Today at VoteVets.org, we're launching the second in our series of "Generals" ads. Last week, Major General (ret) John Batiste became the first former commander on the ground to say on the paid airwaves that the President is not listening to his commanders. Today, Major General (ret) Paul Eaton does the same in our newest ad. In recent weeks, as it became clear that the American people and Congress are abandoning the President's failed strategy, the President tried to convince people that he's just doing what commanders tell him. Yeah. Not so much.
It's not just over here where it is becoming clear that there is no military solution to Iraq. The Iraqi Parliament is asking for us to get our troops out of their civil war, and focus on diplomatic solutions. A poll of the Iraqi people in April 2004 showed that only 25 percent of Iraqis believed that attacks on US forces by insurgents was never justified. In contrast, the Iraqi people said attacks on Iraqi forces was never justified, with a 81 percent majority. The poll numbers look a little bit better when you move to Kurdish-controlled areas, where there has been relatively little conflict. ABC News did a more recent poll showing similar numbers, with nearly 80 percent of Iraqis saying they do not welcome a US military presence anymore.
That brings us back to the "Generals" ads, and the point of them. No one is advocating complete disengagement by the US in Iraq. The last thing the Generals or troops want is complete abandonment of Iraq. Rather, instead of thinking in terms of just stay the course and look for a military solution, like the President, or completely abandon Iraq, like the President would have you believe people are saying, we need to think in terms of what we can do there, constructively.
There's a role for heavy diplomacy. There is a role for playing all political and economic cards. There may even be a role for some troops in the areas where they are still welcome and not in harm's way, like in Kurdistan. There is, however, no real military role we can play, or that the Iraqis want us to play, in the middle of their religious civil war.
Further, we're only hurting ourselves by continuing down the path the President has pushed the US. Besides the fact that we're losing American lives at a heavy clip, we are militarily unable to deal with any other problem that may arise in the region, or at home. Just look at Kansas for an idea of what troop shortages means on the homefront. Our inability to target terrorists because of troop and equipment shortages in Afghanistan may lead to another attack on American soil. God forbid that happens, we'll be unable to properly respond with troops tied down in Iraq's religious war. Do not think al Qaeda doesn't know this, and that's why they are begging us to stay in Iraq.
This isn't about being pro-war or anti-war, or for more troops or no troops. What the Generals believe, and what the President doesn't want to hear, is that his pipe dream of a military conquest isn't going to happen. There's no more flying on to aircraft carriers. The only way we're going to help the Iraqis - and our own security - is to escalate our diplomatic role, and begin to wind down our military role in Iraq.