U.S. Not Winning War in Iraq, Bush Says for 1st Time - washingtonpost.com
President Bush acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq and said he plans to expand the overall size of the “stressed” U.S. armed forces to meet the challenges of a long-term global struggle against terrorists.
As he searches for a new strategy for Iraq, Bush has now adopted the formula advanced by his top military adviser to describe the situation. “We’re not winning, we’re not losing,” Bush said in an interview with The Washington Post.
As usual, there is not one word in this long article that attempts to define either “winning” or “losing.” In fact, since the fall of Baghdad, nobody, especially the administration, has even made an attempt to do so.
Bush might as well say, “We’re neither plurging nor snorking in Iraq.” It would have just as much meaning.
In the meantime, the American public is left to define winning, losing, victory, and defeat for itself, since the Bush administration has ceded all such definitions to it - and to the media, which defines losing and defeat as “anything the Bush administration does in Iraq.”
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Seems the prez’s definition of winning is hazy..it is tough to win a war when the objectives are not clear..Iraq is still winnable but the prez nor the American public has the balls to do what has to be done to win..
How do you define “winning in Iraq,” Guy?
While GuyK is formulating his answer, I’m ready with mine. First, by throwing away the rules of engagement and shutting down the jihadi pipeline through Syria, even if we have to blow up safehouses in Damascus;
Second, tracking down the Saddamite Baathists and making sure we take no prisoners;
Third, shutting down the arms from Iran, even if we have to bomb the factories that make them;
Fourth, eliminating ALL the Shiite militias, not just Al Sadr’s, no matter how bloody and ignoring all outcries - whatever it takes;
And fifth, bringing all factions together and using American pressure to get them to form the true unity government that the Iraqi people have overwhelmingly said they want. The most effective pressure is a rifle barrel against the kidneys. There should be a procedure for replacement of faction leaders, but I expect it wouldn’t have to be used more than once or twice.
If we succeed at all five, I think we can declare victory.
> And fifth, bringing all factions together
Nope.
If the Kurds have oil, let them go it alone.
They’re acting like competent adults and should be rewarded for that.
It would be a useful lesson for both the Turks and folks from oil-poor regions.