I have to wonder about MBNAJoe Biden and his grasp of reality. His recent op-ed proposing a return to an Ottoman-like partition of Iraq (hey, that's progress returning to pre-WWI boundries, sort of) and leaving troops garrisoned there has to be a recipe for disaster. Biden proposes partitioning Iraq into three provinces and making the capital of Iraq be Baghdad. Gee, I wonder if the dope he's smoking is that good or if he's just that stupid.
In an op-ed essay in Monday's edition of The New York Times, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., wrote that the idea "is to maintain a united Iraq by decentralizing it, giving each ethno-religious group ... room to run its own affairs, while leaving the central government in charge of common interests."
The new Iraqi constitution allows for establishment of self-governing regions. ... The Constitution must be amended to guarantee Sunni areas 20 percent (approximately their proportion of the population) of all revenues."
...
Biden and Gelb also wrote that President Bush "must direct the military to design a plan for withdrawing and redeploying our troops from Iraq by 2008 (while providing for a small but effective residual force to combat terrorists and keep the neighbors honest)."
Yeah, let's see...since the Shi'ia want to control everything after being pretty much oppressed by the Sunni minority for years, count on them ceding control of their lands and revenues to people they consider apostate Muslims, the Sunni. Imposed Partition by invading infidels along religous boundries has worked so well in the middle east in virtuall every other historical precedent, that we can just implement MBNAJoe's brilliant strategy and pull out soon. Such a fine grasp of history and politics in the region makes MBNAJoe a fit successor to Beloved Leader in the Oval Office.
The story of Joe's Fantasy League Iraq closes with this gem talking about force levels in Iraq:
Rumsfeld has rejected criticism that he sent too few U.S. troops to Iraq, saying that Franks and generals who oversaw the campaign’s planning had determined the overall number of troops, and that he and Bush agreed with them. The recommendation of senior military commanders at the time was about 145,000 troops.
I notice that the conservitard AP/MSGOP spin-meisters conveniently forget to mention that the senior Army General, Eric Shinseki was not onboard with the 150,000 +/- troop levels. Rumsfeld unceremoniously sacked him and found commanders who gave him the NeoCon-required minimal force estimates for sweeping up the rose petals laying around as US Forces marched victoriously into Baghdad.
This is the media that fantasizes that they accurately report the goings-on in DC. I guess the press release must have come out as they were cleaning up the cocktail weenies and having last call at the open bar. Because you'd have to be fucking stoned to miss the fact that the Army Chief of Staff called Rumsfeld out on that reality-based fact and not report it, or just blithely say "senior commanders recommended 150,000 troops" and mean it.
posted by Jo Fish on 05.01.06 at 11:55 AM
Comments:
Sen Joe must not like to read much history. sounds like an idea we had here in the ol U.S.A that was a total flop...the articles of confederation. But Sen. Joe is a strange Narcisistic weirdo, maybe he thinks if HE does it it will work. Isnt that a definition of insanity? Making the same mistake over and over and expecting different results? And he wants to run for presnit....I say, thanks Sen Joe, for them there votes...heres you're watch, buh bye.
posted by: marcus nestor on 05.01.06 at 07:20 PM [permalink]
Biden is a very intelligent man; what's idiotic is another two and a half years of simply staying the course. Based on current rates, what's that, another 2000+ American lives?
At the current rate of "coalition" withdrawals, we WILL be the only ones left in a few months.
Of course Rice and Rumsfeld just returned "with good news" ... things are getting better! Didn't that start with "mission accomplished?"
Let's all pray that IRAQ gets their act together SOON (like next 30 days) with a strong central government that can manage the affairs of the THREE regions (religions).
In the meantime, it's time for some ideas on what MIGHT work if they can't stop arguing and killing each other.
Biden's idea (not new) is a good place to start.
Isn't it appropriate that the CANDIDATES start offering something besides Bush-bashing? We appear to agree that he's done little RIGHT in this whole sphere.
Let the candidates get specific, as Biden is trying to do here.
posted by: Judray on 05.06.06 at 05:54 PM [permalink]
