Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Bush Wants A Czar For Iraq/Afghanistan

This guy is truly out of his mind. The latest act is pure desperation for which the only purpose is a cheap PR stunt. A "War Czar" would be meant to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and direct the operations. Two big problems come into immediate focus. One is that there are already people in charge at the the Defense and State Departments. The other is that no one wants the job, since it can only end in failure and add a bad mark to whomever foolishly takes the position.

From The Washington Post:

At least three retired four-star generals approached by the White House in recent weeks have declined to be considered for the position, the sources said, underscoring the administration's difficulty in enlisting its top recruits to join the team after five years of warfare that have taxed the United States and its military.

"The very fundamental issue is, they don't know where the hell they're going," said retired Marine Gen. John J. "Jack" Sheehan, a former top NATO commander who was among those rejecting the job. Sheehan said he believes that Vice President Cheney and his hawkish allies remain more powerful within the administration than pragmatists looking for a way out of Iraq. "So rather than go over there, develop an ulcer and eventually leave, I said, 'No, thanks,' " he said.


Good choice General Sheehan, you are absolutely right that they have no idea where they are going and what the hell they are doing at the moment for that matter. Nothing is going to solve the quagmire we are in as long as it is a military solution. What we need to do is get out of there as fast as we can and then try diplomatic solutions. Though at this point if I was an Iraqi I'd prefer another country to preside over any kind of negotiations. The U.S. has zero credibility in the region, thanks to Mr. you-know-who.