Hagel Asks for Talks With Iran, Casey Says it Won't Help
There is a huge gap right now between two camps who are endeavoring to come up with a new strategy for victory in the Mideast. One camp wants to try a new approach, reach out to old enemies, and forge a stable democracy like we did in Europe after WWII. Another camp wants to build a wall around Baghdad and the oil wells, let the Sunnis and Shias explode into a full civil war, and dare any neighbors to intervene at gunpoint.
Sen. Hagel became the first in what this author hopes will be a long line of wise, patient, powerful Senators calling for talks with Iraq's neighbor to the east. Indeed, we've suggested this course of action at this blog for quite sometime. And I personally believe Khalizad has been working on this, perhaps in a display of some disobedience, for quite awhile now.
But just as soon Hagel called for "thinking big" about the problems in Iraq, General Casey, the head honcho of US Forces in Iraq, said he didn't think it would help.
Perhaps Gen. Casey is just bitter because he has completely failed at his mission thus far. I know, tough words, but by all accounts, we are not succeeding in Iraq, and he is in charge, so should he not step aside and let someone else with new ideas take the lead? If Gen. Casey is not in charge, if he is not accountable, praytell, who is?
Perhaps Gen. Casey can only see more doom and gloom for the Iraqi people and the US soldiers stationed there. Yes, I know, we should not criticize our soldiers. But this man is a General, well fed, well cared for. He is not the man in the foxhole. He is an officer, and he is failing to lead.
Indeed, perhaps its time for the people who are utterly unimaginative, whose performance has been lackluster, who have allowed the mythology of American superiority to meet a swift death in the sands of the Iraqi desert, perhaps those people should step aside and let those who are willing to try something new, think creatively, and bravely try alternatives without fear of failure take control and move us forward again?
What we need right now is not cynicism, we don't need defeatism either, and we certainly don't need partisanship.
What we need are realists who are unafraid, bold, and energetic. What we need right now are pragmatists who think big and move forward one step at a time. What we need right now are a few completions, even if only for short yardage, a couple of strikes, even if over the plate, a field goal instead of a touchdown, a lay up instead of a three pointer.
In other words, what we need right now, what will fix our current malaise, what will give us the inspiration and the imagination necessary to get the job done, what we need more than anything in Iraq right now are some Americans. Where are they?
Sen. Hagel became the first in what this author hopes will be a long line of wise, patient, powerful Senators calling for talks with Iraq's neighbor to the east. Indeed, we've suggested this course of action at this blog for quite sometime. And I personally believe Khalizad has been working on this, perhaps in a display of some disobedience, for quite awhile now.
But just as soon Hagel called for "thinking big" about the problems in Iraq, General Casey, the head honcho of US Forces in Iraq, said he didn't think it would help.
"I don't have a lot of confidence that these will turn out to be productive, but I could be wrong," said Gen. George W. Casey, the top commander in Iraq.Yes, you "could" be wrong. But why are you so afraid to be wrong in the first place? Such cowardice in the face of a very difficult problem should be reprimanded by this man's bosses. Casey would rather us throw our hands up in despair? Nuke the place and start over? What are the choices?
Perhaps Gen. Casey is just bitter because he has completely failed at his mission thus far. I know, tough words, but by all accounts, we are not succeeding in Iraq, and he is in charge, so should he not step aside and let someone else with new ideas take the lead? If Gen. Casey is not in charge, if he is not accountable, praytell, who is?
Perhaps Gen. Casey can only see more doom and gloom for the Iraqi people and the US soldiers stationed there. Yes, I know, we should not criticize our soldiers. But this man is a General, well fed, well cared for. He is not the man in the foxhole. He is an officer, and he is failing to lead.
Indeed, perhaps its time for the people who are utterly unimaginative, whose performance has been lackluster, who have allowed the mythology of American superiority to meet a swift death in the sands of the Iraqi desert, perhaps those people should step aside and let those who are willing to try something new, think creatively, and bravely try alternatives without fear of failure take control and move us forward again?
What we need right now is not cynicism, we don't need defeatism either, and we certainly don't need partisanship.
What we need are realists who are unafraid, bold, and energetic. What we need right now are pragmatists who think big and move forward one step at a time. What we need right now are a few completions, even if only for short yardage, a couple of strikes, even if over the plate, a field goal instead of a touchdown, a lay up instead of a three pointer.
In other words, what we need right now, what will fix our current malaise, what will give us the inspiration and the imagination necessary to get the job done, what we need more than anything in Iraq right now are some Americans. Where are they?
posted by Federalist X at 9:56 AM
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