Friedman: Time has come for the U.S. to sup with the devil

[Barrett808]

There is an old proverb that says, “If you’re going to sup with the devil, use a long spoon.” Does the White House pantry have any long spoons? I ask because if President Bush really wants to achieve his objectives in Iraq, he may have to sup a little with Yasser Arafat, the Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and Syria’s president, Bashar Asad.

First, let me state my own bias: Iraq is the whole ball game. If we can produce a reasonably decent, constitutionally grounded Iraqi government, good things will happen all around the Middle East. If Iraq turns into a quagmire, it will be a disaster for U.S. interests all around the world. So, for me, everything should be focused on getting Iraq on the right path.

Which is why we may need to let some of the Axis of Evil out on parole — or at least out on work-release. We can’t allow the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to spread into an Israeli-Syrian-Shiite-Hezbollah conflict. It would greatly complicate the ability of Iraqis to work openly with us and would greatly enhance the ability of anti-U.S. forces in Iraq to mobilize militants.

(more)

http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/6986915.htm

[realFedUp]

1. Dupe thread

Those different headlines can confuse...but
Friedman is still Friedman

See original post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=15667

[teryang]

2. I'm making an exception to my rule

...not to comment on Friedman.

My reason for doing so is only that he admitted the truth only to gain credibility for his non starter proposals.

<But every military strategy Ariel Sharon has tried has failed.>

This is his false flag strategy. He tries to earn credibility. He has none.

Friedman wanted war and occupation in Iraq. He got it. He repeats the utopian neo con propaganda mantra about the Iraq strategy. Iraq won't turn into a quagmire, it is a quagmire due to our policies and invasion. The war there is still ongoing. Opportunities in which a sovereign Iraq is friendly to the west are pie in sky wishful thinking and any semblance thereof will only be virtual realities projected onto gullible taxpayers and voters. The projection now is a potemkin village viewed from the Centcom briefing room or a helocopter gunship only for pliable journalists who want to keep their pens. The projection of "progress" is interrupted by gunfire, explosions, and death every day on the ground. Similar to the security situation in Lebanon and Israel. Should Iraq somehow ever regain its sovereignty in spite of American policy to deny it, they would of necessity be opposed to American Israeli policies.

He is also wrong about Iran. Iran has Russian backing for its nuclear power efforts and is not going to be diverted by external foreign influences and threats, now that it has a Russian commitment. Should reforms occur this will not result in a favorable view of the belligerent occupying Army next door nor the threats to bomb it by Israel.

As far as the entire region from the Levant to the Persian gulf becoming engulfed in chaos, that would be the result of any attempt to invade or have a regime change in Syria. The fact that the Americans have significantly increased the area engrossed in chaos is the result of expert exhortations of those such as Friedman.