James Fallows’ blog hilariously conveys the absurdity of Iraq-discredited “Experts” offering Obama predictable (and bizarrely familiar) advice on Syria.
when faced with this kind of dilemma your first question is, "What would Karl Rove do?" Or if not him, then L. Paul Bremer.. Or Dan Senor… Almost as good would be Bill Kristol... Or perhaps Elliott Abrams, …Martin Peretz, Max Boot, and Bernard-Henri Levy.
…I am sorry only that Paul Wolfowitz and Ahmed Chalabi could not be reached for their thoughts before deadline time.
On a roll, Fallows spreads the laughs around:
I am looking forward to the Standard offering Obama expert advice on speechmaking from Bobby Jindal and Rick Perry, fitness advice from Rush Limbaugh and Chris Christie, and campaign tips from the McCain and Romney teams.
But seriously now, folks, Fallows reports on the much more cautious tone of
people who have fought in wars themselves or been responsible for their aftermath
like Andrew Bacevich, Jim Webb, Robert Gates and James Mattis. Fallows would also like to hear from Anthony Zinni.
Fallows concludes:
Let's give the tie-breaking vote to Dwight Eisenhower, from up in heaven. One guess about what he would recommend.
Tue Aug 27, 2013 at 10:23 PM PT: For anybody unfamiliar with these names:
Fallows' preferred experts are not pacifists or DFHs and,
unlike many of the Standard's experts,
are not chicken-hawks.