And in doing so makes perfectly clear that McCain will continue George Bush’s style of “Father Knows Best” FP, advancing into nations who are not our enemies, against the will of their leaders and populace.
In a Washington Post Op-Ed, Mr. Boot notes that;
Although [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki] was an opponent of the Saddam Hussein regime, he was not a proponent of the U.S.-led invasion.
Which may not be shocking to some, considering that very few people outside of the Bush Administration were, in fact, in favor of invading a nation that had nothing to do with 9/11, and which, though ruled by a brutal dictator, was keeping Iran – a more dangerous enemy – at bay.
Mr. Boot continues to list instances of Prime Minister al-Maliki suggesting to US Forces that they leave Iraq – and again, it is clear to see that Poppa Boot knows best here, because we all know what would have happened if the DEMOCRATS had been in control… they would have stupidly yielded to the requests of a Soverign Government, and then….disaster!
I jest, of course – but it is clear that Mr. Boot does suggest that if the US had yielded military soverignty to the Iraqis, that the Iraqis would not have been prepared to accept it, and that we would have been responsible for the result. Mr. Boot does seem to feel that Iraqis should regain their soverignty…sometime – but obvioulsy not until the US thinks it’s appropriate…which means, they’re going to be ruling their own nation at the pleasure of the Republicans.
Following is the list Mr. Boot (of the McCain Campaign) has created:
In May 2006, shortly after becoming prime minister, he claimed, “Our forces are capable of taking over the security in all Iraqi provinces within a year and a half.”
In October 2006, when violence was spinning out of control, Maliki declared that it would be “only a matter of months” before his security forces could “take over the security portfolio entirely and keep some multinational forces only in a supporting role.”
President Bush wisely ignored Maliki. Instead of withdrawing U.S. troops, he sent more. The prime minister wasn’t happy. On Dec. 15, 2006, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has flatly told Gen. George Casey, the top American military commander in Iraq, that he doesn’t want more U.S. personnel deployed to the country, according to U.S. military officials.” When the surge went ahead anyway, Maliki gave it an endorsement described in news accounts as “lukewarm.”
In January 2007, with the surge just starting, Maliki predicted “that within three to six months our need for the American troops will dramatically go down.” In April 2007, when most of Baghdad was still out of control, the prime minister said that Iraqi forces would assume control of security in every province by the end of the year.
Even now, when the success of the surge is undeniable, Maliki won’t give U.S. troops their due. In the famous interview with Der Spiegel last weekend, he was asked why Iraq has become more peaceful. He mentioned “many factors,” including “the political rapprochement we have managed to achieve,” “the progress being made by our security forces,” “the deep sense of abhorrence with which the population has reacted to the atrocities of al-Qaida and the militias,” and “the economic recovery.” No mention of the surge.
No mention of the surge. Funny, that Mr. Boot should mention that. It seems to me that the Republicans have credited the surge, and only the surge, with the progress that has been made over the past few months (out of how many years of unnecessary war?). Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle – that the Surge, and Maliki’s suggestions, are both responsible. Bear in mind, however, that no surge would ever have been necessary if we weren’t misguided and lied into a totally unnecessary war, which has served only to set our pursuit of Al Qaeda back by several years, and has swelled their ranks and supplemented their rhetoric with concrete examples.
When Republicans learn that National Soverignty is a concept that should be applied beyond the shores of the United States of America, perhaps they’ll once again be fit to lead. So long as the Max Boots of the world are advising their team, that day will remain a long way off.
