Saturday, February 25, 2006

Now Even Bill Buckley?

By William F Buckley, Jr.
National Review Editor at-Large
February 24, 2006, 2:51 p.m.
It Didn’t Work

"I can tell you the main reason behind all our woes — it is America." The New York Times reporter is quoting the complaint of a clothing merchant in a Sunni stronghold in Iraq. "Everything that is going on between Sunni and Shiites, the troublemaker in the middle is America."

One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed. The same edition of the paper quotes a fellow of the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Reuel Marc Gerecht backed the American intervention. He now speaks of the bombing of the especially sacred Shiite mosque in Samara and what that has precipitated in the way of revenge. He concludes that “The bombing has completely demolished” what was being attempted — to bring Sunnis into the defense and interior ministries.

Our mission has failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans. The great human reserves that call for civil life haven't proved strong enough. No doubt they are latently there, but they have not been able to contend against the ice men who move about in the shadows with bombs and grenades and pistols.

The Iraqis we hear about are first indignant, and then infuriated, that Americans aren't on the scene to protect them and to punish the aggressors. And so they join the clothing merchant who says that everything is the fault of the Americans.

The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, elucidates on the complaint against Americans. It is not only that the invaders are American, it is that they are "Zionists." It would not be surprising to learn from an anonymously cited American soldier that he can understand why Saddam Hussein was needed to keep the Sunnis and the Shiites from each others' throats.

A problem for American policymakers — for President Bush, ultimately — is to cope with the postulates and decide how to proceed.

One of these postulates, from the beginning, was that the Iraqi people, whatever their tribal differences, would suspend internal divisions in order to get on with life in a political structure that guaranteed them religious freedom.

The accompanying postulate was that the invading American army would succeed in training Iraqi soldiers and policymkers to cope with insurgents bent on violence.

This last did not happen. And the administration has, now, to cope with failure. It can defend itself historically, standing by the inherent reasonableness of the postulates. After all, they govern our policies in Latin America, in Africa, and in much of Asia. The failure in Iraq does not force us to generalize that violence and antidemocratic movements always prevail. It does call on us to adjust to the question, What do we do when we see that the postulates do not prevail — in the absence of interventionist measures (we used these against Hirohito and Hitler) which we simply are not prepared to take? It is healthier for the disillusioned American to concede that in one theater in the Mideast, the postulates didn't work. The alternative would be to abandon the postulates. To do that would be to register a kind of philosophical despair. The killer insurgents are not entitled to blow up the shrine of American idealism.

Mr. Bush has a very difficult internal problem here because to make the kind of concession that is strategically appropriate requires a mitigation of policies he has several times affirmed in high-flown pronouncements. His challenge is to persuade himself that he can submit to a historical reality without forswearing basic commitments in foreign policy.

He will certainly face the current development as military leaders are expected to do: They are called upon to acknowledge a tactical setback, but to insist on the survival of strategic policies.

Yes, but within their own counsels, different plans have to be made. And the kernel here is the acknowledgment of defeat.

(c) 2006 Universal Press Syndicate

-----------------------------------

Well... ?

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Precious Leader and his patriotic advisors who courageously sent other peoples' sons and daughters into Iraq to destroy non-existent weapons of mass destruction should not let themselves be swayed by the defeatist whinings of left wing liberals like William Buckley.

Anonymous said...

This makes me sick! After 9/11 the country waved flags, and stood behind the President who told us THIS war would not be over in a short time....maybe not in our lifetime!! We all shouted hooray! Yes, we Americans will be stong and patient and we'll liberate a pivotal country of millions who have suffered under an evil dictator.
Now we have to listen to those with short memories and no patience. No foresight either. Shame on you!! Where are the heroes of WWII? I mean the heroes who were here at home SUPPORTING our troops and president. Who were proud to be Americans. Who went without so the 'boys' would have the best we could offer. There was pride and camaraderie among us. One good thing, we didn't have television to show us every sniper attack, screaming zealot and the intonations of the liberal America hating left. What a blessing.
I stop every soldier in uniform that I see and thank them for their sacrifice and service. I have not met one who isn't proud to be in uniform and serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other place in this world. THEY say we are doing a good job in Iraq. THEY say the average Iraqi is grateful for our presence...THEY say schools and hospitals are rebuilt...because many of these brave soldiers have helped in this reconstruction. We KNOW there have been free elections in those countries. Don't you think true Americans should be celebrating the freedom Iraqi's enjoy? Have you listened to any of Saddam's trial? Have you llstened to the horror stories of the witnesses who were tortured and dehumanized by Saddam and his thugs? I pray every day that the Iraqi people will treasure and rejoice in their freedom to rebuild their country. The way WE should be treasuring and celebrating our freedom.
The Iraqi people are 'babies' in the land of the free. They must step forward and expose their neighbors who throw bombs and perpetrate such evil acts upon their own. Since tasting freedom is such a new experience, I think more and more will step forward to defend their right to dissent peaceably, take up arms in defense of their country, and take part in the rebuilding of their infrastructure. Ask returning soldiers WHO HAVE BEEN THERE and they will tell you that they are proud to serve, they see progress, and they are sickened by the lefist press and yapping mongrels they hear on TV. It is demoralizing to these VOLUNTEER warriors and their families to hear these America haters who are puppets of our enenmies.
Remember that President Bush said we would take the war to THEM...and has anyone noticed that we have not been attacked again? Thank God for our liberty. Thank God for a President who isn't backing down tho his 'poll #'s" are falling. If Roosevelt had had to contend with rude, disrespectful, lying journalists AND newspapers demanding to know every strategy to the extent that THIS President does.....how could Roosevelt have prevailed, along with Churchill??
Instead of those silly pancake breakfasts and car shows on the Fourth of July...how about a real Patriotic Program?? Stop apologizing for our troops being in Iraq. Give them support and your prayers and give our president the same.
So many of you gripe about the leaership of our city...and blast the council repeatedly....yet those doing the griping aren't part of the solution either. The same goes for Iraq.

Anonymous said...

Sharon

Surely you are not equating the Iraq mess with World War II - are you?

Our being in Iraq is merely a continuation of what Richard the Lion Heart did in the Crusades a thousand years ago. Same issues, same land being bled over by the young soldiers who don't know any better than lay down their lives for evil power hungry leaders.

"Freedom is just some people talking"
Mainly in this case it is the Bush propogandists pushing "Freedom" as the excuse for their perfitity.

Bottom line Sharon - it's all about oil, not freedom.
The real enemies are the terrorists and the politicians.

From a former, and proud of it, US Soldier.

Anonymous said...

I'm talking about PATRIOTISM and pulling together that we saw for the MOST part in WWII. Thanx for your service. I am grateful. My only two brothers are buried in National Cemeteries: Arlington and Beaufort, S.C.
I don't believe that hype of this being over oil. Yes, Terrorists are our enemies and those who give them support thru arms, propaganda, denigrating our task...like showing pix from Abu Ghraib after TWO years!!!
I'm talking about democrats in Congress and leftist news organs who demand to know every scintilla of intelligence that only the President and a few in Congress should be privy to FOR OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
Wasn't it great to see flags on lawns and cars and bumper stickers stating pride in America after we were attacked on 9/11? We see so few now. It was great when we banded together for such a short time. We grow impatient. We are a 'throw away' society. Even our fast food isn't fast enuf. Instant isn't really instant if we have to wait 5 seconds longer for results. We are impatient...always wanting results right NOW...so we can't support our efforts to see democracy take a foot hold because it should have happened, to our satisfaction, in 6 months. John Adams called for prayer and fasting for our nation. We were a fledgling nation then that confessed a dependence on God in the affairs of men. We surely need to acknowledge that dependence now and for our brothers in the Mid East.

Anonymous said...

Curmudgeon politely reminds Sharon that we did not all "shout hooray" when The Precious Leader decided to invade Iraq because he felt like it.

Anonymous said...

I'm a big fan of Rudi's sidebar. He's always linking interesting things. Although my very favorite is this one, the Chickenhawk Hall of Shame link is quite topical to this discussion.

Anonymous said...

Rush had anal cysts?

I thought he was just a stoned out junkie.

Anonymous said...

Oh, puh-leeze, Sharon. How many of your kids are over there?

Anonymous said...

The Patriot Game

Former Centerville Citizen said...

I'm glad that Hussein is gone and that the Iraqi people are gaining freedom, but here's my question:

Why choose Iraq? If the purpose of this war was to liberate people, why didn't we go to North Korea? Kim Jung Il is just as bad, if not worse than Hussein, and no one can deny that North Korea is a totalitarian state, and we know for a fact that North Korea has WMDs.

I just feel like this war has been a "pick and choose" war. I don't see how you can justify going to war with Iraq over going to war with North Korea.

