Have you ever been to a store and found something advertised as 20% off only to realize the sale price is about the same as the product was a few months before? It's an old gimmick merchants have been using for years. They raise the price only to lower it later and promote it as a sale.
It looks very much like the Bush administration is trying to put that kind of spin on their proposed troop reduction by July of next year. The reduction will bring the U.S. forces in Iraq back down to the level they were before the surge. The surge was always intended to be temporary. It cannot be maintained without seriously over stressing the troops. So, Bush is trying to spin it like doing what they MUST do is some mark of progress. The question is, "Will the public buy what they are selling?"
Many of the Republicans in Congress are jumping on board with this promotion. I believe they are primarily playing to their own constituencies. They need to point to something to suggest the Iraqi situation is really not the quagmire it seems.
At the same time, many Democrats are calling for bigger troop reductions sooner. They are even talking of passing legislation to mandate such action. They have little concern for the consequences because they know there is no chance of having the votes needed to override a presidential veto. It's all a game to keep the American public focused on placing the blame for the war on the Republicans.
Both Republicans and Democrats are spinning like crazy. I see a lot of politics and very little statesmanship. But, the sale is on!
That's my two cents.
Wade Houston
September 13, 2007
Showing posts with label Bush administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bush administration. Show all posts
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Iraq - Where Do We Go From Here?
At the start of this blog, I mentioned that I was opposed to the United States going to war with Iraq. That was based on the information which had been shared to that point. I was not at all certain the case had been made. I also mentioned (to my shame) that I was largely silent on the issue trusting that our leadership had secret knowledge I did not. I thought they could make a more informed decision. Well, all that is water under the bridge. It doesn't matter whether we should have gone to war in Iraq or not. We are there now. So, what's the best course of action from here?
I don't know. The deed has been done. The Iraqi government that existed at the start of this war has been deposed and is definitely not coming back. That government was a brutal dictatorship, but it did maintain order. It did provide an infrastructure for the Iraqi society. It was a stable government.
I was raised to believe that when you make a mess, it is your responsibility to clean it up. I largely feel that way about our nation's responsibility toward Iraq. Frankly, I still don't want us there, but I am conflicted between my desire to have our forces home and my sense of moral obligation to do right by the Iraqi people.
The biggest question is, "Can we actually do anything to make this right?" If the answer is yes, then we need to do it. If the answer is no, then we need to stop and make an orderly withdrawal.
At first, I thought we could clean up our mess. But the present administration has so bungled managing the war's aftermath, I have no confidence in Bush's ability to set things right. I think perhaps a different administration could, but we won't experience a real change in government for about a year and a half. By that point, the American people will be so sick of this Iraq thing the new President will be hard pressed to get our forces out of Iraq without delay. Without the support of the American public, doing the right thing by Iraq may not be possible.
The Bush administration is not going to willingly pull the United States out of Iraq. Barring some major new development, Congress is not going to force the issue by cutting off funds. Between now and the next administration, the only change we can really hope for must come from the Iraqi people themselves. So far, they don't seem to sense the urgency. It's all quite sad.
That's my two cents.
Wade Houston
September 10, 2007
I don't know. The deed has been done. The Iraqi government that existed at the start of this war has been deposed and is definitely not coming back. That government was a brutal dictatorship, but it did maintain order. It did provide an infrastructure for the Iraqi society. It was a stable government.
I was raised to believe that when you make a mess, it is your responsibility to clean it up. I largely feel that way about our nation's responsibility toward Iraq. Frankly, I still don't want us there, but I am conflicted between my desire to have our forces home and my sense of moral obligation to do right by the Iraqi people.
The biggest question is, "Can we actually do anything to make this right?" If the answer is yes, then we need to do it. If the answer is no, then we need to stop and make an orderly withdrawal.
At first, I thought we could clean up our mess. But the present administration has so bungled managing the war's aftermath, I have no confidence in Bush's ability to set things right. I think perhaps a different administration could, but we won't experience a real change in government for about a year and a half. By that point, the American people will be so sick of this Iraq thing the new President will be hard pressed to get our forces out of Iraq without delay. Without the support of the American public, doing the right thing by Iraq may not be possible.
The Bush administration is not going to willingly pull the United States out of Iraq. Barring some major new development, Congress is not going to force the issue by cutting off funds. Between now and the next administration, the only change we can really hope for must come from the Iraqi people themselves. So far, they don't seem to sense the urgency. It's all quite sad.
That's my two cents.
Wade Houston
September 10, 2007
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