Who to blame?

[billvon 2,463]

That's going to become a bigger issue as the Iraq war becomes more and more of an obvious blunder. After the latest escalation fails, many people's political futures (and more significantly, many people's egos) will be tied to their ability to blame someone else for their poor decisions and their support of a failed strategy.

So far we have:

Blame the troops. From Sen. McCain's comments to outgoing Gen. Casey:
"I do question some of the decisions, the judgments you've made over the past two and a half years. During that time things have gotten markedly and progressively worse. . .
I question seriously the judgment was that was employed in your execution of your responsibilities in Iraq. And we have paid a very, very heavy price in American blood and treasure because of what is now agreed to by literally everyone as a failed policy."

Blame the Iraqis. NIE conclusion:
"Even if violence is diminished, given the current winner-take-all attitude and sectarian animosities infecting the political scene, Iraqi leaders will be hard pressed to achieve sustained political reconciliation in the time frame (the next 12 to 18 months) of this estimate"

Stephen Hadley:
"We would emphasize the 'hard-pressed,' because we will be pressing them hard and the Iraqi people will be pressing the government hard."

Paul Mirgenoff, conservative apologist:
"Unfortunately, though, more was required of the Iraqi people than just voting. The situation called on them to elect leaders who would work in good faith for national reconciliation, rather than tilting substantially in the direction of one sectarian faction. The Iraqis failed to do this when they voted in the Shia-militia-friendly Maliki government, thereby making it difficult, if not impossible, for the U.S. to work with the current government to curb sectarian violence. The Iraqis, of course, are not the first people to make a very bad decision at the polls." (The last sentence there is somewhat ironic.)

Blame critics of the war. Robert Gates:
"A resolution that, in effect, says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries. . .
It seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks."

And of course, the most popular one - blame the democrats. David Brooks:
"If the Democrats don’t like the U.S. policy on Iraq over the next six months, they have themselves partly to blame. There were millions of disaffected Republicans and independents ready to coalesce around some alternative way forward, but the Democrats never came up with anything remotely serious."

I haven't heard anyone blame the "terrorists" in Boston for enabling Al Qaeda, but that might well be a good option if the above options do not suit.

It's getting to be time to choose a position. Eventually even the most die-hard kill-em-all type is going to have to admit that the war isn't working, and at that point they will need a scapegoat if they don't want to admit it was a mistake. Fortunately there are a lot of options out there.

[Gawain 0]

Quote

Who to blame?

I think blame is the least important facet about this whole thing. History will prove to be the very best judge in this campaign.

I would like it if everyone stopped the blame game, and presented their own solutions without regard for the politics involved.

Instead, we have people feeding right in to these conclusions, like the ones you posted.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[unformed 0]

Bill Clinton.

If he wasn't so goddamn busy lying about getting a blowjob when he should've been taking care of the civil war in Iraq, we surely wouldn't be having this problem right now.

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[nathaniel 0]

I blame

1- the Allied Powers of WWI for wrecking the Ottomans and not putting them back together
2- Ghazi for instigating the modern culture of uncoordinated sectarian violence in Iraq
3- the Allies in WWII for not fixing things when they had the chance

My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

[unformed 0]

Fuck it. Let's blame Mohammad for not teaching them properly.

No, wait. the angel Gabriel for not properly briefing Mohammad.

Actually...God .... for not properly briefing the angel Gabriel on how to brief Mohammad about how to teach his people about not causing a civil war.

Yeah. It's all God's fault. Let's sue the fucker!

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[FrancoR 0]

I think in a democracy the basic decisioin making is done by the people of that country, right? The circumstances where clear before the war was started, the US was probalby the only country that got a majority to approve the war and that was even approved again by voting for that same president again. Wo really thought it was possible to establish a democracy in Iraq?

Sorry, sometimes people should really have a look at what their part in the whole thing is. It's a demacracy, the people decide, the people take responibility and if you don't vote you still are responible because you have a choice.

Franco

If it does not cost anything you are the product.

[rhys 0]

Blame Canada, Blame Canada.......

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[crwtom 0]

Quote

I think blame is the least important facet about this whole thing. History will prove to be the very best judge in this campaign.

four years is not a short time - long term ramifications have already
evolved and "history" is already in the process of being written.

... and it doesn't look pretty ....


Cheers, T

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Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true