project for a New American" and it was signed by 10 of those who ended up serving in the first Bush cabinet. Bush not only lied, he immediately surrounded himself with those who would accomplish the disaster that we have on our hands today. We have and are still are being led by lying criminals who do not care what the citizens want or how they feel...as proof, last night on ABC news Martha Raddatz in an interview with Cheney said to him.. "recent polls that show about two-thirds of Americans say the fight in Iraq is not worth it," Cheney's reply was.."So?" Raddatz: "You don't care what the American people think?" "You can't be blown off course by polls,"
Pollchecker..you posted "How I wish someone would post those words on YouTube."...They have and you can find them on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfv4nC3xyr0&feature...
thanks judy. Everyone
Submitted by pollchecker on March 20, 2008 - 5:07pm.thanks judy. Everyone should watch to be reminded.
Cliff May is another insane
Submitted by kevns007 on March 20, 2008 - 5:15pm.Cliff May is another insane warmonger with a lower consciousness. Please, Cliff, do yourself and the world a favor and kill yourself.
I don't support that
Submitted by pollchecker on March 20, 2008 - 6:13pm.I don't support that sentiment especially since we are suppose to practicing a new season of civility around here.
I guess that I am just a hopeless optimist because I believe there's always room for people to see the truth. I just want people to know that this guy is 100% pure BUSHICON! Plain and simple. What he says are facts are disinformational distortions and perversions of the facts. His conclusions are merely repetition of Republican spin.
The infamous Nazi Hermann
Submitted by griff on March 21, 2008 - 3:58am.The infamous Nazi Hermann Goering once said...
"But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
Why does the myth persist that our intelligence was wrong? I imagine it's a lot easier to blame the massive and faceless intelligence community than it is to blame the small group of treasonous criminals that cherry-picked the small amount of evidence that supported their pre-conceived plan.
Most people don't buy it, thankfully; no matter how much you try to shield Bush & Company from the responsibilty of this farce.
And I'm really sick of hearing how Islamic extremists are trying to destroy America and the West. Simplistic nonsense aimed at simple people that make up the 30% who mindlessly believe this crap. What is equally disturbing is that the number is that high!
The only people capable of and succeeding at destroying America are the same ones that dreamt this whole fiasco up in the first place. Islamic extremists, devoid of any military whatsoever, have as much of a chance of destroying America as Punxsutawney Phil.
In my opinion, this mythical al Quaida has already succeeded. We have drained this country dry of blood, treasure, and patience. We have traded our liberties for security, and have achieved neither. Didn't Ben Franklin warn us of this?
And it somehow surprises these fools that Iran got involved? Are we to believe that the brightest strategic military minds we have could never conceive that Iran would get involved? That they would miraculously turn into the Switzerland of the Middle East?
No, no. You can play dumb all you want, but there are still enough thinking people around to see through this smokescreen.
The truth is you counted on this all along. Incompetence is no longer an adequate defense.
Google Project for a New
Submitted by staunchdem on March 21, 2008 - 3:42am.Google Project for a New American Century and you'll find the plan for this war in a letter sent to then Prez Bill Clinton signed by a bunch of the our favorite fascist pukes.
They even spoke of the catalist being "a Pearl Harbor like event"
Interestingly enough one person who signed the letter is the Jebster who is slithering around these days with nothing to do.
Watch out for these fuckers, it ain't over until a Democrat is sworn in in January.
Lots of time for them to pull some kind of bullshit ruse on the sheeple of Amerika.