How to win the Iraq war

[Caro]

The excerpt below is posted with the full knowledge and permission, even encouragement, of the author, who wants his essays to be read by as many people as possible.

Send a message about this essay to [e-mail]. If your letter is good enough to be published, it may be read by your senators and congressman! From The Hill:

How to win the Iraq war

By Brent Budowsky

Success can still be achieved in Iraq along historic precedents of Ireland, South Africa and El Salvador when armed combatants ended their wars and joined the political process.

The current escalation is doomed because it encourages the dominant party to sectarian war, the Maliki government and its allies among Shi’ite militias and Iran to intransigence, using American troops to achieve military victory in their war against Sunnis.

If Senate Republicans demonstrate clarity and conscience they can save our country from continued catastrophe, save their party from electoral disaster, and save Iraqis from a cauldron of carnage that will bring war without end.

Official Washington almost universally believes privately that the Iraq enterprise is doomed because official Washington also believes, incorrectly, that the president will never change the policy.

The president vowed to never negotiate with Syria and Iran, insulting even the Speaker, who advocated this. The president changed that policy.

The pressures are rising dramatically…

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and to Bill Alexander, then-chief deputy whip of the House. He is a contributing editor to Fighting Dems News Service. He can be read on The Hill’s Pundits Blog and reached at [e-mail].

Click the title, above, to read Brent’s two-part solution, and call your senators toll free at 800-459-1887 to affect their war funding vote today .

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[liberal N proud]

1. One BIG problem - What is success in Iraq?

No one has defined what our actual mission in Iraq is.

[whistle]

2. I was confused by what was being proposed until I got down near

....the end of the actual article and saw this:

<snip>
The only enforcement is a new vote by Congress.

We can reduce American casualties by 80 percent with a policy offering a higher probability of success, through a redeployment of troops within Iraq, but the president will not agree, yet. The alternative is a new vote in Congress within 90 days, to make it clear that America will not shed blood for Shi’ite dominance and endless war.
<end>

Nothing in the article seems to be about "winning" only about staying and risking more American lives.

Winning will come when we stop the insanity and withdraw now!

[fazoolius_2006]

3. Confused? Me too!

You stated "Winning will come when we stop the insanity and withdraw now!"

I am not sure how that is a win? The way this administration is going there is no "win". If we pull out, we don't "win" either. I think this is more a lose, lose situation.