Brzezinski Calls Idea to Boost U.S. Forces in Iraq a `Gimmick'

[DoYouEverWonder]

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former U.S. national security adviser, said it would be ``a gimmick'' for the Defense Department to increase the number of troops in Iraq temporarily before beginning to withdraw them.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised if that actually happens," Brzezinski said on "Political Capital with Al Hunt," to air on Bloomberg Television this weekend.

"It's a gimmick because it satisfies McCain, it satisfies the hardliners," Brzezinski said, referring to Senator John McCain. The Arizona Republican, who is exploring a run for the presidency in 2008, said Nov. 19 that U.S. troops are "fighting and dying for a failed policy" in Iraq unless they get enough reinforcements to ensure a military victory.

A Defense Department review of Iraq options is likely to advocate an immediate increase of as many as 30,000 American troops, followed by a reduction to perhaps less than half the 140,000 now there, the Washington Post reported Nov. 20. President George W. Bush is also expecting advice from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group on stabilizing Iraq for an eventual pullout.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aReG3cWAXnFA&refer=home

That's all BushCo has are gimmicks.

[knowbody0]

1. plastic carnival gimmicks

[LynnTheDem]

2. Yes, almost 3000 "gimmicks".

Lying stone cold dead 6 feet under the ground.

Gee, let's have MORE "gimmicks"!

Stupid MFing rightwingnuts. How many more dead before they get it; we CAN NOT WILL NOT WIN an illegal immoral hitleresque "supreme crime" INVASION & OCCUPATION?!

[w4rma]

3. I think Brzezinski nailed the best possible plan, here. (and nailed the neocons' 'gimmick', too)

Also, if I remember correctly, Brzezinski predicted all this would happen before it began. So, he predicted the chaos before, and now he has the best possible plan that I have read for the pullout.

[PaulaFarrell]

4. In a sense he is responsible for it all

He was NSA when we first starting arming the mujaheddin in Afghanistan, leading indirectly to 9/11 and the war in Iraq. What was the thing he said, something like like 'who cares about a bunch of stirred-up Muslims if it means the Soviet Union collapses' (not a direct quote). Ok, no doubt Reagan would have done a similar thing when he became presedent, but I have never heard anything from Brzesinki saying he regretted doing what he did in Afghanistan, in spite of the trrible destruction of that country.

I don't trust him either. In fact, I trust none of them.

Edit to add this interview extract:

Question: The former director of the CIA, Robert Gates, stated in his memoirs <"From the Shadows">, that American intelligence services began to aid the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan 6 months before the Soviet intervention. In this period you were the national security adviser to President Carter. You therefore played a role in this affair. Is that correct?

Brzezinski: Yes. According to the official version of history, CIA aid to the Mujahadeen began during 1980, that is to say, after the Soviet army invaded Afghanistan, 24 Dec 1979. But the reality, secretly guarded until now, is completely otherwise Indeed, it was July 3, 1979 that President Carter signed the first directive for secret aid to the opponents of the pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. And that very day, I wrote a note to the president in which I explained to him that in my opinion this aid was going to induce a Soviet military intervention.

Q: Despite this risk, you were an advocate of this covert action. But perhaps you yourself desired this Soviet entry into war and looked to provoke it?

B: It isn't quite that. We didn't push the Russians to intervene, but we knowingly increased the probability that they would.

Q: When the Soviets justified their intervention by asserting that they intended to fight against a secret involvement of the United States in Afghanistan, people didn't believe them. However, there was a basis of truth. You don't regret anything today?

B: Regret what? That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap and you want me to regret it? The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.

Q: And neither do you regret having supported the Islamic fundamentalism, having given arms and advice to future terrorists?

B: What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the cold war?

Q: Some stirred-up Moslems? But it has been said and repeated Islamic fundamentalism represents a world menace today.

B: Nonsense! It is said that the West had a global policy in regard to Islam. That is stupid. There isn't a global Islam. Look at Islam in a rational manner and without demagoguery or emotion. It is the leading religion of the world with 1.5 billion followers. But what is there in common among Saudi Arabian fundamentalism, moderate Morocco, Pakistan militarism, Egyptian pro-Western or Central Asian secularism? Nothing more than what unites the Christian countries

[w4rma]

5. His plan makes logical sense. Also, he doesn't hate Islamists as some others do.

And he has America's best interests in mind, rather than the bank accounts of the owners of military industrial buisnesses.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Brzezinski is certainly one of the more rational former WH offiicals

but he still needs to be handled like a venonomous snake. I would never go near any of these guys without a snake hook.

[Mr Rabble]

9. He is indeed. Good post- and memory.

This guy is one of the architects of our current empire. Bloody, bloody hands.

[spanone]

7. When a 'gimmick' becomes criminal...when thousands die.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. It is time to remove the war criminals from our White House

What they have done in our name will bring us shame for a very long time.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[MindMatter]

12. That doesn't make a lick of sense.

Why would anybody, even Bush -- ESPECIALLY Bush -- feel any need to "satisfy the hardliners". That group is thoroughly discredited at this point. They created this mess and America knows it. They have no clout. No bargaining position.

If it weren't for the thousands more Americans -- and 10s of thousands more Iraqis -- who would die, I would like to see this buildup. It is the worst possible political idea for the Republicans. Unless they are prepared to put about 800,000 troops on the ground, and they aren't, that won't begin to improve the situation. It will only make matters that much worse.

[Bucky]

13. 800,000 troops? That would be our entire army...

...if we were able to find and sign up an additional 300,000 recruits tomorrow.

[mcg]

15. That wouldn't be justified unless this was a necessary war. nt

[MindMatter]

16. That's the point

McCain is talking about an increase of what? 10,000? 30,000?

That won't make a bit of difference. Our troops are obviously trying to stay away from the action as much as possible already. Another 30,000 won't change the power equation, and will just put 30,000 more of our soldiers at risk for no good reason.

[spillthebeans]

14. crazy Zbyszek

He can stick his "Blueprint for World Dictatorship" aka Grand Chessboard where no light shines


http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/zbig.html