Quote:
Originally posted by sgtclub
I was focused on the former. With respect to the later, it would have been realistic only if they were willing to give up control to the likes of Russia and France, the very countries that were propping up SH. To me that was not a realistic alternative.
And it is not true that none have stepped forward. Some 35b was pledged a few months back (granted this is not enough, but it is also not unsubstantial).
Has the administration made misstakes? Absolutely. But that is inevitable in war. We are still only 8 months out and these things take time. What is important is that the administration has realized this (though not said so publicly) and has made adjustments as they have gone. This bullshit about not having a "plan" (current DNC talking point #3) is just that. You simply cannot anticipate each and every development ahead of time.
Like I've said on other subjects (e.g., effect of tax cuts) we have to give policies time before making a final judgment. The DEMs continue to jump the gun on most of their criticisms (the economy, the economy the economy). Unfortumately, most people have short memories so they don't have to pay the political costs.
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I guess our disagreement comes from our analysis of just how powerful the French and Russians would be at the postwar bargaining table. I mean, we did get the resolution from the UN giving us free hand in Iraq. It's not like they used their security council veto to stop that. But I can see your viewpoint.
btw, I'm not interested in a google-off, but my recollection was that far less was actually pledged in terms of real dollars (for example, Kuwait said it would withdraw claims of $1b+ reparations from Iraq, money they probably weren't going to get anyway). Either way, it's a far cry from a situation where we paid less than 20% of the costs of Iraq War I.
For what it's worth, I think we had a great military plan and a subpar postwar plan. It seems pretty clear to me that our plan assumed the best-case scenario of popular support from the people (why else disband the military and put a lot of gun-toting Iraqis out of work). If you think that the uncertainty of future events makes any evaluation of a plan impossible, then I wish you well in your continued adherence to the GOP line.
