The illusive objective of political reconciliation
Chuck Hagel hangs his recommendations for solving problems in Iraq on political reconciliation. Such a goal is more illusive than a military victory. The Sunni insurgency has had numerous opportunities accept the new political reality in Iraq. At first it chose not to participate at all in the drafting of the constitution, which did not work out to well for them, since it was overwhelmingly accepted without their in put. Numerous offers have been made, but the underlying problem is that any Sunni who accepts any kind of compromise will be targeted for murder. Fallujah has just had its forth leader murdered.
What this leads back to is that we have to be able to provide security, before there can be a political solution. That is what the surge is intended to do. Pipe dreams of "tough decisions" that will create political solutions are just not realistic at this time and they are even less realistic when pushed by someone like Hagel who is not supporting measures needed to make them viable.
Hagel also talks about the unpopularity of the war, but his solution is so unpopular back home that candidates are lining up to run against him in the Republican primary. His vote against the war funding bill will continue to cost him political support and this essay is not going to help his case or appeal to anyone other than his media buddies.
The Strata-Sphere has more on Hagel's Vietnam false memories.
There is something else Hagel should consider. In Vietnam one of our mistakes was trying to force the Diem regime into a reconciliation with the militant Buddhist who had been infiltrated by the communist. Every attempt at mollifying them resulted in the goal post being moved and more demonstrations. Our State Department and the Pulitzer Committee's favorite reporters undermined Diem leading to the coup which over threw his regime and resulted in a downward spiral of the war effort by the previously effective south Vietnamese forces.
Westhawk looks at a council of war by American military leaders in Fallujah Thursday.
What this leads back to is that we have to be able to provide security, before there can be a political solution. That is what the surge is intended to do. Pipe dreams of "tough decisions" that will create political solutions are just not realistic at this time and they are even less realistic when pushed by someone like Hagel who is not supporting measures needed to make them viable.
Hagel also talks about the unpopularity of the war, but his solution is so unpopular back home that candidates are lining up to run against him in the Republican primary. His vote against the war funding bill will continue to cost him political support and this essay is not going to help his case or appeal to anyone other than his media buddies.
The Strata-Sphere has more on Hagel's Vietnam false memories.
There is something else Hagel should consider. In Vietnam one of our mistakes was trying to force the Diem regime into a reconciliation with the militant Buddhist who had been infiltrated by the communist. Every attempt at mollifying them resulted in the goal post being moved and more demonstrations. Our State Department and the Pulitzer Committee's favorite reporters undermined Diem leading to the coup which over threw his regime and resulted in a downward spiral of the war effort by the previously effective south Vietnamese forces.
Westhawk looks at a council of war by American military leaders in Fallujah Thursday.
...Hagel is not the only person with illusive dreams.
As it sat in the Camp Fallujah conference room, Mr. Gates’s council of war must have discussed how this budding alliance in Anbar might fit into alternative scenarios for Iraq. During this trip through the region, Mr. Gates repeatedly pressed the Iraqi government to make some progress on political reconciliation. He pointed to specific legislation on hydrocarbons, de-Baathification reform, and provincial elections that the Americans want to see passed. Prime Minister al-Maliki seemed to shrug his shoulders and point at a fractured parliament to explain the lack of progress.
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