RudiZink said...

Educate yourself, Centerville Citizen. Go to this website and read the introductory material.

Most importantly, open this link. The whole neoCON plan is there in black and white.

Yes. You're right. Iraq was definitely a "pick and choose" war. It's part of a flawed imperialist gameplan to establish "Pax Americana" in the middle east.

And it has nothing to do with WMDs or democracy.

It's all part of a grand neoCON plan of Roman-style conquest.

Anonymous said...

oh, bull

Former Centerville Citizen said...

Hey Rudi, thanks for the links!

ArmySarge said...

Mr. althepal, I did not see the name of WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON. Did I just miss it or what?? Where in the hell do you idiots dig up this stuff. Thank god we did not have this idiotc mentality in World War II!

Anonymous said...

The justification of our taking on Iraq instead of North Korea is that NK would pull the trigger, use the bomb, and crash the Pacific Rim. Iraq per se was a psh-over and gives us a foothold in the region, wherein we can team up with Israel and smite a few wicked suckers who want to kill us.

And oil, of course.

But it's all relative. The problem is that Bush and the Sec of Defense don't let the Generals run the show, even though they calim they do, and like old and dead Adoloh would tell you, "that just don't work."

It is better to test them and fight them there, see what real weapons they have (apparently not much so far [empahsized so far] other than those road side bombs and idiots who blow themselves up in a crowd), and keep a presence in the Mid-east.

UGLY, no matter how one looks at it, but it could be uglier, I guess.

Anonymous said...

I agree, sharon, and it makes me sick as well. It makes me sick to my stomach that the U.S. gov't invaded Iraq for oil, for greed, for Haliburton and United Defense contracts, ofr Israel, and for other insidiuos reasons, none of which were the oficial justification. It makes me sick how many opinionated, misinformed citizens of this country can't tell the difference between Iraq and Iran, actually bought the idea that Hussein had supported Al Qaida (the two were enemies, sorry Sen. Hatch...simply saying something doesn't make it true),that a nation and culture with no recent history or memory of representative government, in a geographic boundary which encompasses so many groups with no sense of national identity could in a couple of years be a thriving, self sustaining democracy, bought the idea that we were under imminent threat of attack (that's got to have been the stupidest reason ever...that a nation and military surrounded and surveiled and oft bombed by several of the world's most powerful militaries was a threat, militarily, to the U.S.). We encouraged Iran in so many ways to proceed with their nuclear program...what greater blessing is there than to have your most powerful enemy destroy your second most powerful enemy and entangle itself in the process. Also, like N. Korea, we won't attack you if you actually do have WMDs, so you'd better build them...I could go on for a long time about the stupidity and self destructiveness of the whole thing. Doesn't do any good. Yes, sharon, we haven't been attacked. we have pissed off the whole world and our allies. Many more terrorists have been trained and vetted and battle hardend. and our economy and federal deficit andlong term military investments (future warfighting programs such as F-22) have been diverted to a failure and a colossal mistake. I am a veteran of the first gulf war, BTW. It pisses me off soooooo much when morons hide behind patriotism and 'support the troops' The republic of the USA is dead, dead from rot from inside, top to bottom, starting with the educational system. Welcome to the empire.

Anonymous said...

I have worked my way through Rudi's link on the NeoCon plan to maintain the pax Americana. American Peace, is how I would translate that.

The plan entails the strategic placement of military installations all over the world and beyond and the cultivation of the ability to fight at least two wars at once on different fronts. Interesting mind-set here---the keeping of the peace via military action.

Near the end of this mind-numbing document, ideas become a bit fanciful. Like this one:

No system of missile defenses can be
fully effective without placing sensors and
weapons in space. Although this would
appear to be creating a potential new theater
of warfare, in fact space has been militarized
for the better part of four decades.


and this:

Future soldiers may operate in encapsulated,
climate-controlled, powered fighting suits,
laced with sensors, and boasting chameleonlike
“active” camouflage. “Skin-patch”
pharmaceuticals help regulate fears, focus
concentration and enhance endurance and
strength. A display mounted on a soldier’s
helmet permits a comprehensive view of the
battlefield – in effect to look around corners
and over hills – and allows the soldier to
access the entire combat information and
intelligence system while filtering incoming
data to prevent overload.


This whole way of thinking is so foreign to me, especially since it is a basic game plan to be instituted to maintain peace regardless of the state of war or of threat. As if the entire world continually represents a threat to these people.

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