Barack Obama's debate strategy of portraying the Bush administration as a complete failure is running into one big problem: Bush's Iraq policy appears to be succeeding. How embarrassing! Well, at least the Democrats can try to make sure that no one finds out about this.
During his foreign trip, Obama tried to take advantage of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's statement that America should work out a withdrawal plan for Iraq. Obama triumphantly declared that now is the time for Iraqis to work out their own destiny. Obama failed to mention, however, that if he had been president, Iraq would still be ruled by Saddam Hussein. The only destiny that Obama would have consigned Iraq to is oppression, torture, and mass graves.
To understand what is going on in Iraq, we must distinguish between two approaches: the Bush doctrine and the Reagan doctrine. Unlike the Bush doctrine--which seemed to require invasion and occupation--the Reagan doctrine was one of assisted non-intervention. Reagan believed that people in foreign countries should fight for their own freedom. We do not fight for them. But if they are willing to fight, we are willing to help. And so in Afghanistan, in Nicaragua, in Angola and to some extent in Ethiopia, Reagan supported rebels who sought liberation from Marxist tyranny. For intance, Reagan supplied Stinger missiles to the Afghani mujaheedin who were fighting to repel the Soviet invasion of that country. Reagan did not, however, send large numbers of American troops to Afghanistan.
Now in Bush's defense it should be said that the Reagan doctrine could not have worked in Iraq. Unlike in Afghanistan, which the mujaheedin turned into a Soviet "bleeding wound," there was no Iraqi resistance that could substantially threaten Saddam Hussein. Bush's choice was either for America to get rid of Hussein, or to leave Hussein in power. But from the beginning the administration understood that, even in Iraq, over time the Bush doctrine must metamorphose into the Reagan doctrine.
It has taken longer than expected. But that's because Saddam's Baathist minority--let's call them the Saddamites--ran not only the government but the entire society. So it has been quite a process to train a Shia elected government to learn to govern a nation in which they were victimized for a quarter century. Slowly, however, the Iraqis have been rising to the task, assisted by able U.S. forces under the competent leadership of General Petraeus.
So now, finally, Iraqis are getting to the position where they can defend their own country and fight for their own freedom. This is what "success" means in Iraq: not the end of the insurgency, or the end of terrorism, but a situation in which Iraqis take the helm and America moves into a supporting role. Of course America is going to get out of Iraq. The only question is whether we will leave recklessly, precipituously, with the risk of escalating violence and chaos and perhaps even a return of the Saddamites. This seems to be the approach the Obama Democrats want. The other option is to leave cautiously, deliberately, in a way that leaves Iraq a self-governing society, the only pro-American Muslim democracy in the Middle East.
Postscript: Due to internal re-organization at AOL, it seems that this and other blogs are going to be suspended effective the end of this month. The blogs we have posted will still be online, but no new blogs will be posted. What a pity, especially as the election debate is heating up. I have enjoyed doing this blog and I want to thank my readers--yes, even the Dineshophobic atheists--for checking in and posting comments. (Sometimes I wonder if some of you atheists who post several times a day have regular jobs.)
AOL has informed me that the company is hiring a new blog manager and I will be negotiating the resumption of this blog--perhaps in a new format--with that person. This however could take a month or two. In the meantime look for my columns each Monday on Townhall.com and also consult my website dineshdsouza.com for forthcoming speaking events and updates.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 966)
31. Hays:
I'd respond but I've got a life outside this blog and shit to do. It's Saturday night. I'm getting a beer.
kulari94 at 10:01PM on Sep 27th 2008
32. Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody...
Looks like Georgia is trying to make a comeback on Alabama. Down 31 to zip at the half... they're within two scores now. 14 minutes to go.
If they keep going it'll remind me of when my Seminoles came back on the Gators back in '94! Ah, the Great Tie. Spurrier never could win in Tallahassee.
torquemada at 10:12PM on Sep 27th 2008
33. ATHIEST-
the best part about denish is that he's catholic and was raised by jesuits.
the worst part is that he turned away from the one true religion to become a prostitute for heretical protestant republicans who will all burn in hell with martin luther.
dinesh knows this to be true.
Louis IX KingofFrance at 10:33PM on Sep 27th 2008
34. kulari94; We can only assume from the quality of your posts and the 94 in your name that you are 14 years old. You shouldn't be drinking beer.
