NYT Krugman: Staying What Course? (Downing Street Memo)

[sabra]

Excellent piece!

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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/16/opinion/16krugman.html?hp

Staying What Course?

By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: May 16, 2005

Is there any point, now that November's election is behind us, in revisiting the history of the Iraq war? Yes: any path out of the quagmire will be blocked by people who call their opponents weak on national security, and portray themselves as tough guys who will keep America safe. So it's important to understand how the tough guys made America weak.

There has been notably little U.S. coverage of the "Downing Street memo" - actually the minutes of a British prime minister's meeting on July 23, 2002, during which officials reported on talks with the Bush administration about Iraq. But the memo, which was leaked to The Times of London during the British election campaign, confirms what apologists for the war have always denied: the Bush administration cooked up a case for a war it wanted.

Here's a sample: "Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and W.M.D. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."


(You can read the whole thing at www.downingstreetmemo.com.)

....

At this point, the echoes of Vietnam are unmistakable. Reports from the recent offensive near the Syrian border sound just like those from a 1960's search-and-destroy mission, body count and all. Stories filed by reporters actually with the troops suggest that the insurgents, forewarned, mostly melted away, accepting battle only where and when they chose.

....

So we need to get beyond the clichés - please, no more "pottery barn principles" or "staying the course." I'm not advocating an immediate pullout, but we have to tell the Iraqi government that our stay is time-limited, and that it has to find a way to take care of itself. The point is that something has to give. We either need a much bigger army - which means a draft - or we need to find a way out of Iraq.

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[henslee]

1. A kick for Kruggie, Sabra. This needs to get out there.

[sundancekid]

2. was discussing "echos of vietnam" with a friend just a few minutes ago ...

plus, has anyone else seen/heard the Levin quote below about "Washington would have to rethink..." in any other source???

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=164812
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Two senior senators, one Democratic and one Republican, said over the weekend that only about one-quarter of the 168,000 Iraqi troops currently being trained are able "or willing" to fight.

The outcome of the political process will also make a difference, one way or another, according to Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan.

Levin said if Iraqis fail to write a constitution, elect a new government and develop reliable security forces by early next year, Washington would have to rethink its commitment to Iraq.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, agreed.

The writer is an Arab journalist based in Washington

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. ABC "This Week" (a week ago, now)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=739284&page=2

[LeftCoast]

3. Recommended!

And a :kick: too! :)

[Poiuyt]

4. Well, maybe he's not recommending an immediate pullout, but I am

[sabra]

5. kick for the morning crew...

[Coexist]

6. kick

[NewJeffCT]

7. One of the best writers out there

He is always "on the money" when it comes to economic issues, and is pretty damng good on other things, too.

[sabra]

8. Free copies of NYT - being passed out in downtown Chicago

more exposure....

[newportdadde]

10. Krugman is a good read

I need to get check out his recent book.

[Individualist]

11. Bravo Krugman - again!

I'm so grateful Krugman refuses to be intimidated by the reich wing. Truth to power!

[Melodybe]

12. I love Paul Krugman!

What a great American!

:patriot: