The Democratic Party's Iraq Policy is Totally Adrift [View All]

here's the crux of what the DNC proposes on Iraq:

We cannot allow a failed state in Iraq that inevitably would become a haven for terrorists and a destabilizing force in the Middle East. And we must secure more help from an international community that shares a huge stake in helping Iraq become a responsible member of that community, not a breeding ground for terror and intolerance. As a first step, we must create a stable and secure environment in Iraq. To do this right, we must truly internationalize both politically and militarily: we cannot depend on a US-only presence.

At the same time, U.S. and international policies must take into consideration the best interests of the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people desperately need financial and technical assistance that is not swallowed up by bureaucracy and no-bid contracts, but instead goes directly into grassroots organizations. They need to see the tangible benefits of reconstruction: jobs, infrastructure, and services. They should also receive the full benefits of their own oil production as quickly as possible ...

America also needs a massive training effort to build Iraqi security forces that can actually provide security for the Iraqi people.

the problem with this is that the Democrats' policy does not make sense with bush in the White House and a republican controlled Congress ... the policy was written before the election and needs to be updated ... bush is NOT going to bring in the international community ... he couldn't do it even if he had the good sense to try ... so calling for "internationalization" is totally bankrupt in the current context ... it ain't gonna happen ... what else you got, Democrats ??

rebuilding the infrastructure cannot happen while U.S. troops remain in Iraq ... there is no rebuilding going on ... what we do have is destruction ... one article said Falujah wasn't fit to have animals return to it anymore ... so, calling for jobs, infrastructure and service is "sweet and kindly" but it too is totally bankrupt in the current context ... so, what else you got, Democrats ??

and, on the massive training effort to build Iraqi security forces, everyday we hear more and more cases of these forces being infiltrated by "insurgents" ... after 649 days (since the invasion began), there is NO EVIDENCE that these forces are worth anything ... many of them are anti-U.S. and none of them will stand and fight against their own countrymen ... the policy is a total failure ... so, what else you got Democrats ??

and that's it ... the truth is the Democratic Party does not have a real position on Iraq ... the positions Kerry campaigned on may have been credible before the election ... they are not credible today ... and it is inexcusable that the Democratic Party will not speak out against the genocide being carried out in the names of all Americans ...

this is not about the left, the DLC, the moderates or any other political bullshit ... this is about BAD POLICY ... THE U.S. CANNOT EVER SUCCEED IN IRAQ ... some of you may still believe the DNC rhetoric that we "owe it to the Iraqis" to fix the mess bush made ... on that we agree ... but continued military actions, and that's what bush is going to do, is no way to achieve the goal of repairing Iraq ... it's time to bring the troops home and let that which will happen start to unfold ... arguing that the future for Iraq will be bleak if the U.S. leaves is true ... but arguing that it will not be bleak if the U.S. stays is just not consistent with the facts on the ground ... we're destroying Iraq and we're doing real harm to our country at the same time ... it is time for the Democratic Party to utter the magic word once again: Peace.