The Escalation Didn't Work
The escalation failed to do the one and only thing it was supposed to do. The entire Iraq policy of George W. Bush has failed since the fall of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad. No amount of parsing or spinning can change those simple facts: the escalation is and was the wrong answer.
I chaired a hearing on the GAO Report yesterday, the report that stated that Iraqi civilians overall aren't any safer, that the political benchmarks aren't being met in Iraq, that, in short, none of the rationales for the escalation in Iraq have come to pass. It unfolds with maddening, enraging regularity: the Administration claims goals for their policy, they gradually back off of those goals and substitute smaller, less easily measured goals, and then muddy the waters hopelessly on whether even those modest new goals have been met. Time and again we've been through this.
That's why the Congress set up some clear benchmarks to measure what's happening in Iraq. Mitch McConnell praised the "clarity" those benchmarks brought to the debate. "Just wait until September," they all said. "We put in these meaningful benchmarks, we can judge in September."
Well, how do they judge those benchmarks now? Only three of 18 have been met. Another four were "partially met," which sounds like a "Gentleman's C" if I've ever heard of one (and, for anyone who saw my college transcript, I have).
Judgment time is here, and the only verdict is the same one we had in January, the same one we've had for a long time in Iraq: the Bush policy is a tragic failure. It's a policy that not only isn't working; it can't work. A political solution in Iraq cannot come about without a clear deadline on where our troops will be pulling out. Only Iraqis can end this civil war, and they aren't - and won't be - making any progress with an open-ended, massive presence by our military in their country.
The White House has tried, with some success, to focus everyone's attention in the media on the report they are writing, the report they used to call the Petraeus Report. But, at least judging from press reports, unfortunately, this report already seems to be controversial and solely focused on military measures. (No surprise - now, thanks in large measure to some good old fashioned muckraking out here in the blogosphere, we know that even the so-called Petraeus Report will be written not by the General, not by our Ambassador in Baghdad, but by the White House-- the White House which has again and again avoided the kind of plain, unadorned facts discussed in the GAO report.)
Look, I know from experience that there's no such thing as a military solution to a situation like this, and no amount of "metrics" can create one. Our own generals have always confirmed this about Iraq. And by the way -- go read all of the statements at the time about the "reason" for the escalation - it was to buy political breathing room for Iraqis to compromise. Period. It hasn't happened. So it all boils down to the same thing: these are more "steps" that don't get you any closer to your real goals, "successes" that don't lead to any resolution.
This White House ran out of credibility on Iraq a long long time ago. This is not the first time we've been told one thing only to learn another (Weapons of mass destruction? Greeted as liberators? Saddam's oil revenue to pay for the war and reconstruction?), so, predictably, instead of an honest appraisal of the escalation, this White House is again moving the goalposts and shifting criteria-- and they are doing it as the moment of accountability arrives. Their response to bad news has been and continues to be: simply change the story. What they can't change is the fact that time is not on our side. It's wrong to sacrifice over 100 American lives each month for a policy we know is not working.
So here's where we stand: Republicans asked for clarity in this debate and swore up and down that, this time, they were serious. When September came around, they'd look at the facts and make a sober assessment on the merits of the policy in Iraq. Well, those facts are in. We need to keep up the pressure on them.
I'll be working continuously this month trying to set a deadline to force a new policy in Iraq. I'll try to stop by as often as I can this month with ways you can, if you choose, put the pressure on the Roadblock Republicans to force them to take a new tack. In the end, it's been sustained action by millions of activists that have gotten us this far, and it's only through the loud voices of those activists that we can get what's right - an end to the Bush doctrine in Iraq, and a policy worthy of our soldiers' sacrifice.
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"The issue of Impeachment" cannot be left "on the table."
This whole situation is a Crime. The President's determination to "redefine the role of the President," "the unitary executive" and so-on, is exactly the same mistake made by Rome.
Our Constitution provides for the removal of "any civil officer" and we can no longer ignore the duty to do so.
There IS no other alternative now.
Impeachment don't matter Rumfeld is still wanted for war crimes by the World Court.
