Call for a DKOS ISG (w/Poll)

This is the "creative destruction" the Neocons have unleashed. We are trapped in Iraq. Follow me, if you will (but be gentle, this my first time)  . . .

The Israelis have already hedged their bets in Kurdistan (formerly Northern Iraq): http://www.newyorker.com/...

Iran has the Shiites. It probably won't tolerate a Kurdish state on its border, especially if it's an Israeli client: http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Turkey will certainly not tolerate a Kurdish state on its border, and if they go in, Iran goes in: http://news.bbc.co.uk/...

Saudi Arabia, Jordan and perhaps even Egypt will back the Sunni if the chips come down: http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

What this comes down to is, we are the only thing keeping these snarling primates from killing each other. Yet our very presence makes us the focus of Arab resentment, stripping us of legitimacy and weakening us further. Worldwide, Muslim resentment grows.

Meanwhile, China, Russia and India continue to forge an alternative power bloc, based on bilateral trade agreements in competition with the neoliberals - but they are longer term rivals, so they will have to wait. All these players would like to see Islam as a political force destroyed before they finally turn their full attentions on each other: http://www.heritage.org/...

Meanwhile, our hubristic leaders have even bigger dreams than remaking the Middle East . . .

. . .like the military conquest of space: http://www.space.com/...

. . .and total control of the weather: http://www.space.com/...

. . .and total control of the human mind (courtesy of human and animal testing): http://www.defensetech.org/...

But we cannot allow these horrors to overwhelm us with despair. We, the DKos community, must try to pool our considerable talent into formulating our own Iraq Study Group. We must come up with a viable policy alternative that just might help the cause of peace. We must persuade our party to support it, and we must see to it that we support a candidate in 2008 that will not go down the road the "Project for the New American Century" has laid out for us. For the sake of our democracy, and the world, we must do what little we can to offer a policy of hope.

•  "these snarling primates"?

  If this is your starting point, I'm not sure how deep your study will go.  But other than that, some real in-depth analysis would be helpful.

  by weasel on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:18:13 PM PDT

  •  Sorry, couldn't resist a little rhetorical flair

    For the record, I consider all humans to be primates.

    And thanks for your comment, I'll try to offer some more in depth analysis in the future. I was hoping the foreign policy gurus among us would take an interest.

    by rolandzebub on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:23:09 PM PDT

•  Russ Feingold and Murtha have a plan

  I'd go along with Russ, anywhere he leads.

  by steelman on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:19:30 PM PDT

  •  Russ's plan just ran out. He recommended ...

    ...in August 2005 a withdrawal to be completed by ... Christmas 2006.

    by Meteor Blades on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:59:11 PM PDT

•  Thanks for reading

  Your tips are appreciated.

  by rolandzebub on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:21:01 PM PDT

•  Most people around here...

  ...aren't well informed enough to make fine-tuned judgements on Iraq policy. Of course that makes them no worse than myself, or the majority of the members of the REAL ISG, to be frank about it.

  So I don't ever go much beyond a general call for disengagement in Iraq, which seems to me to be an obvious part of any policy, for a number of reasons (human costs, the enormous strain it is putting on our budget, the lack of worldwide support for the effort, and the lack of any progress or defined mission for our troops in the arena being just a few of the reasons).

  by skymutt on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:32:50 PM PDT

  •  I agre

    ..aren't well informed enough to make fine-tuned judgements on Iraq policy. Of course that makes them no worse than myself, or the majority of the members of the REAL ISG, to be frank about it.

    but I think the point is that somewhat knowledgeable people would be in charge of shifting through the avalanche of suggestions. You gotta admit, this would be something great for Yearly Kos.

    by Jank2112 on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 01:02:35 PM PDT

•  cool diary--thanks r.z.

  but what if there are no power blocks? what if control is centralized with the wto, the u.s. and china?

  the status quo needs to be broken so it can be reformed.

  the only thing that will break it at this point is a staged and documented event by americans, in the nation's capitol.

  http://www.articlev.org

  by john de herrera on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:36:47 PM PDT

  •  Your link doesn't work for me

    But thanks for your comment.

    by rolandzebub on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:58:06 PM PDT

•  I'm not feeling optimistic

  I watched Blair today egging bush on and supporting this horrible war. Here's man who helped lie us into it. A man who is leaving in 6 months. A man who has a whopping 7,500 soldiers in Iraq. There is a real partner, all right, and bush thinks he is just great.
  All I can think about when I hear the two of them talking is lies, lies, lies, right from the beginning and right through today.
  Topping my ISG report would be that confession is good for the soul and might get us some support around the world again. Fess up to lying to start an illegal war. Fess up to screwing it up from the beginning. Fess up to not understanding one darn thing about the tribal culture of the Middle East. Fess up to having no interpreters to use to train anybody. Fess up to not watching the money. Fess up to not giving the soldiers - US or Iraqi - the equipment they need.
  Lay it on the table and beg forgiveness. Stop the lies. Maybe then somebody might listen.
  Then stop acting like the biggest bully ever in the world and start using some diplomacy for a change. I doubt there is a country left that we haven't insulted in some fashion since bush/cheney arrived on the scene.
  Then bring all the soldiers home.

  by Overseas on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:40:59 PM PDT

•  It Couldn’t Hurt, Might Even Help

  The more brainstorming that is done regarding problems as immense as Iraq, the more chance that there will be solutions found that can work.  

  Yet, the real problem is:  George W. Bush.  He is unwilling to take advice that he doesn’t wish to hear from anyone.  He is stubborn to the point of madness.  

  One idea that I saw by  kalihikane in a diary by joyousMN    End the War—Limit Iraq Service Tours  
  yesterday —was to have the troops go to a "fall back" status:  

  "  ...unless tactics in field are required to change to fall-back and support Iraq forces instead of walking and rolling patrols...
  I think only way to make it work is asap change tactics to fall-back and support Iraqi troops...have them carry the front line load..."  

   

  I don't know what solutions are the best of all possible solutions.  What I do know is that while our leaders debate, and mull things over and hesitate--American troops continue to die and be maimed.  I thing the best actions kossacks can take is to demand loudly, and continually from our leaders that they quit talking and start Doing.  

  by kurious on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 12:42:50 PM PDT