2007.09.09 Politics and National Defense Roundup
Contributed by Bill Faith
Petraeus, Crocker To Say Stay The Course
Bush's Top Iraq Advisers To Warn Congress About Changes In War Strategy
(CBS/AP) President Bush's top two military and political advisers on Iraq will warn Congress on Monday that making any significant changes to the current war strategy will jeopardize the limited security and political progress made so far, The Associated Press has learned.
U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who has been less forthcoming than Gen. David Petraeus in advance of his testimony, will join Petraeus in pushing for maintaining the U.S. troop surge, seeing it as the only viable option to prevent Iraq and the region from plunging into further chaos, U.S. officials said.
Heaven Was Needing a Hero
Helmet tip: Eagles Up, where they have several more great videos you don't want to miss. Don't forget to check out the rest of the site while you're there for some great info about the 15 Sept rally in DC.
Quick hits:
- ¿Qué Pasa, USA?
Michelle Malkin: Blech. I’m watching a bit of the “debate” online. It’s a self-congratulatory panderfest. The candidates are being asked the hardball question: “What is the greatest contribution of Hispanics to the U.S.?” ...
- “If we can’t counter TB, how can we counter terrorism?”
Michelle Malkin: Since it’s politically correct to talk about tuberculosis only if the carriers are white, it’s acceptable for Democrats to point out the homeland security lapses that led to TB carrier Andrew Speaker roaming around the country and undermining domestic security and public health rules. ...
Enter the Triangulators
Legislating a "middle way" is legislating defeat.
by Frederick W. Kagan
The case for cutting and running from Iraq has become untenable in recent months not just substantively but politically as well. Polls show that Americans increasingly believe not only that the surge is working, but also that permanent success in Iraq is possible. So the more intelligent opponents of the war have shied away from the explicit defeatism of Senator Harry Reid's statement earlier this year that the war is lost. Instead, Democrats like Senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed are seeking to triangulate between the strategy of General David Petraeus and a complete withdrawal. The armchair generals in the Capitol want to find a course that reduces U.S. forces in Iraq rapidly but that (so they claim) does not assure defeat. Triangulation may be harmless in symbolic matters of domestic politics, but it can be dangerous, even fatal, in war. ...
The History of The Surge, The Insider's Edition
Ed Morrissey
The Washington Post tells the story of the surge from inside the Bush administration in a lengthy and intriguing article. Headlined as "Among Top Officials, 'Surge' Has Sparked Dissent, Infighting," the compendium from the Post's reporters actually tells quite a different story. While the surge initially produced dissent -- even within the military command -- the results have united the administration and the military more than at any time over the last eight months.
In the beginning, Republicans outside the administration objected to the new initiative and the Pentagon's new chief, Robert Gates, wanted to start drawing down troops. Having just lost an election with Iraq as a significantly contributing factor, the GOP wanted to see an exit strategy by 2008. George Bush wanted to take one final shot for victory, and he pressed for the surge to give the Iraqis enough time to start creating the political environment where it could take root.
And in the end, it turned out that Bush may have been right ...
Battle of the Generals?
Not really….
Frederick W. Kagan
Press reports assert that General George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, and the other chiefs have advised President Bush to reduce forces in Iraq dramatically next year. Casey has publicly questioned the current strategy and stated that the surge will have to end in April because of strains on the Army. Generals David Petraeus and Ray Odierno, the commanders of those forces, have repeatedly indicated that they cannot now commit to a clear timeline for any such reduction, while recognizing the strains on the Army and Marine Corps. The media has been quick to describe this apparent dispute as a battle of the generals: “The chief of staff’s position on the surge reflects a divide in opinion on the Iraq war among the top leadership in the American military,” one article noted. In reality, it is nothing of the sort. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have one job — looking after the institutional well-being of the armed forces. Commanders in the field have another — winning the war. Both must advise the secretary of defense and the president within the scope of their duties, and the nation’s top two civilian commanders must decide how to balance competing priorities. ...
The Dangers of Deadlines
Let conditions on the ground dictate troop levels, not politics.
by Kimberly Kagan
There is perhaps no greater danger to the success of American efforts in Iraq than the prospect of a congressionally mandated timeline for withdrawal. Depriving commanders on the ground of the ability to make decisions about required force levels dramatically increases the likelihood of losing our recent hard-fought gains. And congressional attempts to legislate a timeline based on the military command's current estimates of its ability responsibly to reduce American forces in Iraq will restrict our ability to respond to unforeseen developments in a complex and rapidly changing situation.
Various members of Congress want to wind down the U.S. military commitment in Iraq. Some are starting to discuss "nonbinding" timelines that express Congress's desire for the military command to reach force-level targets by certain times. Some want to restrict the mission of the remaining troops to counterterrorism and support activities--a return to the reactive posture of 2006, when sectarian violence in Iraq spiked to record levels. All of this would be a huge mistake. ...
The Sunni Side of the Street
A hopeful gathering in Ramadi.
by Mario Loyola
Ramadi, Iraq -- As U.S. forces have pushed out from their bases and into neighborhoods across Iraq, and the surge has dramatically increased their capacity for offensive operations, a sense of security has swept into many parts of the country. Just as quickly--and just as proponents of the surge predicted--the seeds of political progress have begun to sprout. That was clear last week at the Anbar Forum, a historic gathering of national, provincial, and tribal leaders in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province.
The Forum was hosted by the burly and jovial governor of Anbar, Mamoun Sami Rashid, who is said to have survived at least 34 assassination attempts. Among the guests where Iraq's two vice-presidents, Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi; deputy prime minister Barham Salih; and several members of parliament. Adding glamour to the guest-list were several dozen "paramount sheikhs" from Anbar's tribes, including Sattar al-Rishawi, who founded the Anbar Salvation Front and is credited by many as leader of the Anbar Awakening--as well as a show-stopping congressional delegation led by Senator Joseph Biden. ...
Larger Terror Network Suspected In Germany
Officials Investigating Possibility Of 50+ Person Terror Ring After 3 Suspects Arrested
(AP) Three Islamic terror suspects arrested on suspicion of planning massive bombings in Germany may have been part of a larger network involving up to 50 people, an official said Saturday. ...
See also: Germans Say U.S. Officials Helped to Foil Bombing Plot
Britain puts brakes on immigration
By Patrick Hennessy
LONDON — Tens of thousands of immigrant workers will be forced to learn English before they are allowed into Britain under a plan Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to announce tomorrow in a speech to the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, informed sources revealed yesterday.
The rules, expected to reduce the number of people entering Britain by at least 35,000 a year, will affect those from countries outside the European Union who are seeking to work and settle permanently in Britain.
"Those who we welcome into the UK to work and settle here need to understand our traditions and feel that they are part of our shared national culture," Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said. "They need to integrate into our country, learn English and use our language." ...
Sorta makes this old dog wonder if we might still have a thing or two to learn from the mother country.
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