Ryan Anderson at 11:28PM on Sep 27th 2008
35. To attack Dinesh's ethnic heritage because you disagree with him politically is reprehensible and you know it.
xx
if he were a Thugee and strangled people for Kali, I would be offended at his culture. If he cooked black spiders into dumplings to feed his enemies for power, I'd not like that americanized East African practice either.
That he carries caste divisiveness into a free country and tries to give it root here is reprehensible.
You know our history of slavery and class hatred and many of us, I hope most of us would like to leave it behind us and not have it looming in the foreground in this century, thank you.
We are a diverse nation, but I have a long standing loathing for bigots, bullies al and demagogues for bigotry, and this roach is a poster insect for them all.
I don't respect people who try to use religion as a weapon or a tool of subjugation, and that's his only trick.
Clif Kuplen at 11:34PM on Sep 27th 2008
36. "..pro-American Muslim democracy in the Middle East."
ROTFLMFAO!
D'Souza, ... wait, ROTFLMFAO!.. you.. wait..ROTFLMFAO!.. you're a funny guy!
ROTFLMFAO!.. ROTFLMFAO!.. ROTFLMFAO!
not-pboyfloyd at 11:35PM on Sep 27th 2008
37. Notice how Cliff is never the bully or the bigot. He can say absolutely whatever he wants about somebody's race, national origin or faith and that's always OK and is never mean-spirited or prejudiced. And amateur psychoanalysis is also provided free of charge. (Please bring your own couch. The Doctor is in.)
Dave at 12:36AM on Sep 28th 2008
38. I don't hear it that way, Dave. Clif is no bigot. Which of course calls into question your judgement and motives.
Perhaps it's vocabulary-envy? Or a clarity phobia? Take two placebos and never call me again.
Saint Brian the Godless at 1:47AM on Sep 28th 2008
39. Dinesh has continued to assert the ridiculous right along with the reasonable. To say that Reagan's doctrine worked, in the long term, is foolish.
I'm sure that many here will be reminded almost immediately that Osama bin Laden (sp?) was one of those mujahideen.
The American government, not just Republicans, has a history of interference in other countries, most of which have not turned out well.
oneblood at 2:05AM on Sep 28th 2008
40. That was good Saint Brian The Godless. The main reason that I have been reading this blog for approx. 1 year is because it is very entertaining. No, sorry, it's because William Hays is truly FASCINATING!
Maggie Cash
Moder8 mag at 3:59AM on Sep 28th 2008
41. Once again, I really enjoy reading the "comments" on this blog. I, especially, agree with William Hays. I'm a bit burned out on 'playing nice' to dimwits. Maggie Cash
Moder8 mag at 4:10AM on Sep 28th 2008
42. 40. Once again, I really enjoy reading the "comments" on this blog. I, especially, agree with William Hays. I'm a bit burned out on 'playing nice' to dimwits. Maggie Cash
Moder8 mag at 4:10AM on Sep 28th
------------------------------
The feeling is mutual nitwit.
Observant at 8:45AM on Sep 28th 2008
43. Observant; you may not like his style, but you have to admit that nearly everything William Hays says about the Christianity and it's origins is true.
Ryan Anderson at 8:55AM on Sep 28th 2008
44. To attack Dinesh's ethnic heritage because you disagree with him politically is reprehensible and you know it.
kulari94
xxx
You can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy. That's all they're saying. It's silly not to think otherwise.
Tim at 10:27AM on Sep 28th 2008
45. Dinesh,
This is another good blog post from you, explaining the Reagan and Bush doctrinal differences concerning war. I consider myself schooled by an expert, after reading your blog today.
That is too bad that you are suspending your blog activity. Did you know that it is relatively easy to operate your own blog, without AOL hosting it? There are many sites that offer the mechanical web functioning of a blogger and comments, which is not too hard to do. The hard part is getting web surfers to show up, read your blog, and post comments, which you have no trouble doing.
If and when you do return, I might suggest that you consider a slightly more stringent monitoring of comments left. It is great to have dissenting opinions, but if anybody insists on foul language, or turns your blog into their personal message boards to talk to each other, I think you should consider banning them from participation. Everybody should use, not abuse, the Dinesh blog.
I will miss seeing your blog throughout the week, it had become a regular part of my day, to see if Dinesh had posted anything new. I hope that you are back and blogging soon!
[c:
Rev 3:16 at 11:08AM on Sep 28th 2008