Chances of 'Winning' in Iraq: 'Slim to None'
Some straight talk on Iraq by >Stephen Biddle in the Boston Globe about the chances of Bush's new "strategy" working in Iraq.
"If there is any way out of all this, it will only be through a negotiated political solution to Iraq's civil war ... The problem is not a fixation on warfare, it is a lack of the leverage needed to make negotiations work and broker a deal ... Real progress, therefore, requires some new and more powerful lever.
This is a good analysis of how well Bush's strategy is working in Iraq, what's needed and the chances of success. I highly recommend you read it; however, here's Biddle's bottomline:
And yet we have reached a point at which all policies for Iraq are likelier to fail than to succeed. To terminate peacefully an ongoing communal conflict such as Iraq's is inherently a long-shot gamble. There are examples of success -- the ceasefires in Kosovo and Bosnia were obtained by interventions not unlike what I describe. These ceasefires are never easy, however, and Iraq today is an especially hard case. Unless the United States makes the most of every possible source of leverage its chances of success could quickly go from slim to none. (my emphasis)
It's up to Congress to get a veto-proof bill to end this war; otherwise, our sons and daughters will be sacrificing their lives fighting "Bush's War" for another 596 days.
Wanna play with numbers? Using May's number of casualties, by the time a new president is sworn in there could be another 2,540 dead U.S. troops. Add that to today's total, 3493, and that means there could be 11 dead American troops for each member of Congress to atone for.
I would like to see the halls of Congress lined with the boots of EVERY SINGLE DEAD SOLDIER so that our legislatures would have to pass by them every single day until they bring the last soldier home.
Debra Morgan Pardee
"With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plea; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost." -- William Lloyd Garrison (1805 - 1879)
Thanks to another Blogger's recommendation, I read this interview with "Hope of the Wicked" author Ted Flnn I also recommend.
June 4, 2007 10:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I agree with you about lining the halls with the boots of our men and women who've been sacrificed by the Bush "regime". Congress is far to cozy and removed to really feel the pain, and since theirs are the only voices that can reach the White House, they need to write the bill that will stop this madness. Maybe passing by more than 3,000 pair of bloodied boots would kick their butts!
June 5, 2007 5:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're already up to the 3500 mark.
Boots lining the corridors of Congress--I like that image.
June 5, 2007 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
How about going a step further and sending a picture of all the wounded, the ones who are burned beyond recognition, the ones who gave arms and legs. The ones with TBI who cannot go to the bathroom on their own. One step further and send pictures of those who served and then came home to be killed or injured due to PTSD. Beyond those who so valiantly gave their lives are the ones who lives are forever changed by horrible injuries and the families who stand behind them. The domino affect of the killed and injured with haunt us for years to come.
Families are being torn apart. Go one more step and send pictures of every family member affected.
Jamie bens mom
Ben survivor of TBI 2 tours of duty
July 3, 2007 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
If this Congress doesn't do the right thing and end this war soon, that's exactly what they will be seeing someday ... in hell.
Morgan
With reasonable men I will reason; with humane men I will plea; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.
-- William Lloyd Garrison (1805 - 1879)
July 5, 2007 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink