Iraqization
The Study Group results are in and, like so many others, they say we should get out of Iraq. Leaving aside whether or not we should have gone there in the first place, the plan is rather full of “if’s,” as it must be, under the circumstances. “If” Iran controls it borders and stops fuelling the insurgency, “if” Syria does the same – these are two in particular that I see as significant problems. Iran and Syria don’t much have a history of non-interference when it comes to their neighbors’ sovereignity, let alone how they conduct themselves in relation to terrorism. To simply reject these elements out of hand – “talking isn’t a strategy,” according to National Security Advisor, Stephen Hadley – doesn’t move the situation towards a resolution, however, unless you count civil war and a new, centrally located Arab terrorism national base as a resolution (and OBL and his minions are probably the only ones seeing that as a positive). And I have to agree with Bush on troop withdrawals, at least insofar as they are not going to be “graceful.” While I think we can avoid the helicopters on the roof scenes right out of Saigon, withdrawing is graceless: we made a mess of the country and can’t stay around to clean up after ourselves. We can, nevertheless, come back when the violence is finished and then do the reconstruction work that we’ve failed in since the days of “Mission Accomplished.” At least now there’s a plan. Is it any use wondering what Bush will do with it?