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 906 of 980)
13576. Evolution buffs:
It occurs to me that the trait of "Being a great liar and a self-centered evil prick who will do anything to get ahead" must be highly favored in nature. I would imagine it to be a huge survival-plus-factor. So there's a lot to overcome here. Our base nature is inherent and hard-wired.
Discuss. :-)
Saint Brian the Godless at 3:31PM on Nov 8th 2009
13577. Brian, well, that's ONE way to silence your fellow prick-friends here ;~)
MI at 9:30PM on Nov 9th 2009
13578. you know brian, i think the show "survivor" demonstrates that very well. the person who manipulates the most wins. and we reward them for it. very sad.
something danny and i were discussing the other day is how the least intelligent people have the most children.
that too is very sad...
Richelle at 10:22PM on Nov 9th 2009
13579. MI, must you always be such a shitty person? Does someone have a gun to your head?
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:21PM on Nov 9th 2009
13580. something danny and i were discussing the other day is how the least intelligent people have the most children.
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Well, if you haven't seen the movie "Idiocracy" you should. That's basically the plot.
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:24PM on Nov 9th 2009
13581. danny has seen it and he actually brought it up during our little convo. it was on tv the other day but he told me it was dumb so we didn't watch it.
Richelle at 8:35AM on Nov 10th 2009
13582. Brian: I don't know where, from anything I've written over the years, that you conclude I'm in favor of anyone dying before their time. (*Fanman, sorry I missed Botts calling you a fascist. He's right of course; I mean, anyone in favor of 45,000 people a year dying like you are is pretty pathetic*). It's just that, well, I live in Canada, a country with a bankrupt national healthcare disaster, which may be exactly where your country is headed. It's actually laughable right now as various gov't. agencies fumble the H1N1 ball. Doctors last night on CBC, the vaunted gov't. sponsored news agency, reported that H1N1 has peaked and is tapering off now, long before most will have a chance to get in an endless queue for the vaccine. But, professional athletes, wealthy hospital donors, celebrities and others with connections, managed to jump the queue. Me, I'll just sit this one out, secure in the knowledge that, when my time comes, whether from H1N1, or a Mack truck, or old age, I'll wake up in the arms of Jesus, secure for eternity.
fanman at 10:55AM on Nov 10th 2009
13583. Me, I'll just sit this one out, secure in the knowledge that, when my time comes, whether from H1N1, or a Mack truck, or old age, I'll wake up in the arms of Jesus, secure for eternity.
fanman at 10:55AM on Nov 10th 2009
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Yes, delusions are very comforting, I know. I'm just too darned focused on what is true to take that route. In ignorance is bliss, but not for me.
If canada's health care system is so broken then why does it totally outrank us in life expectancy? We're like thirtieth in the world and they're fifth, last time I checked.
It must save a lot more poor, insignificant people that you're not counting.
:-)
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:27AM on Nov 10th 2009
13584. fanman; carful; the flu may have peaked, but not gone away; the medical community's expecting a worse second round of it. The mist is the way to go; not the actual shot. (I think you can read imbetween the lines here as I'm agreeing with your post).
Brian, are you counting all of the Canadians who travel to the US for life-saving treatment OR NOT?
Because that could skew the stats just a tad. And, don't confuse a few people living longer with many people dying younger from lack of treatment (due to lack of funds to travel to the US for the proper care).
Unless, you too, pefer a few elite living longer at the expense of so many other deceased....
MI at 1:22PM on Nov 10th 2009
13585. Relax, Brian, I was not including you in the prick-friends statement. In fact, your statement was a decent one, coming from a compassionate and loving heart. I would not expect that any of your "friends" would have taken up the discussion as the atheistic/agnostic position is and always has been the survival of the self-centered, narcissistic, population-hating, flesh-worshipping "fittest" (meaning themselves!) ---- and certainly ---- would not expect any of them to admit to the fact that, as you say, there's alot to overcome -- because, surely, they'd not be willing to change their ways.
In fact, I'm surprised none of them are accusing you of having some sort of a religious view here as overcoming our human nature is at the very heart of many, many religions.
So, relax, I was laughing with you and not at you. I just figured you could have gotten that...
