The Least Bad Plan (The Washington Post is against withdrawing any pre-surge troops)

[antiimperialist]

Mr. Bush's plan offers, at least, the prospect of extending recent gains against al-Qaeda in Iraq, preventing full-scale sectarian war and allowing Iraqis more time to begin moving toward a new political order. For that reason, it is preferable to a more rapid withdrawal. It's not necessary to believe the president's promise that U.S. troops will "return on success" in order to accept the judgment of Mr. Crocker: "Our current course is hard. The alternatives are far worse."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/13/AR2007091302342.html

[aquart]

1. We're dying so we can kill enough Iraqis to "stabilize" the country?

Liebensraum. Our government actively pursues the deaths of Americans, as it embarks on a murderous policy of clearing out the Middle East.

For George, thirty or forty million dead would be success. And he doesn't care if it's them or us.

[chimpymustgo]

2. The comments are SCATHING toward the WaPo warmongerers. A few:

-snip-
two facts your "all neocon, all the time" editorial ignores: al quaida in iraq is a tribute band that didn't start playing until (urged on by lies and fear-mongering) we invaded a sovreign country that posed no threat to us, and iraq has no government as most americans understand the term.
we owe the people of iraq something in recompense for the grief and destruction we have visited on them--but what we owe them isn't a continued occupation. i don't know how we discharge this bloody debt--but that is what we should be talking about.

-snip-
Republicans: dont listen to defeatocracts!

please keep sending your children to die
for God's chosen president
and the friendly FOX zionists
(kristol, podhoretz and leiberman)
who grind them up into

"Bush-burgers."

(Me'n my church love 'em
there yummy w/Freedom Fries!)

love to you and yourn,

-snip-

So you believe that the continued occupation of
a Moslem nation,
our continued murder of Iraqi citizens,
our assistance in the ethnic cleansing of Iraqi
cities,
our theft of Iraqi oil,
you believe that all these things will make us safer?!

ARE YOU INSANE?!

Do you think the Arab world does not see our crimes
for what they are?

Is Israel not enough white men oppressing an
Arab people?

Why do you wish to continue recruiting for Al Quaeda?

Why do you wish for the continued deaths of
American and Iraqi peoples?

Why will you trade blood for oil?

Why are you and your spouses and children
not in uniform and fighting in Bagdad?

-snip-
"Least bad?" I beg to differ. I do not care about "al-Qaeda in Iraq." Bush's war CREATED "al-Qaeda in Iraq" and deposed a bitter foe of the real al-Qaeda who might have been a powerful and extremely valuable ally of ours in a fight against anti-American terrorism had we played our cards right.

As long as we stay in Iraq, we will provide the chief motivation that "al-Qaeda in Iraq" can exploit for its recruitment needs. With every Iraqi we stop and search at gunpoint, or whose house we invade seeking "insurgents," or whose streets we disrupt with our caravans of armored (and less-than-appropriately armored) vehicles, and with every bullet we fire or mortar we launch, we create new, highly motivated recruits for the enemies of America, including "al-Qaeda in Iraq."

We should never forget that every Iraqi we kill or maim is someone's son or daughter, neighbor, and friend. To deprive a person of a loved one is no way to make an ally or a subject.

No, the best of our bad choices is to withdraw, now and with all the speed we can muster. The chaos that will ensue in Iraq is of our own making and will occur whenever we leave. The Vichy-style government we have set up cannot outlast our occupation, but it has no value to us that would justify continuing to expend our lives and resources to support it.

The best solution is to cut our losses to a maximum extent and end our tragic involvement in Iraq TODAY, and try to make the best of the aftermath of Bush's heinous folly.

-snip-

[aquart]

4. "FOX zionists"????????

Because this is all the fault of the Jews...and our poor, victimized, innocent Christian dupes, of course.

[ShortnFiery]

3. The Editorials within the WP are decidedly pro-war profiteering. nt