Cheney version of the future is now

Dick Cheney during a speech on Iraq late last night:

"If our coalition withdrew before Iraqis could defend themselves,radical factions would battle for dominance. The violence would likelyspread throughout the country and be very difficult to contain. Havingtasted victory in Iraq, the (militants) would look for new missions.Many would head for Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taliban," Cheneysaid.

Okay.  Let's take this piece by piece.  First:

"If our coalition withdrew before Iraqis could defend themselves,radical factions would battle for dominance.

Factions already are battling for dominance.

Next:

"The violence would likelyspread throughout the country and be very difficult to contain."

It already is spread throughout the country, and already is difficult to contain (just ask our soldiers about that one).

Next:

"Havingtasted victory in Iraq, the (militants) would look for new missions.  Many would head for Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taliban."

There already are militants fighting alongside the Taliban.  They are called drug lords, which we hired just a few years ago to help find Osama bin Laden.

Bottom line: everything that Cheney is trying to scare people about is already happening.  The Democrats are not advocating defeat.  They are accepting the reality that our current policy is a problem, and it must be changed.  Why is this so difficult for some one-track minds to understand?  If a policy does not work, you change it.  This is not brain surgery.  It's what we elect politicians to do.  If something needs to be changed, then act.  Don't just sit there and watch it get worse.

Comments

[Robt]

Very good analogy. Sort of basic for involved rational people. Where are its neighboring countries that have a large interest in what Iraq will be like in their backyard.
I do not actually see the Iraqi's as an alli after we leave. No matter if they plung deeper into civil unrest or sustain a sort of security. That is a farce as much as Pakistan is in its help to hunt Al Qa ida in its country. We find that Pakistan is providing Bin Laden with sanctuary. And our President speaks of "with us or against us".
We may need to return to Afganistan and finish the job.
Fact is if you take Cheney's thought. of the enemy emboldeness to go elsewhere to fight us. Why don't we fight them at sea. Makes as much since as Iraq.
I think GW and Cheney were afraid of Afganistan because of the Russain bogged down experience there.