James Baker To Propose 1) Cutting And Running Or 2) Cutting A Deal With Terrorists And Iran

His first suggestion -- the more palatable one -- is "Stability First."

In which he suggests we drop efforts to create a democracy in Iraq, and negotiate with "insurgents" and Syria and Iran to create this "stability."

I'm not especially big on democracy-- if it has to go, so be it. But what, precisely, does appeasing Al Qaeda have to do with that?

If we're going to dump democracy, why not create a vicious, authoritatrian, torturing-and-assassinating regime which we like and let it rule thuggishly over the country as Saddam did, only this time, the Sunnis would be the ones to be ethnically cleansed and murdered?

I don't see the linkage here.

James Baker is a 1) a foreign policy Kissingerian realist 2) an Arabist and 3) a long-time (quiet) opponent of the war.

So, take his recommendations -- 1, declare the war a failure and concede the country to terrorists, or 2, declare the war a failure and concede the country to terrorists -- with a grain of salt.

Put me, should it come to it, in the "we had to destroy the village in order to save it camp." Should the Sunni terrorists and Sadrists and Al Qaeda terrorists really begin to win widespread popular support, well, they chose their own fate. I'd rather see Iraq decimated and de-industrialized by serious bombing than have it become an Al Qaeda haven.

Push comes to shove, we're not for full, unlimited "self-determination." To an extent, yes. But if the Iraqis, or Afganis, chose to align with the terrorists -- the One No of US policy -- that is simply a dealbreaker and not something we can go along with peacefully.

We're not for "peace" with Al Qaeda, or Muslim terrorists generally. We can have "peace" anytime we want-- by surrendering to them (and surrendering, and surrendering, and surrendering -- because their demands will expand, not diminish). James Baker led a team of graybeard wisemen to tell us we can have "peace" the way we've always known we can have "peace" -- by simply learning to "coexist" with Al Qaeda.

No sale, James. You've been peddling this sort of foreign policy wisdom your whole career.

"Fuck the Jews. They didn't vote for us." -- James Baker, ca. the late 80's/early 90's

posted by Ace at 06:30 PM

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