Today, the unclassified key findings of an updated National Intelligence Estimate regarding Iraqi stability were released. This merited a prepared statement AND a press conference from the White House. Not long after the new NIE was making news, Senator John Warner (R.-VA) was discussing the need for at least a symbolic pullout of a small number of troops by Christmas. We have to start somewhere. That's had me thinking for a while. What metric will we use to judge whether the "war on terror" part of Iraq has been a success? The President often mentions that too early of a withdrawal from Iraq would "embolden the terrorists and provide a fertile recruiting ground". Seems to me that it's already a prime recruiting ground and (for those militants who don't get killed) an invaluable training ground. Unless the US intends on having forces in Iraq for a VERY long time, our adversaries will still declare their own victory when we get around to bringing our troops home. The new generation of Islamic militants will have the benefit of at least some battle-hardened leaders. I think we need to revamp SOME of the way we conduct business. I think there are a number of people who realize this and are trying to effect change, but inertia and bureaucracy hinder them.....
Well, I'll leave it there for now. I want to devote more attention to watching The China Syndrome. It's on Turner Classic Movies right now and it's much more interesting now that I'm in the nuke industry than it was when I was nine...
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