We'll Call it a Draw

When one sifts through Senator Chuck Hagel’s Op-Ed piece to the Washington Post (clearly written with an eye toward ‘08) entitled “Leaving Iraq, Honorably,” one will indeed find a call for withdrawal as well as some criticism against (presumably) the Bush Administration. Most of what remains, however, is nothing more an attempt to rewrite a palatable beginning and ending to this nightmare without regard to historical accuracy.

For instance, Hagel calls the reasons for going to war with Iraq “honorable,” and “part of the ongoing struggle against instability, brutality, intolerance, extremism, and terrorism.” He writes, and this may be the most striking example of self delusion in the editorial, “The United States can still extricate itself from an impending disaster in Iraq.”

Honorable intentions? Impending disaster?

Newsflash, Senator: We lost. It is too late to save our honor in regards to our actions in Iraq. It is too late to save the 600,000 plus dead Iraqis and nearly 3000 dead Americans. The best we can possibly hope for is to salvage some of our credibility as a nation through a speedy withdrawal, a sincere apology to the world, and to bring charges against those responsible for this insane war in the first place.

Behold, a Stance

The dividing line between political savvy and fence riding is a thin one. Consider Senator Barack Obama:

In June, Obama voted against both the McConnell and Feingold-Kerry amendments to S.2766, FY2007 Military Appropriations Bill. McConnell’s amendment would have set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq by the end of this year and the Feingold-Kerry amendment would have called for redeployment by July 2007.

Obama defended his votes by saying, “I share their frustrations but continue to be concerned about a date certain for a pullout.” Obama added that he didn’t want to limit the flexibility of Generals and Diplomats if we were “moving in the right direction.”

Then along came a mid-term election.

Obama now finds himself firmly entrenched in the “go home” camp. In a speech in Chicago on Monday Obama took aim at John McCain (and possibly signaled his intent to become a player in the ‘08 presidential election) saying, “While some have proposed escalating this war by adding thousands of more troops, there is little reason to believe that this will achieve [victory]."

"It's not clear that these troop levels are sustainable for a significant period of time, and according to our commanders on the ground, adding American forces will only relieve the Iraqis from doing more on their own."

Obama made the case for a phased redeployment to, “...send a clear message to the Iraqi factions that the U.S. is not going to hold together this country indefinitely -- that it will be up to them to form a viable government that can effectively run and secure Iraq."

"There have been too many speeches. There have been too many excuses. There have been too many flag-draped coffins, and there have been too many heartbroken families," he added.

And there have been too many gutless politicians. Thank you voters. Again.

It Depends on What Your Definition of "Disaster" is

"This could be a true disaster for the Iraqi people."

--White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, upon hearing that the dems have begun calling for a phased withdrawal of American and, presumably, allied troops from Iraq within four to six months.

Curious. And the 600,000 or so dead Iraqis since their "liberation" doesn't qualify?