tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post3861146008763464543..comments2024-03-26T05:18:53.709-04:00Comments on Pen and Sword: Iraq: Lugar Lobs a LoogieJeff Huberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-24490704270604725472007-07-24T23:52:00.000-04:002007-07-24T23:52:00.000-04:00Kook libKook libAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-14855427305249640172007-06-28T10:06:00.000-04:002007-06-28T10:06:00.000-04:00"The spit could hit the fan any day now". When it ..."The spit could hit the fan any day now". When it lands in Presnits eye we can say "Mission Accomplished!"MandThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14561334713342973568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-5463782593214874582007-06-28T09:28:00.000-04:002007-06-28T09:28:00.000-04:00Jeff and DEF, Yeah, that article was nice to find....Jeff and DEF, <BR/><BR/>Yeah, that article was nice to find. Every day I see more evidence that Petraeus is more show than substance. <BR/><BR/>JHJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-68583101961652944272007-06-28T09:12:00.000-04:002007-06-28T09:12:00.000-04:00Great catch on that Petraeus article, sir.Been say...Great catch on that Petraeus article, sir.<BR/><BR/>Been saying it for awhile, and still say it: we'll have enough of a drawdown to make some really nice homecoming parade footage around -- and just in time for! -- 9/11/08.<BR/><BR/>Who's gonna be the first to elbow their way in to march with our heroic troops? McCain? Romney? Picture them standing at attention, saluting... sorry, didn't mean to get all emotional (sniff)...!Jeff (no, the other one)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04030611459552848949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-88918704396172291252007-06-28T09:00:00.000-04:002007-06-28T09:00:00.000-04:00Great catch on that article, Jeff. There certainl...Great catch on that article, Jeff. There certainly should be some liar liar pants on fire in the Petraeus camp right now. And how about that surge,huh? Working really good--it is looking up on the banks of the Tigres--especially from the twenty headless bodies that the Sunnis--I mean Al Qaeda--deposited there this morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-34284422249005096092007-06-27T20:17:00.000-04:002007-06-27T20:17:00.000-04:00I wish it were otherwise. Put us down at 30,000; r...I wish it were otherwise. <BR/><BR/>Put us down at 30,000; radically pare and focus the mission; put it on a short time line. After that, work's gonna have to be done out of the embassy, consular offices, and field stations, or not at all - as in most every other damn place. I'd applaud.<BR/><BR/>The administration does not want to do this, but they'll get nothing for the alternative - the surge - which cannot be capitalized on anywhere absent political reconciliation and accommodation. Blood, sweat, and tears for zip, zilch, nada, squat.<BR/><BR/>And all those "al Qaeda"? I swear we've killed more in a week in Diyala than we ever would going large for seven days in Waziristan - which oughta tell people something. It's part blind police call, part PR stunt.<BR/><BR/>Not normally a cynical person, I'd very much like to be given a reason not to be.<BR/><BR/>Never in my days a peacenik, I'm certainly given a mind to be.<BR/><BR/>Jeane Kirkpatrick and Milton Friedman were right: There was no decent excuse for this.trishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14139410627244875589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-59968225852854623442007-06-27T13:51:00.000-04:002007-06-27T13:51:00.000-04:00I think you're right, Trish. Hell or high water.I think you're right, Trish. Hell or high water.Jeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-25625825554252111122007-06-27T13:48:00.000-04:002007-06-27T13:48:00.000-04:00Lugar interview, from NPR's Morning Edition: Gi...Lugar interview, from NPR's Morning Edition:<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/> Given what you said, the next time there is an opportunity for you to vote on the war, would you be a vote against the war?<BR/><BR/> I'm not going to have a vote for or against the war, at least I don't conceive of how this would occur. Most likely debate will occur once again when we take up money for the troops, for the prosecution of Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. I think the majority of the Senate, regardless of how they feel about the prosecution of the war, are not about to cut off funds that would jeopardize our troops in any way. That will be probably an overlying proposition.<BR/><BR/> Which sounds like you're saying that this is not going to change your vote.<BR/><BR/> Not with regard to support of the troops. I'm going to vote for the authorization and the appropriations. But there are many, many ways in which the Congress ultimately can influence even the president with regard to this war and we'll have to think through the most appropriate one.<BR/><BR/> Give me one — before we let you go — one thing that Congress can do.<BR/><BR/> Well, Congress could offer at minimum Sense of the Senate resolutions. They do not have the effect of law, but they clearly indicate how the country feels through its representatives. And that we really have not come to do simply because we have not really wanted to be ambiguous as a nation with regard to our foreign policy.<BR/><BR/> There have been amendments offered that we would demand the Iraqis meet certain benchmarks of activities, but they are pointing out to us this is inconceivable. Before we have these arbitrary resolutions, we really need to have a very serious dialogue as to what is doable and would bring about safety for everybody involved.<BR/><BR/>**********************************<BR/><BR/>What matters now is April, when we'll withdraw a handful or go to 18-month rotations. <BR/><BR/>They WILL string this out til 09, come hell and high water.trishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14139410627244875589noreply@blogger.com