C.R.A.P. Commission

C.R.A.P.

What this country really needs is a bipartisan commission to look at the role of America in the Iraq conflict and in the Middle East. It should be called the CTC (Cut The Crap) Commission. The Crap Commission (CC for short) could put out a comprehensive report in short order and on regular twenty pound paper.

And they could just start anywhere.

They could say for example that the real reasons the administration went to war was to wrest control of a large part of the worlds energy supply from someone who was unhinged – Saddam Hussein. They could add that while the spread of freedom and democracy would be a nice byproduct, permanent bases right in the middle of the region are a nice way to project power in that part of the world if need be.

They could say that the supply of oil from the Middle East directly affects our economy and the Administration wanted a modicum of influence over that supply. Unfortunately they might also add that Saddam could possibly have been a useful pawn in the area if that idea had ever occurred to anyone in the White House.

The Commission might find that the repeated calls from the Bush administration asking the Democrats to offer some plans or solutions for Iraqmire is basically crap. Many plans have been offered like that of the Iraq Study Group, or from various Congress People, but all have been rejected or ignored. I prefer my “Two Month Solution” which calls for telling all Arabs, Insurgents, and Allies that if the natives want us out of Iraq give us a two month truce to clean up, fix up, and set up all we can. Then we’re out.

What the ‘CC’ should strive for is the development of some useful dialogue. They might report that Iran is fomenting strife in Iraq to keep us pinned down, thus insulating itself from invasion They could also point out that our presence in Iraq makes Iran and Syria afraid of being invaded which also affects their pursuit of nuclear technology. They could admit that Pakistan and the Saudi’s are not the greatest of Allies but they’re all we’ve got. They all have their private agendas and staying in power is their number one motivation, followed closely by continuing to get along with the other Arab nations.

The administration could in turn admit that they didn’t really think we would be showered with confetti as liberators and that they understand the rest of the Middle East isn’t going to warmly receive democracy as it might not bode well for their Monarchies and Theocracies, but that they thought it was worth the risk.

Part of the report might disclose that the Shiites who are now in power are using that position to carry on a barely veiled war of vengeance against the previously ruling Sunnis who are carrying out their own attacks on Shiites for things they did yesterday in a spiral of retribution which we are now caught up in. The Report may even reflect how little we considered these tribes and their historical savagery and cultural influences before we invaded.

They could even start with a Glossary of Crap. Many know the term “War on Terror” is nothing but an ongoing attempt to continue to link the Iraq conflict with Al qaida and that America is no longer buying it. We also know that the phrase “Cut and Run” is crap because nobody wants to vacate and leave a power vacuum but many fear that the continuing carnage in Iraq may simply not be worth the cost for this administration to achieve their peace with honor. Even the term “insurgents” is considered by some to be intentionally misleading as it groups everyone into an Al Qaida type without ever noting that many, if not most, are Iraqi citizens incited to fight the occupation.

It might be found that going into Iraq with too small a force crippled the effort from the beginning despite the Vice Presidents assertions that everything was great, Rumy did a fantastic job, and all is now rosy. They might find that dismissing the entire Iraqi army and other Paul Bremmer bumbles hurt the effort. The CC might report that there were too many mistakes and miscalculations to number and all have hurt the chances for a victory, or that anything that could be called a victory would have had to have been achieved a few years ago and at this late date, with all the destruction and death that has occurred, no outcome could be termed a victory.

If the administration really thought that “Nothing could possibly go wrong” (the crap corollary) and failed to even consider that their fond visions might not exactly match reality it’s a clear case of extraordinarily crappy leadership. The CC might even find that if our leaders do not quickly begin to use diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to a close, or they begin to engage in other ventures, the only recourse might be direct indictment.

We could even say that the Commission is one based on the need to “Correct, Reappraise, And Perfect the American strategies in Iraq, but that would be crap too.

Max

The Two Month Solution

Ok. The President is going to send almost all of our remaining available troops into Iraq to try to salvage the unsalvageable. His legacy as the decider.

It doesn't matter that the American people are demanding a change of direction. Forget the definition we've all heard about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. This problem is beginning to look almost medical in nature.

Can we take that kind of chance? Put all of our eggs in one Middle Easern Basket in hopes of securing some kind of victory that only the Decider in Chief can envision?

Let's do this. Declare a national holiday that he hasn't heard about and pack him off to camp Dick or David, for two months.

We'll then tell all Iraqis and all the Middle East and the rest of the world that we need a two month cease fire. Two months to clean up, fix up, and set up all we can, and we're out.

The "insurgents" want us out and The Arab world wants us out so let them prove it by giving us two months. We could repair pipe lines, electrical grids, water supply lines, and schools, and get the hell out.

Just give us the two months.

This administration keeps proving that it has only one tool, the hammer, and they're gonna treat every problem like a nail. If we could get the Saudis and the rest to put pressure on the "insurgents" just long enough for us to prop up the billboards, we could call that a victory and GET THE HELL OUT. Syria and Iran keep supplying arms and fighters just to keep themselves safe so there's no end in sight. So, hey, give us two months. Then we'll bring the Decider back to Washington and say what a great job he did,,, until the hearings start..

max