Freidman - Rumsfeld Doctrine is: "Just enough troops to lose."

[rndmprsn]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/opinion/03friedman.html

THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

What happened? The Bush team got its doctrines mixed up: it applied the Powell Doctrine to the campaign against John Kerry - "overwhelming force" without mercy, based on a strategy of shock and awe at the Republican convention, followed by a propaganda blitz that got its message across in every possible way, including through distortion. If only the Bush team had gone after the remnants of Saddam's army in the Sunni Triangle with the brutal efficiency it has gone after Senator Kerry in the Iowa-Ohio-Michigan triangle. If only the Bush team had spoken to Iraqis and Arabs with as clear a message as it did to the Republican base. No, alas, while the Bush people applied the Powell Doctrine in the Midwest, they applied the Rumsfeld Doctrine in the Middle East. And the Rumsfeld Doctrine is: "Just enough troops to lose." Donald Rumsfeld tried to prove that a small, mobile army was all that was needed to topple Saddam, without realizing that such a limited force could never stabilize Iraq. He never thought it would have to. He thought his Iraqi pals would do it. He was wrong

...Being away has not changed my belief one iota in the importance of producing a decent outcome in Iraq, to help move the Arab-Muslim world off its steady slide toward increased authoritarianism, unemployment, overpopulation, suicidal terrorism and religious obscurantism. But my time off has clarified for me, even more, that this Bush team can't get us there, and may have so messed things up that no one can. Why? Because each time the Bush team had to choose between doing the right thing in the war on terrorism or siding with its political base and ideology, it chose its base and ideology. More troops or radically lower taxes? Lower taxes. Fire an evangelical Christian U.S. general who smears Islam in a speech while wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army or not fire him so as not to anger the Christian right? Don't fire him. Apologize to the U.N. for not finding the W.M.D., and then make the case for why our allies should still join us in Iraq to establish a decent government there? Don't apologize - for anything - because Karl Rove says the "base" won't like it. Impose a "Patriot Tax" of 50 cents a gallon on gasoline to help pay for the war, shrink the deficit and reduce the amount of oil we consume so we send less money to Saudi Arabia? Never. Just tell Americans to go on guzzling. Fire the secretary of defense for the abuses at Abu Ghraib, to show the world how seriously we take this outrage - or do nothing? Do nothing. Firing Mr. Rumsfeld might upset conservatives. Listen to the C.I.A.? Only when it can confirm your ideology. When it disagrees - impugn it or ignore it.

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[rogerashton]

1. In the words of Tiyanoga,

the Mohawk leader known to the Europeans as King Hendrik, "If our warriors are to fight, they are too few. If they are to die, they are too many." For the sake of an alliance, he sent them anyway.

[Jacobin]

2. Ah, yes, old Tom "Just Give War A Chance" Friedman

whining that his favorite war could have been won if only they had "done it right"

Yep, just a few 'Saddam loyalist' that Rumsfeld let get away. If only we had gotten them, the flowers would be flowing now.

Sorry Tommy Boy. You Monday Morning QuarterBacking Warmongers can go piss up a rope.

[KittyWampus]

10. Agreed, But Even Friedman Can Be Useful From Time To Time

[ZombieNixon]

11. My dad calls Friedman "half an idiot"

I have to agree, he's become less er...how shall I put it..."vociferous" lately. LOL

[Bread and Circus]

3. Excellent article, should be a speech writer for Kerry....

He makes a great case for where Bush has fucked up on multiple fronts. Great talking points.

TF should have never agreed with the IW in first place, but at least now he is making some sense. A day late and a dollar short, which is too bad though.

[kodi]

4. come on tommy boy, say it. all we need are mcdonalds in baghdad

for over 40 months tom friedman has seen close up what ideologues the busheviks are, and only now after 1,000 americans dead, 7,000 wounded, and countless iraqi casualties he speaks up?

a bit late in the game for honest journalism.

[NWHarkness]

5. The Bush Team?

Friedman is part of the Bush team.

[bushwakker]

6. They're looking for able-bodied men Tom, if you're available

all the pundits who supported this fiasco should have to go fight in it.

[Tatiana]

7. My, my, my, how the tables have turned.

You know things are going bad for Bush when "give war a chance" neocon Friedman basically says things are FUBAR under this administration.

Glad his little vacation did him some good. Hopefully he had time to think about the 1000+ young men and women sacrificed for absolutely nothing.

[sendero]

8. Denial, denial, denial...

...Friedman is a fool who is simply trying to shift blame.

You could have put double the troops in, and we'd still have an "insurgency".

It's just pathetic how much in denial all these morons are.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

9. So, Friedman finally took his head out of his uh, pocket.

bout time Tom. I was gettin worried about you