Tom Friedman creates an exit strategy (for himself) from Iraq

[Cocoa]

looks like Tom is laying the groundwork to cut and run from the "noble cause," as he called it.



<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/opinion/15friedman.html?hp&oref=login

<snip>

I still don't know if a self-sustaining, united and democratizing Iraq is possible. I still believe it is a vital U.S. interest to find out. But the only way to find out is to create a secure environment. It is very hard for moderate, unifying, national leaders to emerge in a cauldron of violence.

Maybe it is too late, but before we give up on Iraq, why not actually try to do it right? Double the American boots on the ground and redouble the diplomatic effort to bring in those Sunnis who want to be part of the process and fight to the death those who don't. As Stanford's Larry Diamond, author of an important new book on the Iraq war, "Squandered Victory," puts it, we need "a bold mobilizing strategy" right now. That means the new Iraqi government, the U.S. and the U.N. teaming up to widen the political arena in Iraq, energizing the constitution-writing process and developing a communications-diplomatic strategy that puts our bloodthirsty enemies on the defensive rather than us. The Bush team has been weak in all these areas. For weeks now, we haven't even had ambassadors in Iraq, Afghanistan or Jordan.

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[KG]

1. freidman is so wrong on so many levels, it's hard to know where

to begin slagging this latest steaming pile.

[orwell]

2. Good Idea

"Double the American boots on the ground..."

Let's start with you Tom. I'll pay the airfare.

[Bob3]

3. Get More Americans killed so you can be "right'?

An utter swine - an utter swine.

[KlatooBNikto]

4. Wonder if Tom F. has children that can displace some poor boy

in a ghetto or a barrio.