John McCain and Iraq, the one trick pony
Let us say, one day that you take your kid to the circus. A clown leads out a pony. He says, “This pony can do tricks! Count to five pony!” The pony stamps his foot five times. “Hooray! Stand on your hind legs pony!” The pony stamps his foot five times. The clown rolls a big beach ball. “Go push the ball pony!” The pony stamps his foot five times. “Chase me around the ring pony!” cries the clown as he begins to run. The pony stamps his foot five times.
That would be a pretty pathetic show. Yet it reminds me a lot about the campaign of John McCain. It seems that the only answer he has to any question is, “We must win in Iraq, even if it takes 100 years. Of course, like George Bush, he never defines what victory will be in Iraq. I truly think he does not know.
Now here we sit, the fifth anniversary of this war is at hand. At first, the reason given was “Saddam is an imminent danger” His regime must be destroyed. My image here is of President Bush saying on TV “Saddam, get out of town by sundown!”
And America romped into Baghdad in three weeks. The Iraqi army melted away. The vaunted Republican guard did not fight. Well almost. Small groups of Iraqi’s did fight, to deadly effect against the American forces. Saddam’s son, Uday, had created an organization, the Saddam Fedayeen, they were scattered in penny packets of 100 men throughout the nation. They were designed to watch the local population. But they did fight fanatically, against hopeless odds and to the death. They imposed significant delays on the US advance.
However, there was no great Stalingrad type battle for Baghdad. the Iraqi’s disappeared. I believe this was by intent. They went underground to prepare guerrilla war. And here is where those critics of Bremer who say that “If only he had not disbanded the army, things would be better now”. Not true, the Iraqi’s had a trap set for us from the beginning. The bait was the entire nation.
In any case, here we sit five years on, with a never ending guerrilla war. And we have what I call, “The magically disappearing victory”. First, Saddam’s WMD’s were a danger. Well, they were never there in the first place. Then we were going to spread Democracy. The elections have resulted in a sectarian government that is pursuing sectarian civil war. Then we are going to “Surge” our troops and give the Iraqi government a last chance to find a solution.
Well since the surge, fighting has decreased, but there has been no solution. The Shitte guerrillas have gone underground. We are now arming the Sunni’s at least some of them. Because we still losing soldiers daily in Iraq some three to four a day, so someone is still shooting at us. And Iraqi’s of course, are still dying.
Yet George Bush pronounces the war a success. John McCain says we must achieve victory. Please define victory, Senator McCain. They cannot.
I have long debated on another forum, Historic Battles.com, the Iraq war. There are people there who like President Bush, say the war is a success, we are winning. They will have us believe that the one trick circus pony is actually flying around the tent.
Yet the pro war people seem to be repeating the same line for the last five years. “We need six more months for victory” “We are close to victory, but need a variation in strategy” “We need just a little more effort, a little more time. We are almost there.”
For five years, the pro war people have been constantly repeating these same lines. Yet, no matter how many troops we send, how much time we give, there is no result.
The Iraq war is sinking America economically. There is no solution, no possible victory. Yet these people are afraid to say the war is a mistake, they don’t care. They would rather destroy the nation than admit they were wrong.
It is high time for us Democrats to quit our squabbling, get our act together, and ensure that John McCain does not sit in the White House in January 2009.
Posted: March 20th, 2008 under Iraq, McCain.
Comments: 9
Comments
Comment from caj
Time: March 21, 2008, 6:26 am
Yep, “the Iraq war is sinking America economically.” but the chimp in the WH has a solution. Iran. his recent radio broadcast into Iran has accused Iran of wanting to have a nuclear program with a weapons component to “kill people”. Harsh words from an international leader.
NSC says da prez is misunderstood around timeframes of Iran’s program and was referencing a program that was operating in ‘03 or so.
Maybe the chimp is thinking that another war will create jobs for people, get money into the citizens hands, etc. etc, blah, blah.
Sure that’s the ticket, new war, more exports for US. Too bad the exports will be the sons and daughters of America.
The man has clearly no sense of the impact of his words.
Read here if you like: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032002284_pf.html
Comment from Josh Hammond
Time: March 21, 2008, 7:16 am
I like your one trick pony imagery, but I’ve been thinking about it as a one trick elephant.
Is anyone asking McBush to define “victory”?
Comment from Max
Time: March 21, 2008, 9:29 am
Josh,
I think the world gave up a long time ago trying to get a definition of Iraq victory out of George Bush.
As far as war with Iran, well, as long as America is serious trouble, let’s collapse things back to the Stone age. That will be the result of that venture.
Comment from Pat
Time: March 21, 2008, 9:40 am
We’re not only ruining our own country, We have devastated Iraq:
The humanitarian situation in Iraq is ‘one of the most critical in the world’ according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In a report issued Monday, the ICRC reported that tens of thousands of Iraqi’s have disappeared since the start of the war, and tens of thousands of Iraqi’s, nearly all men, are in detention. Millions of Iraqi’s have insufficient access to clean water, forcing many families to use a third of their average $150 monthly income to buy clean drinking water. Water and sewage systems suffer from a lack of maintenance, and a shortage of engineers.
There are 30,000 beds at the approximately 65 private and 172 public hospitals, but a further 80,000 are needed. Since 2003, more than 2,200 doctors and nurses have been killed and at least 20,000 have left the country. There is also a shortage of drugs, and then there’s the problem of lack of electricity.
Also, when the media and the politicians talk about the cost of the war, they forget to mention the 600 billion dollar entitlement program that bush’s war has created - disabled veterans benefits.
McCain’s plan to stay in Iraq, if it takes 100 years, will only make these problems worse.
Comment from timr
Time: March 21, 2008, 12:06 pm
Max, and now the rest of the story, one you will not hear from the american MSM
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/03/21/the-guardian-the-surge-may-be-on-the-verge-of-collapse/
Comment from Nosebetter
Time: March 21, 2008, 1:37 pm
Pat: I agree with most of what you said, but I would like to make a couple of points.
(1) The Iraqi people weren’t exactly living in tall cotton before we invaded. They were in pretty bad shape economically.
(2) The new Iraqi government is not spending their oil money. There is no need because we are footing their bill. My guess is that the Iraqi politicians will divide the booty among themselves after we are gone. However, I doubt they will wait 100 years.
Comment from Max
Time: March 21, 2008, 2:37 pm
Nosebettor,
True, the Iraqi’s did not have a standard of luxury goods before we invaded, but they had life and community. Since our invasion, we have destroyed that.
Please understand what is being spoken and written, the Iraqi’s are dying, and we are the main force responsible for that.
And for those who take issue with my statement, whose Army occupies Iraq, and thusly, who bears responsibility?
Comment from How Insane Is John McCain?
Time: March 21, 2008, 8:27 pm
“It is high time for us Democrats to quit our squabbling, get our act together, and ensure that John McCain does not sit in the White House in January 2009.”
WELL SAID!
Comment from Pat
Time: March 22, 2008, 8:36 am
It looks like the 80,000 Iraqi’s that bush is paying to keep the peace are threatening to go on strike:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/mar/20/surgecollapse
Write a comment