Madeleine Albright: “Our troops face death every day-the least Bush can do is face the truth"

[kpete]

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has a scathing op-ed in the WaPo this morning, in which she says: “Our troops face death every day; the least the president can do is face the truth.”
http://www.firedoglake.com/category/iraq/

How To Change Iraq
Bush Should Start By Admitting Fault

By Madeleine K. Albright
Thursday, September 6, 2007; Page A21

The threshold question in any war is: What are we fighting for? Our troops, especially, deserve a convincing answer.

In Iraq, the list of missions that were tried on but didn't fit includes: protection from weapons of mass destruction, creating a model democracy in the Arab world, punishing those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks and stopping terrorists from catching the next plane to New York. The latest mission, linked to the "surge" of troops this year, was to give Iraqi leaders the security and maneuvering room needed to make stabilizing political arrangements -- which they have thus far shown little interest in doing.

A cynic might suggest that the military's real mission is to enable President Bush to continue denying that his invasion has evolved into disaster. A less jaded view might identify three goals: to prevent Iraq from becoming a haven for al-Qaeda, a client state of Iran or a spark that inflames regionwide war. These goals respond not to dangers that prompted the invasion but to those that resulted from it. Our troops are being asked to risk their lives to solve problems our civilian leaders created. The president is beseeching us to fear failure, but he has yet to explain how our military can succeed given Iraq's tangled politics and his administration's lack of credibility.

..............

President Bush could do his part by admitting what the world knows -- that many prewar criticisms of the invasion were on target. Such an admission would be just the shock a serious diplomatic project would need. It would make it easier for European and Arab leaders to help, as their constituents are reluctant to bail out a president who still insists that he was right and they were wrong. Our troops face death every day; the least the president can do is face the truth.

..................

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502044.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[JNelson6563]

1. Well said Madam Secretary.

Remember when there were actually lucid people in the Dept. of State? So long ago I almost forgot what it's like.

Julie

[bdamomma]

2. * will never admit the truth, he is a sociopath.

[MiniMe]

3. The truth? Bush can't handle the truth.

With credits to Jack Nicholson

[ginnyinWI]

4. I remember how we hated LBJ and Nixon during Vietnam.

This character's got traits of both of them. Texas swagger and political wheeling-dealing plus Nixonian secrecy, thirst for power, paranoia. And he's got himself in a quagmire with no good way out. And it's more to his shame because he's seen the same thing happen to those other two within his own lifetime.

If it's any comfort I believe it's taking a lot of energy for him to maintain his state of denial, his bubble. LBJ was so stricken by the experience that he refused to run for another term. Nixon maintained it until being forced out, though. So in that way he's more Nixonian. Physically he's aged a lot.

[msedano]

5. it's a democracy, madeline, he doesn't have to do anything

well, i'm half right. he doesn't.

recommended

[AllyCat]

6. While she speaks the truth on this, it's hard to get too excited about

the woman who helped put Ecuador into its sinkhole in the '90s by helping Emelec rob the Ecuadoran people of billions of dollars through "electricity privatization".

I guess we can't like everything about these people. At least there is something to like about her which is more than I can say for anyone in the * administration. Sigh...

I just want an honorable leader who surrounds themselves with honorable and knowledgeable people.

But thanks for getting it out there Madam.