NYT John Burns: U.S. Effort In Iraq Will Likely Fail

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002157326

A day after returning to the U.S., after another long term as bureau chief in Baghdad, John F. Burns of The New York Times said on Bill Maher's live Friday night HBO program that he now feels, for the first time, that the American effort in Iraq will likely "fail."

Asked if a civil war was developing there, Burns said, "It's always been a civil war," adding that it's just a matter of extent. He said the current U.S. leaders there--military and diplomatic--were doing their best but sectarian differences would "probably" doom the enterprise.

Burns said that he and others underestimated this problem, feeling for a long time that toppling Saddam Hussein would almost inevitably lead to something much better. He called the Abu Ghraib abuse the worst of many mistakes the U.S. made but said that even without so many mistakes the sectarian conflict would have gotten out of hand.

He also pointed to a key period coming up, as the top American generals decide over the next two weeks whether to go ahead with the planned "draw down" of U.S. troops starting this spring which, as it turns out, coincides with deteriorating conditions on the ground. The problem is, he said, U.S. withdrawals could lead to chaos there, with the Iraqi military not ready to take over; but not bringing troops home would prove to be a political disaster for the White House here.

[Mythsaje]

1. Obviously more "liberal media" spin...

Do I even need to add a sarcasm smilie here?

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. planned "draw down"

There wasn't any plan for a "draw down". THe military is there forever it is going to wipe out the US eventually.

[neweurope]

3. The US effort will fail? Not likely. The neocons are achieving everything

they had planned for. Everything is going according to plan. I don't see them worried.

What's failing is the belief of the American people; i. e. that you went to war to bring democracy and peace to a subdued country, or whatever it was. Yes, I seem to remember clearly that was one of those brazilian reasons they gave you for attacking that poor country.

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Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!