In a grimly eloquent editorial titled "Trying to Contain the Iraq Disaster", today's
NYT paints a dark portrait of the political situation in Iraq.
No matter what President Bush says, the question is not whether America can win in Iraq. The only question is whether the United States can extricate itself without leaving behind an unending civil war that will spread more chaos and suffering throughout the Middle East, while spawning terrorism across the globe.
It is a picture that offers little comfort to those who abhor the war and the republican administration that took us there.
In America, almost no one -- even the administration's harshest critics -- wants to tell people the bitter truth about how few options remain on the table, and about the mayhem that will almost certainly follow an American withdrawal unless more is done.
And, in a direct condemnation of the failure of Bush foreign policy, the Times placed those few options on the table.
1. Start at Home
The Times plan calls for firing Rumsfeld, seeking and following the advise of military commanders, and stating, unequivocally, that the US will not have permanent bases in Iraq.
2. Demand Reconciliation Talks
Demand reconciliation talks begin immediately, in parallel with negotiations for US withdrawal.
Tomorrow would not be too soon; the end of the year would be too late.
3. Stabilize Baghdad
Supply sufficient troops to stabilize Baghdad, proving to beleaguered Iraqis that security and stability is possible.
4. Convene the Neighbors
Go beyond our traditional allies and reach out to Damascus and Tehran to broker a peace.
5. Acknowledge Reality
Truth will only take us so far, but it is the right way to begin. Americans will probably spend the next generation debating whether the Iraq invasion would have worked under a competent administration. Right now, the best place to express bitterness about what may become the worst foreign policy debacle in American history is at the polls. But anger at a president is not a plan for what happens next.
When it comes to Iraq the choices in the immediate future are scant and ugly. But there are still a few options to pursue, and the alternatives are so horrible that it is worth trying once again -- as long as everyone understands that there is little time left and the odds are very long.
By leading us into the wrong war at the wrong time for all the wrong reasons, this Republican administration has precluded any chance of victory in Iraq. As American opinion moves against this war, the administration is caught like a deer in the headlights - afraid to take any substantive action or coherent steps to repair the disaster they have created for fear of losing their chimera of power. Or, as the NYT states:
The administration, for all its hints about new strategies and timetables, is obviously hoping to slog along for two more years and dump the problem on Mr. Bush's successor.
Americans have been denied any sense of victory. Will we retain any shred of honor as we extricate ourselves from Iraq?
Not if we cannot change course. Not if we cannot move in a new direction. Not if we cannot break the stranglehold of the Republican-controlled congress.
For two more weeks, we must fight with every resource we have, every extra moment we can give. We must make change happen.