The American Spectator

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Losing Iraq

12.5.06 @ 12:01AM

AVOIDING FAILURE
Re: Jed Babbin's Eager for Defeat:

I have one question for Jed:

Why do you, and why did Donald Rumsfeld in his memo, make such scant mention of the fact that former regime elements -- the Baathist former Iraqi nomenklatura operating largely out of Syria with the cooperation of Syrian intelligence -- are, according to a report from the U.S. military about two weeks ago, responsible for roughly 80% of the violent bombings in Iraq?

The Baathist strategy, from the very beginning, has been to foment Sunni-Shia conflict in order to put themselves back in the Sunni leadership role they lost during the Saddam regime, and then to regain control of Iraq.

So why are we not being heavy-handed with Syria: 1) threatening massive infrastructure bombing, 2) demanding the arrest and handing-over of those former regime elements, and their billions of looted dollars, who operate from the safe haven of Syria.

If the U.S. could end 80% of the bombings, most of the other problems in Iraq (and in the press and in American politics) would take care of themselves.
-- Jameson Campaigne
Ottawa, Illinois

It is interesting to observe those who advocated Secretary Rumsfeld's approach to the structure and use of military force as that approach is discredited. We are losing in Iraq (please note I do not say we have lost) because Mr. Rumsfeld and his supporters like Mr. Babbin sought to apply their "modern" concept of warfare and replace soldiers with technology. General Shinseki USA Ret. tried desperately, prior to the invasion of Iraq, to inject a note of realism into the Secretary's war plans to no avail. Mr. Rumsfeld was determined to prove that we no longer needed "grunts" just smart bombs and Special Forces.

Well, you may observe the results of this misapplication of force, failure, and yet Mr. Babbin continues to advocate a variation of the same concept that got us into this mess to start with. The only thing I can say in his favor is that he does realize that we must win this fight or suffer dire consequences. Mr. Babbin just does not have any idea of how this might be accomplished.

The solution, if we choose to take it, will be neither cheap nor popular. We must deploy sufficient force to destroy the insurgents and convince the Iraqi people that we not the terrorists will control the future. Had we done this to begin with we would not be in the position we are in today. Of course had we realized in 1988, as some of did, that America cannot execute an 18 Division mission with 10 under-strength Divisions we would have had the assets necessary to protect our world-wide interests. As it is we now must play catch up, again.

Merry Christmas, Jed.
-- Hilary H. Evers
Lieutenant Colonel USA (Ret.)

No Democrat ever suggested redeploying troops to Okinawa or any similar place. What a hateful and sinister thing to say - which is the EXACT problem in this country today and the exact reason your Republican cronies got thrown out on their asses. Democrats from Biden to Clark to Kerry to Murtha have been SCREAMING about troops on the Iranian and Syrian borders since this war began. How does it serve the interests of our country to LIE about our leaders??

And Rumsfeld shouldn't be blamed?? I don't care what Zogby polls say, anybody who has been paying attention knows Rumsfeld and his band of neocons are a key part of the problem in Iraq and foreign policy in general. They also know money isn't going to solve the problems in Iraq or Afghanistan because our arrogant belief that money solves everything - IS THE PROBLEM. That in itself proves Rumsfeld should be blamed.

Seriously, just shut up shut up shut up and let the Party that always WINS the wars, win this one. You and your neocon nightmare are OVER.
-- Sandra Todd
Florence, Oregon

I read the article rather quickly by Jed Babbin. I failed to see any mention that Newt Gingrich thinks we should focus on the threat posed by Iran's nuclear capabilities rather than Iraq.
-- James Beaty

You may want to spend some time finding out what Gingrich actually said rather than writing an article based on one out of context quote.
-- Nicole Kitchin

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