For better or for worse, our Iraq tenure looks to be drawing to a close. Chuck Hagel has slammed Bush's policy. Democratic hawk and military affairs guru John Murtha has called for an immediate withdrawal (even the hard right is taking this guy seriously). TNR says that Sadr--of all people--is likely to become the primary power player in Iraq--and it's the occupation that fuels his power. Apparently only the lunatic fringe of the GOP is willing to defend the stay the course policy, but even Powerline admits that its view is the "minority view." And the famously tight Republican House, legendary for its party discipline, is finally starting to fall apart.
Good or bad, I don't know. I've been a steadfast war supporter from the start, and I'll admit even I'm starting crack. But the political trend is definitively moving in favor of withdrawal. Not even John McCain, I think, can stop this train.
I am uncertain, but I have not seen the right respond to General Odoms and those of others. By parodying their opposition they have crippled their ability for real debate.
ReplyDeleteHere are some of the General's articles and comments:
http://niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=background.view&backgroundid=0063
http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ask_this.view&askthisid=129
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/04/144240
The following is also a major piece in this part of the debate which has been successfully obscured:
http://www.mepc.org/public_asp/journal_vol12/0509_porter.asp