NYT: The Professional (on Robert Gates)

[spurster]

I know this is a little different for the Politics forum, but I found this a thoughtful and interesting article on Robert Gates and our problem in Iraq. I should note this is written by Fred Kaplan, who, as I recollect, is much more of a conservative as compared to the perceived liberal bias of the NYT. Perhaps this represents the ambivalence of my current thoughts on Iraq given the (relative) success of Gen. Petraeus in Iraq.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/ma...l?ref=magazine

"Gates said that he doesn’t know how long troops will need to stay in Iraq, though he said the involvement would probably last ‘through several presidencies.’"

[boutons_]

Everything I've read says that Iraq is a fatally broken country, broken by the oil-grab war. All the professional Iraqis needed to re-build and run what little infrastructure remains are either dead or have fled the country.

Fon only 80K Sunnis x $300/month = $24M, Petraeus bought off the peace by Sunni insurgents, not kicked anybody's ass, Petraeus has padded his career and delayed the catastrophe for now, probably through the end of dubyas term. iow:

"More than a year later, the biggest item on that agenda remains Iraq: if not to “win” the war, as was once envisioned, then at least not to lose it"

... iow, kicked the loss of Iraq to the next US regime.

ie, the mother ers's have NOT won , they have kicked the Iraq football out of duyba's last year, out of the campaign, and into the next US administration. ie, dubya started a job badly and can't finish the job, just like ALL the other failed projects in his life.

For the election and dubya's self-promoting exit, Petraeaus has bought-off "drop in violence" is a financial deal, not a military ass-kicking. The Sunnis that Petraeus is paying off, arming, and training are the same people have been responsible for most of the US casualties, and who hope to take back control of Iraq from the incompetent, divided Shiites. kick-ass? GMAFB

To reduce US casualties in an election year and to prop up the illusion of "victory", Petraues has stopped kicking down doors with exposed troops, terrorizing Iraqis, which pissed off and radicalized a lot of Iraqis and made 2007 a horrible surge year for US casualties.

Now Petraeus keeps his troops protected in base, and sends the Air Force to chicken- bomb the out of civilians in villages from 1000s of feet up. Little Guernicas, thank you dubya, you're doing a heckuva job.

"The moderator asked the candidates if they would promise to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by 2013, the end of the first term. The three (Dem) candidates with the highest poll ratings all declined to make that pledge."

Several 1000s more US to be dead, and several $T more to be burned up maintaining the oppressive US occupation of Iraq with 5 gigantic, PERMANENT military bases and the green zone.

At some point, the US will have to invade the renegade, out-law region run by the Kurds, while being careful not to step on the oil projects of dubya's TX buddy.

Who cares about Gates and how he plays bureaucratic and political games in DC? The only interest in Gates is what his does about Iraq, and so far that's been nothing except protecting the WH from the collapse of Iraq on dubya's watch.

.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Everything I've read says that Iraq is a fatally broken country, broken by the oil-grab war.

Iraq was broken when France and England carved up the Middle East after WWI. Try reading a book sometime.

Who cares about Gates and how he plays bureaucratic and political games in DC? The only interest in Gates is what his does about Iraq, and so far that's been nothing except protecting the WH from the collapse of Iraq on dubya's watch.

You couldn't give credit to anyone tied to this administration if your life depended on it. Gates has been a substantially better leader than that piece of Rumsfeld, but you're too busy trying to pick your panties out of your vagina to notice.

[boutons_]

"Iraq was broken when France and England carved up the Middle East after WWI."

Never a successful state, dubya has pushed Iraq into .

The less twerp has broad and deep sense of history. Here his dubya sucking absolves dubya of the Iraq up, no blame for dubya, and passes the blame to England and France 80 years ago. It was UK and FR that forced dubya to invade Iraq, got it. Thanks for the clarification.

Iraq was no threat to the USA in Feb 03, and now Iraq is irretrievably broken and on a direct, probably short path, to shiite/sunni/kurd civil war, total instability, while the US military hold its finger in the breaking .

"You couldn't give credit to anyone tied to this administration if your life depended on it"

Give me, and millions of others, polling 3-to-1 against dubya and his admin, some reasons this worst-ever -job of an administration deserves credit?

dubya's your boy, and you won't admit he and everything he's done has been a total disaster. Like dubya, you take NO responsibility for the putting dubya in office and keeping him there.

[PEP]

When we're done with Iraq I say we invade Boufons bedroom. Though we'd need Boufons parents permission first since its their house.

[boutons_]

PEP, I'll like the way you say "we" to take me on.

Go ahead, let's see if you're woman enough by yourself.

, meet slap.

And remind again why you aren't in Iraq and whether you've sent dubya your $20K check to pay your part of Iraq expenses.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

The less twerp has broad and deep sense of history. Here his dubya sucking absolves dubya of the Iraq up, no blame for dubya, and passes the blame to England and France 80 years ago. It was UK and FR that forced dubya to invade Iraq, got it. Thanks for the clarification.

Where did I say they forced Bush into Iraq? I just corrected your statement that Bush 'broke' Iraq. It's been broken since France and England carved up the Ottoman Empire and didn't take into account the religions of those affected.

Give me, and millions of others, polling 3-to-1 against dubya and his admin, some reasons this worst-ever -job of an administration deserves credit?

Because he's still doing a better job than Congress. Thanks for playing.

now Iraq is irretrievably broken and on a direct, probably short path, to shiite/sunni/kurd civil war, total instability

Civil War has been a staple of the Muslim religion since its beginning. The only time the battle along Sunni and Shi'ite lines has stopped is when they stopped fighting each other to fight outside forces.

I take you think that the genocide that Saddam and his administration engaged in was a good thing for that country as well, right?

dubya's your boy, and you won't admit he and everything he's done has been a total disaster. Like dubya, you take NO responsibility for the putting dubya in office and keeping him there.

Hmm, where have I ever refused to take responsibility for that? I voted for W. in both elections. He was better than the Democratic candidate both times, hence my vote.

Here's what's ed up. If you study the Arab culture, they don't like women, and they don't like black people. I saw another thread where you pimped Obama. Do Democrats even think about this ?

You are all quick to ing line up and villify Bush, but the only two candidates you came up with this time around come from races and sexes that Arabs already are biased against and hate.

Tell me you're all not this stupid...

[PEP]

PEP, I'll like the way you say "we" to take me on.

Go ahead, let's see if you're woman enough by yourself.

, meet slap.

And remind again why you aren't in Iraq and whether you've sent dubya your $20K check to pay your part of Iraq expenses.

Oh Boufon......do you show up to any of the spurstalk GTG's? If you do, I'll be more than happy to show up and meet you.

Oh and I'm not in Iraq right now because I've already done my time. And when its my time again I wont complain.