Monday, February 12, 2007

You can’t have it two ways in Iraq and still have a coherent policy. It’s time to pull out. Democrats should tell the President, “Just say go.”


When even heavyweight military men start telling you that “victory is not an option” in Iraq, it’s time to pull out.

“Victory is not an option” is precisely what retired Army lieutenant general William E. Odom said this past weekend in an article in the Washington Post. The head of army intelligence and director of the National Security Agency during the Reagan administration in effect shook his head in despair and disgust.

I recommend reading the article even if it means navigating away from this page for a while. Just past this into your browser and click: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901917.html

The hopelessness of the situation ought to be a call to Democrats to demand an immediate pullout. Not a wishy-washy maybe-perhaps-a-bit-later-on Hillary Clinton kind of pullout or a Barak Obama let’s-take-nine-months-to-pull-out kind of pullout.

It’s time for Democrats to just say “go.” Leave. Now. Before we lose thousands more American troops.

Will there be total chaos and considerable loss of life in Iraq if we just jump on our helicopters and leave the country?

Yes. Just as there is today and every day in Iraq.

Will Iraqi lives get lost? You bet. But thousands of Iraqi lives get lost every day. At least a pullout will stem the loss of American lives.

Continuing the war in Iraq contributes to the murder – there’s no other word for it – the murder of U.S. troops whose tours of duty never seem to end, who grow older and more weary fighting for….something or other. Oh yeah, that impossible “victory” against, umm…that amorphous thing called “terrorism.”

Democrats who refuse to demand a pullout, in Congress and on the campaign trail, are just as guilty as George Bush and the Republican party, who now seem to be trying to provoke Iran into a hostile act so that we can expand and get deeper yet into this bloody quagmire.

It’s coming down to the fact that you’re either for immediate withdrawal or you’re helping to murder U.S. troops.

It’s time to pull out. Leave. Quit. No shilly-shallying any more. Just say go.

7 comments:

Gene Miller said...

But thousands of Iraqi lives get lost every day.

Source?

The New York Crank said...

You're right, Gene. It's not thousands every day. It's hundreds every day. Does that easy your guilty conscience? Go here:

http://www.iraqbodycount.net/

Gene Miller said...

So you were just making it all up. I see.

No guilty conscience at all.

Unlike those who whinge and complain from afar there are those of us here actually trying to help the Iraqi people.

The New York Crank said...

Nah, Gene. It was an error based on faulty memory. If you follow the link:

http://www.iraqbodycount.net/

you'll discover that we've "only" between 40,000 and 60,000 Iraqis have been killed in the conflict thusfar. I'm sure they and their families appreciate this "help" you've brought their way.

No wonder you've got security problems, pal!

Gene Miller said...

Even your new new claim ("It's hundreds every day") is wildly incorrect.

Next month marks four years of conflict in Iraq: 1,460 days. Using your high number of 60,000 yields 41 deaths per day.

Of course who is doing the vast majority of the killing is oddly missing in your post. (A hint: Not the coalition forces)

It is easy to whinge from afar, especially when you make up your own "facts". What have you ever done to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people? That question covers pre-2003 as well...

The New York Crank said...

Gene, if it were one every third day, the point is innocent people are getting killed because we've gone in there when we had no business going in there.

Somehow your harping on the precise numbers reminds me of the wife abuser who was hauled into court after he busted her arm, flattened her nose and blackened her eye. The judge asked him, "What do you have to say for yourself."

"Two things, judge. First of all, she needed it. Second of all, I'm sick of all these lies about me punching her in the stomach."

The New York Crank said...

Gene, if it were one every third day, the point is innocent people are getting killed because we've gone in there when we had no business going in there.

Somehow your harping on the precise numbers reminds me of the wife abuser who was hauled into court after he busted her arm, flattened her nose and blackened her eye. The judge asked him, "What do you have to say for yourself."

"Two things, judge. First of all, she needed it. Second of all, I'm sick of all these lies about me punching her in the stomach."