We Could Have Had Victory, Dammit!
by Prof Dave
Thu Oct 12, 2006 at 11:36:41 PM PDT
Bush could have had victory at any time in Iraq.
ANY. TIME. HE. WANTED.
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- Prof Dave's diary :: ::
Many Americans have had the luxury in their life of asking, "What do I want to accomplish?" And, therefore, they decide what they want to accomplish. They make a goal and they set milestones and they work towards achieving their goal. They work towards a victory, and sometimes even achieve a victory. All any normal American has to do - any of us has to do - is decide what we want. If it doesn't work out, we change our goal - to one that we can achieve.
Being a Republican President of the only remaining superpower with a Republican Congress and Senate and a Republican Supreme Court allows a lot of latitude: George W. Bush could set American goals. He could pick the milestones to achieve his goals. He gets to pick the rules of engagement in whatever endeavor he chooses. And Bush gets to decide when America wins.
If Bush wants to invade a country, then (obviously) America can. Because Bush make the rules. And the engagments in Iraq and Afghanistan are pretty much an American-only game. Because Bush prevented anyone else from playing.
So, just what the hell does victory mean? It means exactly what the "Decider" says it does... if he bothers to "decide".
What could our engagement in Iraq could have looked like if Bush had decided what the conditions of victory in Iraq were before invading - or maybe the new conditions of victory after realizing that his original goals weren't viable. What are the various decision points that could have brought America victory, but did not, all for lack of a definition?
So, let's speculate since the Decider has abdicated his responsibility to decide exactly what victory is in the war in Iraq. Let's look at the various points where America could have declared victory and therefore left Iraq.
If victory was toppling Saddam, America accomplished it April 9, 2003, and America should have left.
If victory was ensuring there were no weapons of mass destruction, America accomplished it by October 7, 2004 and America should have left (though America didn't need to go in to do that - we could have listened to the International Atomic Energy Agency who already knew Iraq didn't have nuclear weapons. Or, asked his intelligence agencies directly instead of believing the liars with whom he surrounded himself. I guess the Decider already Decided).
If victory was killing 600,000 Iraqis, America finally accomplished that and America should leave Iraq now. These pictures are simply too gruesome to even share.
If victory was giving Iran a brand new, but seriously damaged province, America accomplished that soon after we declared "Mission Accomplished" and should have left Iraq.
If victory was getting ~30,000 American soldiers terribly injured or killed, America did that and should have left Iraq. I will leave these bloody pictures out as well.
If victory was saddling the US with a huge unneccessary debt, America accomplished that and should have left Iraq.
If victory was destabilizing the Middle East - according to a Republican Senator, America accomplished that and should leave Iraq.
If victory was to ruin US prestige, America accomplished that and should leave.
If victory was to cause the British to want to pull out because their presence was causing additional insecurity, America has accomplished it and should follow our wiser cousins across the pond.
If victory was filling the pockets of mercenaries and war profiteers like Halliburton, America accomplished that and should have left.
If victory was to allow torture at Abu Ghraib (and elsewhere), America accomplished that and should have left.
If victory was leaving many orphans in Iraq, America accomplished that and should leave. 
If victory was establishing Democracy in Iraq, America accomplished that and should have left in January, 2005.
If victory was when the Unitary Executive was more firmly established through a war, America has accomplished that and should bring her soldiers home.
If victory was when Bush could declare he was a War President, he won in February of 2004, and America should leave Iraq.
If victory was when Bush used the Iraqi war as an excuse to brand the opposition party as weak on the War on Terror, you've been winning for the past three years.
So, when do we get to declare victory? When is the Mission Accomplished?
I've got to say, it's been a heckuva job you've done, Bush, since you've led America to get all of this accomplished, and yet somehow victory has eluded us.
When do we win? I'll be happy to let you decide.
ANY. TIME. NOW. WOULD. BE. NICE.
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