Since
it appears the Republicans have no plan to stop with the Kerry distraction -- and the stupidity of it is dulling my senses -- I would like to take the opportunity to reintroduce the Democrats to their primary issue: the failure of the war in Iraq.
The apparent disregard for the valuable advice of his retired generals is not the least of Bush's galling traits. One of the generals -- Lt. Gen. William E. Odom (Retired) -- appears immune to White House spin. He has presented a plan for complete withdrawal from Iraq within six months. He boldly entitled his new opinion peice "How to cut and run". The piece was published yesterday in the LA Times, but I am linking to The Hudson Institute, where Gen. Odom is now a senior fellow. He is also currently a professor at Yale.
If you've seen Gen. Odom on television, you have to appreciate his candor. In this article, he again cuts to the chase:
The administration could recognize that a rapid withdrawal is the only way to overcome our strategic paralysis, though that appears unlikely, notwithstanding election-eve changes in White House rhetoric. Congress could force a stock-taking. Failing this, the public will sooner or later see through all of the White House's double talk and compel a radical policy change. The price for delay, however, will be more lives lost in vain -- the only thing worse than the lives already lost in vain.
Some lawmakers are ready to change course but are puzzled as to how to leave Iraq. The answer is four major initiatives to provide regional stability and calm in Iraq. They will leave the U.S. less influential in the region. But it will be the best deal we can get.
The first of the four steps will be particularly difficult for our President -- Admitting the Mistake. Additionally, he proposes abandoning unilateralism in seeking resolution to the crisis by seeking proposals from European allies, Japan, China and India.
Rapid troop withdrawal and abandoning unilateralism will have a sobering effect on all interested parties. Al Qaeda will celebrate but find that its only current allies, Iraqi Baathists and Sunnis, no longer need or want it. Iran will crow but soon begin to worry that its Kurdish minority may want to join Iraqi Kurdistan and that Iraqi Baathists might make a surprising comeback.
Secondly, Gen. Odom proposes creating a diplomatic forum of all neighboring countries, including Iran. This is not the most controversial of the ideas. That comes next:
Third, the U.S. must informally cooperate with Iran in areas of shared interests. Nothing else could so improve our position in the Middle East. The price for success will include dropping U.S. resistance to Iran's nuclear weapons program. This will be as distasteful for U.S. leaders as cutting and running, but it is no less essential. That's because we do share vital common interests with Iran. We both want to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban (Iran hates both). We both want stability in Iraq (Iran will have influence over the Shiite Iraqi south regardless of what we do, but neither Washington nor Tehran want chaos). And we can help each other when it comes to oil: Iran needs our technology to produce more oil, and we simply need more oil.
And, finally, with help from Europe (and "good relations with Iran would help dramatically"), the Palestinian issue must be addressed.
I encourage everyone to read Gen. Odom's complete article. It is time to put the real issue of this campaign forward and dispense with petty distractions. Let's face it. It won't be easy. But I agree with Odom that Iran cannot be ignored, and despite what anyone on this blog thinks about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he was elected by a majority of his people. And, the jury is still out on whether George Bush ever was.