Game Over
The endless election just ended. Barack Obama won.
One vote was cast. That vote belonged to Nouri al Maliki. The elected head of the Iraqi government we are committed to sustaining says:
"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."
Thank you and good night, ladies and gentlemen.
John McCain has exactly two issues: drilling for oil in Santa Barbara, and Iraq. On the economy he's got nothing. On Afghanistan he's playing catch-up with Obama. On health care, zip.
He's got Iraq. And by "Iraq," I mean that he's got the argument that Obama's plan for a withdrawal from Iraq means the end of all the progress we've made there. Progress personified by. . . wait for it . . . the democratically-elected government of Iraq.
Which backs McCain's opponent.
Asked if he supports Obama, Maliki demurred, not wishing to intrude in US politics. And then said:
"Whoever is thinking about the shorter term is closer to reality. Artificially extending the stay of U.S. troops would cause problems."
"Whoever is thinking . .." Gee, I wonder who that would be? And, then Maliki reduces McCain's political raison d'etre to a neurosis, to an immature inability to cope with reality:
"The Americans have found it difficult to agree on a concrete timetable for the exit because it seems like an admission of defeat to them. But it isn't."
It's really quite staggering. I don't know that I've ever seen anything quite like this before.
How does John McCain debate Obama on Iraq now? Does he argue that the Democrat who agrees with the democratically-elected government of Iraq is a danger to the democratically-elected government of Iraq? Or does he pretend Maliki's opinion doesn't matter because what the hell would Maliki know, which contradicts the core of the "We're winning! We're finally winning!" narrative?
Either Iraq's government is a sham, in which case we are wasting our time there and our accomplishments in Iraq are an illusion. Or Maliki's government matters, in which case Obama's right: tick-tock, time to go.
This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on
Saturday, July 19, 2008.
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2:02 AM
Maliki is now claiming it was a mistranslation.
http://tinyurl.com/oopsies
9:06 PM
I'm not sure Maliki fully understands the American political system. The Americans are itching for a withdrawl. McCain and the Republicans want a withdrawl. They just want it to come with dignity. The angry left wants to see the US humilitated. By saying this he may have given the Americans the opening they need to declare victory and leave. Such a situation would mean that Maliki would either cede de facto control to Iran or face the risk of death. Perhaps he wants to be the governor of an Iranian colony. If this is so, he and his government should be destroyed. Iran is a major threat to the United States and should not be allowed to expand its influence.
Of course Maliki is claiming he was mistranslated. This is likely correct.
9:17 PM
"...seem like an admission of defeat to them but it isn't." If he was not mistranslated and he's serious, he's given the Americans the space they need to began an honorable withdrawl. The Bush Administration, Republicans, and the anti-American left want a US withdrawl from Iraq. The difference is the Bush Administration and Republcans want it to be honorable and the anti-American left would like to see America humiliated. If Maliki really said this, the stance of McCain on Iraq will likely undergo a complete change because of new facts on the ground. In other words, Iraq becomes a non issue.
Unfortunately for both McCain and Obama Maliki was probably mistranslated. This means not much changes.
Finally, if there's oil to be found in Santa Barbara or even the possibility of finding oil there we should begin drilling there immediately. In fact, we should have begin drilling there long ago.
The US should have done the following immediately after 911 and should begin doing these things now. 1.)Begin drilling for oil off of the coasts and in ANWR. 2.) Build more refineries. 3.) Expand nuclear power. 4.)Invest heavily in coal to oil technologies. 5.) Seucre the northern and southern borders.
6.) Closely monitor the mosques.
7.) Place a moratorium on immigaration from all Moslem countries.
Doing these seven things would have had greater utility for American national security than invading Iraq or Afghanistan would have had.