Friedman of NYT Finally Calls for Deadline for U.S. Pullout in Iraq

[DeepModem Mom]

Editor & Publisher: Friedman of 'NYT' Finally Calls for Setting Deadline for U.S. Pullout in Iraq
By E&P Staff
Published: June 02, 2006

NEW YORK -- New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, who supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq more than three years ago, and has repeatedly called for staying the course there since, on Friday for the first time suggests setting a deadline for U.S. withdrawal.

Friedman observes that "it is time for America to starting talking 'deadlines.' Too many Iraqi factions think they can just keep wrestling each other for small advantage while the country burns, but the U.S. Army provides a floor of security that prevents total chaos. The Iraqi parties need to know that we are not going to be played this way forever. Only an Iraq that can come together and make a fist can crush this militia culture."...

***

His logic? Vice President Cheney is still mocked for his statement a year ago that the insurgency in Iraq was in its "last throes," but Friedman believes this is essentially true today. But he adds, "Unfortunately, it's being replaced by anarchy in many neighborhoods — not democracy. And I don't believe the American people will put up with two and half more years of babysitting anarchy instead of midwifing democracy.

"The report that U.S. marines were involved in a massacre of Iraqis in Haditha — which the Pentagon needs to clarify fast — is a tragic reminder that a foreign occupation by U.S. forces can't go on for years." (Of course, it has already gone on "for years.")

Friedman then details the Bush team's missteps, the rise of sectarian slaughter and the growing "instability" despite free elections and Sunni participation in the new government, before concluding: "We can't keep asking Americans to sacrifice their children for people who hate each other more than they love their own children."

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002612352

[warrens]

1. How long, six months, Tom?

Snicker. He's the guy who keeps saying "the next six months will show..." whatever it is he's trying to promote that day. It's always six more months.

[bigtree]

2. he's had his fun there

though, he'll be the first in line to send them back out to attack Iran

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Friedman was looking out for what he thought were the best

interests of Israel. Apparently,now he isn't too sure what the best interests of Israel are.

[barb162]

4. I keep wondering when the Iraq troops, cops are going to get fully

trained

[karynnj]

5. The latest numbers (in Kerry's speech yesterday)

were something like 260,000 out of the 272,000 goal

[barb162]

13. Oh then we should be out in about a month

Ya' think?

[karynnj]

15. yeah, sure

The point Kerry was making was that per Bush, we should be standing down.

[jayfish]

6. Hold On Now, We Need Six Or Nine...

or twelve or eighteen or thirty-six more months to see how successful this war is. Remember Tommy?

Jay

[twistedpos]

7. Friedman Gets it from Both Sides

Seems that neither the left nor the right is terribly fond of Tom Friedman.

Count me among his admirers. When you pi$$ off both sides, maybe you're doing something right.
Works in baseball for umpires, does it not?

[newyawker99]

14. Hi twistedpos!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[orwell]

8. I guess Tommy's...

...blown his wad so now he wants to pull out.

Now who is going to clean up his mess...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Oh, I get it! It's all the Iraqis fault!

What a load of BS. The Iraqis refuse to play by the script and keep resisting our benevolent attempts to give them the pleasure of becoming a client state of the American Empire. So now, we should set a "deadline" until they shape up and follow orders.

Our mighty (on paper) military has been unable to crush the Iraqi people so it's time to throw in the towel and blame them for our failure to be successful invaders of their country.

It's time to get out NOW and start paying reparations for what we did to their country and people.

[BillZBubb]

10. Friedman is a pompous, self-important pantload.

He's never been right about anything--at least not until he has already done his damage supporting the wrong side. Now, he's in "blame the Iraqi victims" mode.

He's been dead wrong about Iraq, US Middle East policy, globalization, free trade and any other issue of importance. But, the corporate media love him because he's their chief propagandist.

[Me.]

11. His Head Is As Flat

as his worldview

"shadow government*

[dogday]

12. It is great that he is doing this, however

that does not absolve him of the part he played up to and during the course of this war....

[Terran1212]

16. "we are not going to be played this way forever" Tom = IDIOT

He refuses to take any blame to the United States. He just thinks of us as benevolent angels who are failing to do a really nice thing in Iraq (which is what most of our media is thinking).

When Kosovo was being bombed he also had that stupid hawkish attitude, saying something like, "You play nice with us or we'll bomb you" (no exaggeration).

He thinks he's so much bigger than he is. How did he even get his job?

[Ms. Clio]

17. Yeah, the Pentagon just needs to "clarify" the massacre report

and in Tommy's flathead world all the tragic chaos and violence can actually be blamed on those incomprehensible savages who "hate each other more than they love their own children."

Go fuck yourself with a jagged shit-smeared bottle Friedman you twisted weasel.