Impeachment matters. If he is kept busy defending against charges of illegality in making his attack on Iraq, it will not be so easy to make one on Iran. It will also get the air cleared a bit and curb the lying bastards. Yes, I know that the Republicaans will refuse to allow conviction,but they will have to expose themselves to the judgment of the people. Moreover, until this country makes some overt action showing that there is real opposition to these crimes, we all stand guilty in the eyes of the world. Recall all those snickers about Good Germans? They will be about (ha ha) Good Americans in the future.
Certainly correct. Congress is being abused by the tenants of the Executive Branch, and they will not be persuaded to stop- they will be forced to stop, or they will not stop.
Rove and Miers are in open defiance of subpoenas from Congress, those are "high crimes or misdemeanors." They have gotten their orders from the White House.
Impeach, or this disaster will get exponentially worse.
syllepsis, is it rape when they are so willing?
Our representatives are not representing us. If the administration is having its way with them, they are cooperating!
Yes, Yes, Yes,
I cannot hear another word from a Senator or Rep who will not do his or her duty, and impeach this President!
I do in fact consider that it is a =duty= and that it is not at all discretionary.
This is a law-enforcement role; that of a Grand Jury and a Tribunal. If a Grand Jury could, when faced with probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed, CHOOSE NOT TO pursue the matter, than that Grand Jury could thereby PREVENT the prosecution of that crime .. thereby AIDING AND ABETTING that crime.
I very-soberly believe that this is precisely what the Congress HAS DONE, and that this is Unconstitional, therefore Unlawful.
Congress has a positive duty(!) to investigate, indict, and impeach "any civil officer."
Only when all the American citizens realize that the Bush Cheney plan in Iraq is succeeding beyond their wildest dreams, will Americans truly revolt. Chaos in Iraq is exactly what allows Bush Cheney oil barons to steal those precious oil wells from a defeated disorganized Iraqi Government.
Every defeat in Iraq of American troops is a victory for the American Oil Barons. And the longer this war continues the fatter the stock dividends of too many congressmen gets, Democrats and Republicans. There is no end to this lucrative rainbow, the Iraqi chaos until America is literally bankrupt when China refuses not to roll over their Trillions of American T-Bills held over our heads like the Sword of Damocles...
Look, it's probably true that there are reasonable grounds to impeach both Bush and Cheney. It's even remotely possible that bills of impeachment could pass in the House.
But there is zero chance of conviction. All it takes to NOT convict is 34 Republican Senators, and if you think that wouldn't happen, you are unreasonably optimistic.
While it would be fun to go through the impeachment process, a look back at the Clinton fiasco shows us that such an indulgence would essentially paralyze the government for the next 18 months. I don't think that's a good idea.
And, there is little likelihood that the threat of impeachment would provoke resignation, a la Nixon. In the first place, there were enough defections in the Nixon camp that there was a "smoking gun", and on top of that, it was unbelievably banal. It involved protaganists who were obvious "crooks", in the Hollywood film noir sense. In the second place, hard as this is for me to say, I now believe that Richard Nixon had more regard for the welfare of the country than either Bush or Cheney. Much as I did not like the guy, I have to give him credit for (1) not challenging the Illinois vote that gave Kennedy the 1960 election; and (2) resigning; and actually (3) opening the way to normalizing relations with China, but that's a different story. In (1) and (2) he did things that were detrimental to him, because they were good for the country. I cannot imagine that either member of our current executive team (assuming the VP is actually part of the executive team) would have the same level of patriotism. So impeachment would, unfortunately, just be a sideshow.
All I can say is thank you. For your integrity and hard work.
Amen to that, America has been deprived of a leader who could have saved us from the ruinous path upon which George Bush has trapped us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyYmWgXhnRI
Only Rudy Giuliani's solution will work - put ten more brigades in Iraq immediately.
And where, pray tell, should we get those 10 brigades???
Short of a draft, which would swiftly put an end to the neocon rule,...A miracle????
Why not take them out of Okinawa, Germany, France, Italy, England, South Korea, etc...plenty of troops. Push Howard to send more SAS, Have Brown send more...it's easy. Just apply PRESSURE!!!!!
I say start the draft ASAP, that would get the attention of the average American citizen who has no stake in this war. If their own loved ones had to go and fight this war would end. Start the draft now.
Are you pulling 'em out of your behind or what? Where are they coming from? Join the real world. The blood and treasure to sustain the present numbers won't last but a few more months.
