Iraq: Time to Change the Course

By Brigitte L. Nacos
If leaked information is correct, the expectations surrounding the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group’s recommendations will be dashed, when the report will be released later this week. As columnist Paul Krugman put it in today’s New York Times, “Look at what seems to have happened to the Iraq Study Group, whose mission statement says that it would provide an “independent assessment.” If press reports are correct, the group did nothing of the sort. Instead, it watered down its conclusions and recommendations, trying to come up with something Mr. Bush wouldn’t reject out of hand.” In the Washington Post, Robert Novak writes, “As a creature of Congress (an institution that Bush dislikes), Baker's group spells trouble for Bush when it releases its report Wednesday. It will propose, however muted its tone, gradual withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq before the president is ready for it. The hope is that Baker will nuance the report's words sufficiently and hedge calls for withdrawal in such a way that Bush can say that is what he has been doing anyway."

A “watered down” assessment and “nuanced” recommendations would not only be a disservice to the American people and especially the military men and women serving in Iraq but to the Bush administration and Congress as well. More than three years after the start of the Iraq War, the time has come forget about politics and provide unequivocal proposals. Although National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley assured on yesterday’s “Meet the Press” repeatedly that the President will examine all recommendations—including those by the Iraq Study Group, by military leaders, and the Iraqi leadership--, there are simply no credible indications that George W. Bush has changed his mind. He still is determined to realize his objectives in Iraq by military means. This neglects what seems to be close to a consensus today, namely, that Iraq has deteriorated into a no win situation unless the Iraqis themselves bridge the political differences between Shiites and Sunnis and between various factions within those groups.

Coalition forces and the limited Iraqi military and police units that can be deployed have not been able to prevent the escalation of what is now a civil war or, worse yet, anarchy. Senator John McCain’s insistence that more troops are needed to succeed in Iraq betrays a stubbornness that equals President Bush’s unwillingness to make changes—unless McCain means what he said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday and what George Will addressed in today’s column in the Post:   

IraqGeorge Stephanopoulos: "President Bush has said he doesn't want to send more troops now. So by your own standards isn't it currently immoral to keep Marines and soldiers, other service people inIraq?"

McCain: "Yes it is."

Moments later, Stephanopoulos asked: "At what point do you say, I am not going to be complicit with an immoral policy?"

VietnamMcCain: "When I think we've exhausted every possibility to do what is necessary to succeed and not until then, because the consequences of failure are catastrophic. . . . we left Vietnam,it was over, we just had to heal the wounds of war. We leave this place, chaos in the region and they'll follow us home. So there's a great deal more at stake here in this conflict in my view. A lot more."

Stephanopoulos: If the Iraq Study Group does not call for an increase in troops as you've advocated, " will you call for American troops to come home?"

McCain: "I will if at the point I think that we have exhausted every option and that we are doomed to failure." 

How long will it take to exhaust every option? Months? Years? Novak mentions today that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel who once supported John McCain’s call for more troops in Iraq, wrote in The Post on Nov. 26: ‘The time for more U.S.troops in Iraq has passed. We do not have more troops to send and, even if we did, they would not bring a resolution to Iraq.’" The White House and Senator McCain could learn from Senator Hagel’s realistic assessment, common sense, and flexibility.

In the wake of all kinds of depressing leaks concerning this week’s Iraq Study Group’s report, one can only hope for a surprise: categorical, not watered down recommendations.
 

Comments

[Charlie]

There clearly needs to be a reassesment of the situation and a major change in policy to try to salvage what we can from this situation.