Anytime this administration discusses Iraq in less-than-glowing terms, you know that the reality of what they are predicting
may happen has actually been going on for quite some time.
Well, this morning General Abizaid continued with the long tradition of the Rovians currently in charge by suggesting that "Iraq could move toward civil war" if sectarian strife continues. (Go ahead and laugh...)
Generals raise fears of Iraq civil war
WASHINGTON - The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East told Congress on Thursday that "Iraq could move toward civil war" if the raging sectarian violence in Baghdad is not stopped.
"I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it," Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. He said the top priority in the Iraq war is to secure the capital, where factional violence has surged in recent weeks despite efforts by the new Iraqi government to stop the fighting.
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(more)
Geez, you think, General Abizaid? Good ol' Pete Pace echoes this denial of current reality:
Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed Abizaid's observation when he told the panel, "We do have the possibility of that devolving into civil war." He added that this need not happen and stressed that ultimately it depends on the Iraqis more than on the U.S. military.
"Shiite and Sunni are going to have to love their children more than they hate each other," Pace said, before the tensions can be overcome. "The weight of that must be on the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government."
Yep, it's all the Iraqis' fault. Sounds like an excuse to bail, doesn't it? This administration and its military leadership seem to be infected with "cut-and-runners," eh?
Lucklily, none of these problems are the result of our insane, inane and poorly-executed invasion. Those damn Iraqis are just too stupid to realize that democracy is on the march.
Are these nuggets from the Generals a precursor to a cut-and-run by the Bush administration?
Worth pondering...
Update [2006-8-3 11:24:1 by Bob Johnson]:
Spud1 notes that the UK ambassador to Iraq is making the same prediction today.
Part of a coordinated strategy between the Bushies and Blair to lay the groundwork for a Fall cut-and-run? The coincidence of these comments here and in the UK is no accident.
A last-ditch effort to maintain the Republican majority in the Fall?