Freedom must be pursued at all costs.
Only Rudy Giuliani's solution will work - put ten more brigades in Iraq immediately
and will rudy personally lead the charged into iraq?
Why not just nuke the whole nation--leave little mroe than ten alive and declare it a victory for freedom and democracy?
Really, it isn't gonna happen another way.
Vote Democrat in 2008!
Or send his Son and Daughter to die for this mess Bush has gotten us into through lies.
Yes, Make all Iraqi's American Citizens and let just take the place over.
We have poured too many billion in there not to own it.
Yeah, and get rid of those squeegee guys! They look faintly Iranian BTW. How can you drive a Bradley down the street when you have one of those squeegee guys spritzing your periscope every twenty feet? After that, he can go after the litterers. A few Predators should take care of them. Rudy knows that ethnic cleansing begins with little things like spitting.
Or we could leave the squeegee guys throwing buckets of urine on our cars like they were pre-Giulinai, huh?
George Bush abdicates to Gen. Petreaus.
When will we see this headline? Bush has placed the ultimate decision as to what will happen in Iraq in the lap of Petreaus.
>> http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/881a34b0-5b49-11dc-8c32-0000779fd2ac.html
"The entire Iraq policy failed"... Well with naievete like that, it explains where at least part of the problem is coming for.
You paid how much for gasoline during the Clinton years? And you paid how much for gasoline under the Bush years (both)?
If you call that failure, you obviously are not willing to admit in public what the real Bush policy is.
How are we going to fix the true problem if we are not willing to call it a problem?
You are exactly right my friend. This entire war,lock stock and barrel, is nothing more than a giant distraction designed to perpetrate the largest and most heinous theft in history. Wake up Congress! Wake up America!
Dear John, how 'bout a 1-Senator filibuster against the Iraq war like Senator Gravel did against the military draft.
Hey, it is JUST LIKE VIETNAM they have to settle it them selves.
You got it.....and just like Vietnam, the politicians sold the GIs out. All those men, and some women, died in the mud for nothing.
Gas $3+ a gallon... mission accomplished.
Surprise! "The escalation did not work"! When I look at the bigger picture, what did work during this 'selected president's' miserably failed administration?!
No child left behind?
Civil liberties, habeus corpus?
Warrantless wire tapping of Americans?
Iraq war: from rationale to execution?
Economy vis-a-vis the middle class?
Natural disasters like Katrina?
Mine safety?
Anhilating Al Qaida?
America's prestige in the world?
The dissipation of "Islamo fascism" in the world?
Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriages? (laughable)
A "just" apolitical Justice Department?
American diplomacy and the Secy of State?
Defense Secretary and his "achievements"?
Social Security Reform?
An artificially buyoed economy which is now on the verge of collapse
Gas prices and dependence on "foreign oil"?
Upholding Geneva Conventions?
CIA renditions and "gulags"
"Uniter" not a "divider"?
Lastly and the most ironic: "restoring honor and dignity to the Oval Office"!!!
Right On , beautiful!
Missed two! Fighting them over there so we can go no protected over here....and, if we live they will follow us home (i.e) the lacy syndrome of Al Qaida. lol.
Honor and dignity shine forth from the oval office, where as Ashcroft sang: The eagle soars as he's never soared before. A bit tattered and beat up, but soaring his ass off as it never soared before.
The US and the people of america are only a PART of a inhomogene world. ... only a PART like every other nation on this planet. nothing more and nothing less. to believe that its right and possible to give his own (in some parts unperfect) kind of democracy to another culture, to another structure of people - shows the sickness of this war(-show). It can't work. There must be, there are other possibilities of stopping terrorism, but this war makes everything worse - shows the weakness of the american gouverment stopping the danger. sorry for my bad english.
Bad English but good logic. Frankly, an absolute majority of we Americans are tired of sending our youth to die in foreign lands while the rest of the world (PARTICULARLY IN EUROPE) sits idly by over the years doing nothing. You people in Germany have a free ride so I'm sure you get my point. Europe has grown wealthy while our country has spent its national wealth, but worst of all has been our youth dying, bleeding and suffering egregious wounds. I agree with you about the weakness of our government because it is made up of chicken-ass republicans and pernicious democrats.
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