IRAQ: Strategic Redeployment (one more time)
03 May 2006 10:03 am by Taylor Marsh
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Hello. Yes, Democrats have plans to get out of Iraq, but is anybody
listening? Do the Democrats in Congress even care?
When the Center for American Progress offered up Strategic
Redeployment last fall, it was greeted by Democrats with a loud, embarrassing
silence. Yes, silence can be loud, especially on the issue of Iraq, which is
why it was so embarrassing. Well, today they've unveiled “Strategic
Redeployment 2.0,” which I have no doubt will get yet another yawning
response. The Democratic Party doesn't want to take a collective stance against
the Iraq war. Senator Kerry's recent amendment was greeted with apathy. Then
we had the embarrassing idea put forth by Senators Levin and Reed (former veteran),
that the Iraqis should set a self-appointed deadline for standing up, with their
success followed by our withdrawal. A self-appointed Iraqi deadline? There is
not a more ineffectual idea to put forth.
Today, Americans now feel that gas prices are the most pressing problem they
face. There is no end to the rising cost of gasoline in sight. It's true that
our energy policies over decades have led us to a moment of real crisis. However,
nothing has led to the current reality more than the instability Bush and the
Republicans are fomenting by the feckless foreign policy they are following.
Whether it's the weakness and incompetence seen in Iraq, or the saber rattling
by the neocons over Iran,
nothing is ensuring rising gas prices and market instability more than the reckless
national security strategy of the Bush administration.
Democrats in Congress don't want to come out for Strategic Redeployment, but
they are wrong in their reticence. Because as I've said many, many times before,
you can bet there will be a draw down of troops before the election, as well
as a strategic lowering of gas prices in October, just in time to save the oil
guys' boys and girls.
Here's some of what “Strategic Redeployment 2.0″ is all about. I
supported it last fall and I support it today. If Democrats don't stand up and
get us out of Iraq you can bet the Republicans will make a faux withdrawal right
around election time. It will leave the voters asking, What have the Democrats
done for me lately?
The Bush administration's mistakes in Iraq – invading for the wrong reasons
and without enough troops to secure the country – have left us with no good
options. It's understandable that a growing number of Americans are calling
for an immediate withdrawal, but we believe that would only further destabilize
Iraq and much of the Middle East. Accordingly, we are calling for a comprehensive
strategic redeployment from Iraq by the end of 2007 that will:
- Restore the strength of U.S. ground troops
- Exercise a strategic shift to meet global threats from Islamist extremists
- Prevent U.S. troops from being caught in the middle of a civil war in Iraq
- Avert mass sectarian and ethnic cleansing in Iraq
- Provide time for Iraq's elected leaders to strike a power-sharing agreement
- Empower Iraq's security forces to take control
- Get those Iraqis fighting to end the occupation to lay down their arms
- Motivate the U.N., global, and regional powers to get more involved in
Iraq - Give the U.S. the moral, political, and military power to deal with Iran's
attempt to develop nuclear weapons - Prevent an outbreak of isolationism in the United States.
The end goals of this strategic shift are clear, but to accomplish it the
United States must implement a policy of strategic redeployment that:
- Reduces U.S. troops to 60,000 by the end of 2006 and to zero by the end
of 2007, while redeploying troops to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and the Persian
Gulf - Engages in diplomacy to resolve the conflict within Iraq by convening a
Geneva peace conference modeled on the Dayton Accords - Establishes a Gulf Security initiative to deal with the aftermath of U.S.
redeployment from Iraq and the growing nuclear capabilities of Iran - Puts Iraq's reconstruction back on track with targeted international funds
- Counters extremist Islamic ideology around the globe through long-term efforts
to support the creation of democratic institutions and press freedoms.
Democrats have a plan alright. What we don't have is unity. But
with over 60% of the American people believing Bush is full of it, especially on
Iraq and gas prices, perhaps it's time to find a little. Or is it going to be
yet another example of Democrats never failing to miss an opportunity?
The Democrats do have plans to get out of Iraq, but it's hard
to trumpet them when the Democratic Party in Congress won't claim them.