MI at 1:22PM on Nov 10th 2009
13586. fanman: don't worry about Brian.
He's totally ignoring all of those Canadian doctors who come down here to work and who say that the system in Canada is totally shoddy.
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Brian: Does someone have a gun to your head?
Saint Brian the Godless at 11:21PM on Nov 9th 2009
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Nah, I'm not into Chicago-style politics.
________________________
HERE'S A CONVERSATION-STARTER:
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks..
Separately, Rudd angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote:
'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT.. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. '
'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'
'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!'
'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'
'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'
'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'
'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, WE will find the courage to start speaking and voicing the same truths.
MI at 1:33PM on Nov 10th 2009
13587. MI, the average atheist, including all present here, is infinitely more compassionate than you are, or the average christian for that matter. My 'prick friends' are a lot better than your assholish self. As to 'survival of the fittest' it's become the hypochrist credo lately, as in, as long as it is them and their families that are doing all the surviving, and the poor are the ones doing all the dying off. You people are the real, actual 'social darwinists,' literally not giving one good shit for anybody not directly connected to you, always being greedy with resources, and wanting your descendents to prosper even if all others wilt and die.
Your so-called morality is the kind that is easily perverted toward evil ends. It's the people like you, the self-righteous ones, that always do the worst things in this world. That's because they always 'know' that they're right and everyone else is wrong. It's the hubris. It's the insane pride that allows you to not have any morality to speak of and yet to still believe that you're more moral than anyone else.
Saint Brian the Godless at 2:59PM on Nov 10th 2009
13588. As to it being "OUR COUNTRY" (the australian post above) I've heard that for a long time right here in the USA, always from the christian right. 'It's OUR COUNTRY and you can leave it if you don't like it, etc.' This of course misdefines the word "OUR" completely. This country doesn't belong to and never belonged to any group or subgroup, it has always belonged to all of us, including deists, jews, muslims, atheists, and any other faith that happens to live here. We're a country composed of immigrants. That's what we're made of in the first place. Our religion doesn't define us. Our common belief in real freedom is what defines us if anything dies, and irnoically you're not on board with that one. You're the unamerican one here, lol.
And thus, since it's my country too, why don't YOU get the hell out of it if you don't like it? Because it's changing as do all things, and I like the changes just fine, and since you don't, just fucking leave it and move to australia or wherever they have more people as dumb as you are. Found your own country of Dumbfuckistan if you wish. Texas is a nice, flat place to do it, and the governor is already on board with it.
Do it. Do it now. Just go, and take all your evil works and your evil seed with you. We don't need you. Nobody needs ignorance, fear, and stupidity. You're just a drag on the progress of this country, and for that matter, of mankind in general.
Have a nice day, bubby.
Saint Brian the Godless at 3:24PM on Nov 10th 2009
13589. I see this from the outside, so what I'm seeing is a religious group deciding that it owns this country and assumes that everyone else is okay with that. What insane pride. Christianity always seeks to conquer and own everything, but you're not going to do it here. You got close there for a while, with all your dominionists in government and a vapid religious dickhead in the oval office, but that's as close as you're ever going to get.
The only real sin in a truly free society (which we are not yet, btw, but we claim to be) is to infringe on the freedom of others. If you are doing that due to your religion, then you've chosen your religion OVER living in a truly free society. Which you do consciously anyhow. You want to be free to dictate to others how they should live. Too funny. That's real freedom to you mangy morally myopic mouthbreathers. The freedom to enslave.
Saint Brian the Godless at 3:43PM on Nov 10th 2009
13590. Canadians are going everywhere for healthcare now. Seems like Malaysia & India are healthcare hotspots. Fortunately, our existing Conservative gov't. is working hard to open private clinics, where, at least those dollars spent by the wealthy for healthcare, will be kept in our own economy. This of course will free up tax revenue to provide more care for those not as fortunate and free up space in unpaid facilities for the more needy. It is difficult under current minority gov't. conditions for the conservative party to get much done, but little by little, people are smelling the coffee. What exactly is uncompassionate about that? Is it better to provide almost no care, with no accountability and no hope for improvement in the bureaucrat-choked medical environment we now find ourselves?
fanman at 3:52PM on Nov 10th 2009