Leaving Iraq, Honorably by Chuck Hagel

[JI7]

contact Hagel and ask him to support Boxer,Feingold,Kerry,Murtha,Pelosi etc.

<There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq. These terms do not reflect the reality of what is going to happen there. The future of Iraq was always going to be determined by the Iraqis -- not the Americans.

Iraq is not a prize to be won or lost. It is part of the ongoing global struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism and terrorism. There will be no military victory or military solution for Iraq. Former secretary of state Henry Kissinger made this point last weekend.

The time for more U.S. troops in Iraq has passed. We do not have more troops to send and, even if we did, they would not bring a resolution to Iraq. Militaries are built to fight and win wars, not bind together failing nations. We are once again learning a very hard lesson in foreign affairs: America cannot impose a democracy on any nation -- regardless of our noble purpose.

We have misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam. Honorable intentions are not policies and plans. Iraq belongs to the 25 million Iraqis who live there. They will decide their fate and form of government.

It may take many years before there is a cohesive political center in Iraq. America's options on this point have always been limited. There will be a new center of gravity in the Middle East that will include Iraq. That process began over the past few days with the Syrians and Iraqis restoring diplomatic relations after 20 years of having no formal communication. The next installment would be this weekend's unprecedented meeting in Iran of the presidents of Iran, Syria and Iraq, if it takes place.>


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112401104.html

[Skittles]

1. there is no honorable way to leave Iraq

we will leave it in the shambles we created FOR A PILE OF LIES

[cosmik debris]

6. correct

We can not apologize enough to regain our honor.

[gulliver]

13. Bingo.

I think it is especially dishonorable to try to save face.

[opihimoimoi]

2. We have yet to learn How to sow seeds of Peace....we can but we don't

[ixion]

3. I notice the so-called 'War on Terror' is now:

"the ongoing global struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism and terrorism."

...the OGSAIBIET, for short. ;-)

:eyes:

Seems like we're fighting all sorts of abstractions these days, not just 'terror'.

[Golden Raisin]

4. Interesting.

"the ongoing global struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism and terrorism."

Interesting. Exactly what our "pre-emptive" war has brought to Iraq and also what the Bush junta has unleashed right here at home.

[elizm]

5. He's getting ready for 2008...

And the candidate we should worry about, IMO.

[DURHAM D]

8. Amen .

Hagel has obviously been positioning himself for the run for at least two years. However, just yesterday I watched a news program during which they were discussing all of the presidential candidates and no one even mentioned Chuck. He is letting the top three bloody themselves and then he will just belatedly climb on top of the pile.

I hope the Dems have their opposition research machine in full gear for Chuck as they are going to need it. He really, really worries me - partly because I have not yet found a reason to hate him.

[Allyoop]

9. Chuck Hagel

I'm very close to being a "yellow dog" Democrat, however, if the DC Dems select another horrible candidate and Hagel is the Republican choice - I'll have to think long and hard about my selection. The world needs a President with an actively functioning brain! Need to know more about him though. I'm so tired of selecting the "least worst" candidate!

[NEDem]

10. He's the strongest possible candidate they've got

But the base (freepers, fundies) hate him because he's criticized * policies, he has a lot of work to do getting through the primaries. I know I'm not supposed to say it, but frankly he'd be a good president.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. He's very conservative on social/economic issues,

so IMO he wouldn't be a very good president. That said, he's probably the least awful of the likely Republican candidates because he's not obviously demented like, say, Duncan Hunter.

[screembloodymurder]

7. There was no noble purpose - just greed and a lust for power.

Bush destroyed the lives of millions.

[SOS]

11. He voted for the IWR

Now he says "the cost of combat in Iraq in terms of American lives, dollars and world standing has been devastating."

What foresight!