Comments on: “Yes, I will ignore the commanders.”

By: The Common Conservative » Clinton’s Approach to Iraq….Withdraw Now!

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:09:21 +0000

[...] read an interesting take over at the Bookworm Room where Charles Gibson and Hillary engaged in debate about her withdrawing the troops from Iraq. The [...]

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:23:02 +0000

I don’t think that “morality” [does not compute] is in Hillary’s lexicon. I think that it’s more a throw-away phrase than anything else.

By: Allen

Allen — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:56:06 +0000

Such a humanitarian. She worries about the Iraqi casualties, and then when told there might be even more if we pull out precipitously she basically replies, so?

Then goes on to talk about moral standing.

Maybe she missed the talking points for the day.

By: ArgoNunya

ArgoNunya — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:21:19 +0000

Great analysis and interpretation!
And Oldflyer, Yon and Totten are truly great sources of truth from Iraq. Here are other great sources:

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE - IRAQ:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=1&Itemid=18

VETS FOR FREEDOM: http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/freedomupdate/default.aspx

THE TRUTH FROM IRAQ: http://thetruthfromiraq.blogspot.com/

TERRORIST DEATH WATCH: http://terroristdeathwatch.com/

By: Ymarsakar

Ymarsakar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:29:02 +0000

I will also make it clear to the Iraqis that they no longer have a blank check from the president of the United States

That’s exactly what these new slavemasters want to give to the poor, the minorities, the criminally immigrant, and the various other loons providing the political power for the Democrat party.

But for the Iraqis that won’t ever vote Democrat? Oh, those guys don’t get a blank check.

By: Ymarsakar

Ymarsakar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:26:29 +0000

You know, thankfully we have a system in our country of civilian control of the military.

That’s not what these **********s said when they parraded the disaffected generals and accused Bush of not listening to his “military commanders”.

The double standard of aristocracy in which they get to benefit off the work of others while we live and suck mud, is really getting old.

By: expat

expat — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:38:49 +0000

Both Hillary and Obama care more about winning the election than about achieving success. They care no more about our soldiers than about the Iraqis. It is the same old arrogance thing: I know what’s best and I don’t need advice or even information from anyone. Obama recently said he would follow the tactical advice of the military, but he would control the stategy.My reaction to that was that he must have had some quick tutoring on military vocabulary, because he has shown zero comprehension of these terms to date. Neither seems to have the foggiest idea about the psychological aspects of the struggle we are in. Both are frightening.

Oldflyer, as I read about what the soldiers on the ground are doing, I am truly awed. Any employer with sense should line up to hire these people.

By: Oldflyer

Oldflyer — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:36:07 +0000

If you read Yon and Totten, two writers who are out in the countryside for extended periods, you see that the Iraqis are groping toward developing a form of governance and civic administrtion. I just read a piece by Totten in which a Marine platoon leader in Anbar stated that his men had not fired a shot, nor had they had a shot fired at them since their arrival. But, what they are doing is providing a secure environment and yes, teaching the Iraqis to govern. Sounds crazy, but true. U.S. Marines are tutoring basic civics and public administration. Totten says every Marine Officer who goes to Iraq gets training on how electrical grids, water systems and other basic necessities of modern life work. They are taught how to deal with Iraqis using Iraqi-American role players. It is working A Marine corporal is in charge of a a school. He works with the former Baathist principal to insure that she has what she needs to get the school viable and keep it there; and at the same time he works to convert her to a new political reality. It is slow work.

Yon has multiple stories of Army and Marines mentoring the Iraqi police, military and civic leaders on the basic techniques of getting things done. He says that many of them, especially the younger ones, are eager to learn, but it takes time.

There is one theme that both of these perceptive writers who are on the ground talking to the people, U.S. and Iraqi, stress. That is whether the American people (politicians) have the necessary patience to see these efforts through to conclusion. Clinton and Obama want to abandon all of this effort.