Comments on: President Paul, call your office

By: Ara Rubyan

Ara Rubyan — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:13:57 +0000

Holy cow is right:

Though the decline in causalities is “a very positive sign” – U.S. casualties have been declining every month since June – Hoyer said political reconciliation remains an elusive goal.

Isn’t that what the surge was supposed to do? Facilitate political reconciliation? You said it earlier: victory is a democratic Iraq that works in concert with America’s best interests.

Not happening, my friend.

Like I said before, I think the best we can hope for is to point a really big gun at everyone while we back s-l-o-w-l-y towards the door.

By: Stout Republican

Stout Republican — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:17:20 +0000

Holy Cow!

By: Ara

Ara — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:17:05 +0000

You’re confused because you persist in thinking I want us to lose this war. As a result, you keep talking to me like I’m someone else. Go back and read through this and other threads. You do it a lot.

But I digress.

It’s ironic, don’t you think? The only “withdrawal date” that’s on the horizon is one that Bush baked into the escalation in the first place. In April of 2008. Get it?

By: Stout Republican

Stout Republican — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:53:41 +0000

Wait…I’m confused…are you saying that if we tell militants in Iraq when we are going to leave, that they’ll fake being nice until we exit?

Never heard that argument before…by Republicans…about why it’s bad to set a withdrawal date…a year ago…

So, let me get this right…what Democrats argued wouldn’t happen if we proposed a withdrawal date, you are now arguing as legitimate…but only in regards to the surge?

By: Ara

Ara — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:25:04 +0000

Here’s what bothers me about al-Sadr: doesn’t it seem more likely that he’s just waiting for the required draw-down in April of next year?

By: Stout Republican

Stout Republican — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:44:57 +0000

No, you hope for the best. The generals put troops in place and actually plan on how to deal with various situations…

Stick with your hoping though…some great military plans have come from arm-chair pundits who hope.

By: Ara Rubyan

Ara Rubyan — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:09:13 +0000

Why would anyone rely on TNR for any purpose? Dude, YOU'RE the one who linked to it, via Insta-whoozit. Not me. Crazy to believe that maybe Sadr put down the weapons at the prospect of thousands of additional American troops breathing down his neck. Crazy is your word, not mine. But since you brought it up, I have to say that it's finally come down to this: we're reading al-Sadr's mind and hoping for the best? Reminds me of Bush looking into Putin's eyes and getting a sense of his soul. Good luck with that.

By: Stout Republican

Stout Republican — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:45:15 +0000

Crazy to believe that maybe Sadr put down the weapons at the prospect of thousands of additional American troops breathing down his neck.

Sometimes there is causation between A and B…

By: Ron Coleman

Ron Coleman — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:35:57 +0000

Why would anyone rely on TNR for any purpose? Isn’t it pretty much established as a completely non-credible source at this point?

By: Ara Rubyan

Ara Rubyan — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:33:44 +0000

The TNR article raises a crucial point about the decline in deaths: the cease-fire from al-Sadr. Most honest observers would suggest that is the main reason the chaos has wound down — not the surge. But the bottom line is still the same: the surge was meant to be the handmaiden to political reconciliation. And that hasn’t happened.

So the surge is a failure. Iraq has ceased to be, for all intents and purposes, a nation. Entire cities have been ethnically cleansed. Religious fanatics have imposed a theocracy more extreme than Iran’s. Thugs and militias rule the streets and neighborhoods. The central government has flatlined. I think the best we can hope for is to point a really big gun at everyone while we back s-l-o-w-l-y towards the door.

Victory! Let Freedom Reign.