Jonathan, I second everything you say. I’d only add that there is a vitally important lesson for our own times in the story of Charlie Wilson and Afghanistan. The movie about Wilson’s efforts ends with this line: “These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world. Then we f****d up the endgame.”
Gen. Stanley McChrystal has more recently conveyed a similar sentiment in less colorful terms. “A strategy that does not leave Afghanistan in a stable position is probably a short-sighted strategy.”
The commander in chief’s thoughts on the matter? “I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home.”
How does that bode for the endgame issue? In twenty years, another book and movie can hit the market about how we changed the world by destroying the Islamist threat in Afghanistan only to see our efforts undone by a pre-set troop drawdown.
What decimated Afghanistan after the Soviets were pushed out was the lack of American follow-through. Charlie Wilson’s War is not a tragedy of misguided adventurism. It’s the story of heroic enterprise undermined by short-sightedness and political cowardice.
“And the notion that an American defeat will strengthen America is Orwellian.”
We should all being making this point more often. The Democrats are crazy and dangerous to themselves and others. Their national political leaders and intellectuals are intellectually infected with postmodernism. They can no longer think and follow a logical argument. The country is in great danger. Only the sometimes hypocritical and feckless GOP is able to provide adult leadership.
I agree with you David. Biden has gotten a reputation over the years as one of the leading minds in foreign policy in the D party. I for one have never been impressed. He’s been completely wrong (as you just indicated Peter) on the surge. He also proposed that Iraq be divided into 3 regions (Kurd, Sunni, Shiite). This is the kind of proposal I’d expect from an 8th grader. It’s so hopelessly simplistic and naive that my first reaction is laughter. So to me, that’s 2 things that Biden has been completely wrong on in one war. Not a very good track record. The only politician in the “D” party that can be taken seriously in foreign affairs is Lieberman. And he’s actually an “I” now.
I think the Dems are more inclined towards what’s best for their party rather than what’s best for America in regards to this war. Accordingly, I also think that they are so repulsed by the thought that GWB might get any sort of vindication for the Iraq war that they can’t get themselves to accept that the surge is showing remarkable signs of success.
Mr. Emmons–It’s funny that you mention the Joe Biden-Leslie Gelb proposal to split-up Iraq into three autonomous territories. These are the same folks who lose no time mentioning that Iraq is an artificial country–due to the border-drawing machinations of the British after WW I. The fact that Biden and Gelb are drawing artificial lines on a map is completely lost on them–is just a little ironic.
Ritchie correctly points out that Biden was also one of the fools advocating a cantonal system or even outright partition of Iraq. Not only was the idea stupid in and of itself (we saw how well that worked in post-Tito Yugoslavia), but it was highly insulting to the Iraqis, who had regained their sovereignty and just voted on a constitution. And yet was suggesting we act in a far more imperialist manner than in anything we had done to date and just break them up.
I don’t see how anyone can take Biden seriously — the man’s an utter lightweight. If he’s the best the Democratic Party can do in foreign affairs, then go ahead, nominate him for Veep and bring it on.
Biden will never be Veep because:
a) He’s too high-maintenance. “Pal Joey” is the kind of guy who stands in front of a mirror for hours saying, “Baby, you’re the BOMB!”
b) He’ll get caught with plagiarized tele-prompter notes. Count.on.it.
c) Biden = a walking, breathing “Gaffe-a-Rama.” The Delaware Drama Queen couldn’t shut up if his life depended on it…and it might!
d) There’ll only be room for one “pretty face” in an Obama Administration–and that pretty face WILL be Obama’s.
Biden, because he speaks well and is attractive, is that odd type of personality who can be persuasive, and when he is right is useful, and when wrong, somewhat tragic. He personifies the modern celebrity fashion du jour mentality. If he could be properly harnessed, he could be such a great workhorse. Problem is he is just enough of an independent thinker, that one never knows when he might take you over the cliff with him.
In fairness, when he was so right in 04 & 05 about troop levels, one wonders what changed his mind, and what caused him to in effect lose his nerve. And it is the loss of nerve that began to so affect many people’s thinking. Had it not been for McCain and Lieberman, it is fairly clear that Patraeus would not have had the opportunity to get us to where we are now. One can only assume that Biden’s decision to run for President caused him to turn away from his beliefs for the sake of political expediency,. And therein lies the insight into the democratic party’s inability to accept debate from one of it’s stronger thinkers. Or is it Biden’s weakness in being unwilling to confront his party’s orthodoxy? Point is – it a tough road to hoe. But one would think that the true test of character is to stick with one’s beliefs, like Lieberman.
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T Warburton:
“In fairness, when he was so right in 04 & 05 about troop levels, one wonders what changed his mind, and what caused him to in effect lose his nerve.”
For many years, Joe Biden was one of the few Democrats who was willing to discuss foreign policy issues sensibly on camera, rather than reciting partisan talking points. He didn’t lose his nerve, he just embarked on Campaign ’08 — with a view to raising his profile as the obvious choice for Secretary of State, if not actual election. I can’t count the times I thought that John McCain would have been a far more effective advocate for the mission in Iraq, if he hadn’t been simultaneously trying to position himself for his own run at the White House.
Biden is a great pick for Obama – because they just created the least effective ticket ever! Obama has no experience – and Biden is a Chairman due to seniority – NOT experience. He was wrong on the major decisions of EVERY decade in regards to foreign policy…
Cough – 1980′s – Biden OPPOSED a military build up proposed by Ronal Reagan – well – we all know that Reagan was right and BIDEN was WRONG – and the Cold War was ended. WOW – I don’t know if I would want that one in public.
Biden is a bloated elitist Washington liberal with left-wing voting tendency – that is why Obama selected him.