Comments on: A Sane Re-Start for the Iraq Debate http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:08:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Dr. Omed http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94556 Dr. Omed Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:50:46 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94556 <blockquote>Can we win the withdrawal?</blockquote> No.

Can we win the withdrawal?

No.

]]> By: Shaun Mullen http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94418 Shaun Mullen Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:18:00 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94418 In the interests of full disclosure, Rick Moran riffs on the Cordsman report in the post at his blog to which I refer above in which he tries to fashion a way to "win the withdrawal," as Robert so neatly puts it. In the interests of full disclosure, Rick Moran riffs on the Cordsman report in the post at his blog to which I refer above in which he tries to fashion a way to “win the withdrawal,” as Robert so neatly puts it.

]]> By: Gray http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94372 Gray Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:28:43 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94372 "As Cordesman writes, “The U.S. will ultimately be judged far more by how it leaves Iraq, and what it leaves behind, than how it entered Iraq.”" ? Hmm, "far more"? How does he come to this conclusion? I guess part of it is exactly the kind of wishful thinking Robert rightly criticised here. Of course, the initial supporters of the war don't like to admit that their misguided support for Bush's fantasy will have consequences for the US image and influence in the region for many decades to come. Sure, even this negative memory may be overshadowed by a more recent one if the US s*** up even more when leaving Iraq, but let's not hope it plays out this way. :-/ “As Cordesman writes, “The U.S. will ultimately be judged far more by how it leaves Iraq, and what it leaves behind, than how it entered Iraq.””
?
Hmm, “far more”? How does he come to this conclusion? I guess part of it is exactly the kind of wishful thinking Robert rightly criticised here. Of course, the initial supporters of the war don’t like to admit that their misguided support for Bush’s fantasy will have consequences for the US image and influence in the region for many decades to come. Sure, even this negative memory may be overshadowed by a more recent one if the US s*** up even more when leaving Iraq, but let’s not hope it plays out this way.
:-/

]]> By: Gray http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94371 Gray Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:19:52 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94371 "After all the wishful thinking and political posturing on all sides, a basis for serious discussion makes the “tenuous case” for staying in Iraq while scaling down our presence." While this would be a good outcome for the US, of course it depends on whether Iraq allows the US to stay - after all, this is a (somwhat) sovereign nation. And when the US doesn't provide security for the capital anymore, what incentives are there for the Iraq government (most likely NOT Maliki) to let foreign forces have a presence in the country? I guess the US will have to pay heavily for their bases... “After all the wishful thinking and political posturing on all sides, a basis for serious discussion makes the “tenuous case” for staying in Iraq while scaling down our presence.”

While this would be a good outcome for the US, of course it depends on whether Iraq allows the US to stay – after all, this is a (somwhat) sovereign nation. And when the US doesn’t provide security for the capital anymore, what incentives are there for the Iraq government (most likely NOT Maliki) to let foreign forces have a presence in the country? I guess the US will have to pay heavily for their bases…

]]> By: Elrod http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94362 Elrod Thu, 09 Aug 2007 05:19:21 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94362 Cordesman has been right on just about everything since May 2003. He backed the invasion itself - erroneously in my opinion - but realized we were in trouble when Rumsfeld mocked the anarchy of post-Saddam Iraq. From that point on, Cordesman knew better than to take Administration happy talk at face value. People like Cordesman and the Washington Post's Walter Pincus and Anthony Shadid did more to shed light in a dark tunnel of misinformation than anybody else in 2003. Cordesman has been right on just about everything since May 2003. He backed the invasion itself – erroneously in my opinion – but realized we were in trouble when Rumsfeld mocked the anarchy of post-Saddam Iraq. From that point on, Cordesman knew better than to take Administration happy talk at face value. People like Cordesman and the Washington Post’s Walter Pincus and Anthony Shadid did more to shed light in a dark tunnel of misinformation than anybody else in 2003.

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-94353 DLS Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:14:57 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign-affairs/14455/a-sane-re-start-for-the-iraq-debate/#comment-94353 Cordesman and others at CSIS were right at the forefront of describing the need to "win the peace" (make Iraq safe and stable after the war). FYI. Cordesman and others at CSIS were right at the forefront of describing the need to “win the peace” (make Iraq safe and stable after the war). FYI.

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