SOTU Redux
I was wandering around the FOX News website this morning. I know most readers hear loathe FOX, and yes, their journalism is often weak (Shepard SMith was embarrassing last night on network FOX stations). However, I found a wonderful transcript from an unlikely place. Here is Jon Gibson with a piece entitled, "The State Of The Union If I Were President."My fellow Americans,
I get it. The only thing you care about right now is Iraq, so I won't waste your time with a bunch of ideas on energy or the economy that you don't even want to hear.
It is evident that Democrats have won the hearts and minds of Americans. Sizeable majorities now think the war was a mistake, think they were lied to in the run-up to the invasion, and might even think it would have been better had Saddam been left on his throne. I think taking out Saddam was the right thing to do. However, I do think we were wrong to think it would be a simple matter.
There are two wars in Iraq. In one, we are fighting Al Qaeda, which has set up shop there. In the other, Sunni are fighting Shia and vice versa. Our job now is to steer the Iraqi government toward controlling the sectarian violence and reprisals. When they can do that, we can give them the additional job of fighting Al Qaeda.
I realize there may be a day when we say: Well, we tried, but evidently they just want to go on killing each other, and we're going to have to say our job here is done. That will not be a good day, but I'm a realist. We live in hope, but not forever. The day may come when we throw up our hands in disgust and walk out. But it's not today.
That is the State of the Union.
That about sums it up for me. I am actually behind the troop surge with a specific mission - to secure Baghdad. If they can do that in a reasonable time period (6 months) and then we begin to GET OUT (phased redeployment), there is still a chance to see a positive outcome, otherwise it is time to say our job is done and we will let them have their civil war.
The rest was noble, but as was said last night on goodwillhinton, too little too late.
posted by Hefe @ 8:47 AM
