What I Learned from Petraeus
In Part II of the Dog and Pony show held at the House Armed Services Committee, we learned that freedom and democracy are pretty hard to force down the throats of an occupied people.
September 2007 - Violence is up; we must stay.
April 2008 - Violence was down, but it seems to be going up again; we must stay.
September 2007 - There have been improvements, but we must stay to see the surge through.
April 2008 - The surge brought improvements, and some troops have left, but we must “pause” the draw-downs - which will leave more troops in Iraq than there was before the surge - and stay to see it through.
Hmmm…. Anyone else reminded of the theme song from the Shari Lewis/Lambchop show?
This is the song that never ends
Yes, it goes on and on, my friends
Some people started singing it
Not knowing what it was
And they’ll continue singing it
Forever just because
This the song that never ends …”
I also learned that “victory” in Iraq will consist of a country “at peace with itself and its neighbors”, able to defend itself, with a “reasonably representative” government that can care for its citizens.
Yeah, mull that over for a bit. Not one country in the Middle East could meet those standards, and neither could the US. Canada, maybe.
So the shorter Petraeus: We’re never leaving.
In other news: El Pollo Loco will announce a reduction in combat tour lengths, to twelve months.
This change will not go into effect until August, and will not apply to troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
