Comments on: Tom Friedman: ‘Staying the Course Is Pointless,’ It’s Time To ‘Disengage’ From Iraq http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:58:11 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Guess Who http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-711926 Guess Who Mon, 07 Aug 2006 04:46:48 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-711926 Why isn't gangstalking ever in the news? Go to www.stop-predatory-gangstalking.net/ and you will see what it is. If you use the search engine mamma.com and search for gangstalking, you should get 30 items and number 15 tells that the cops are all in on this. Why don't we do something to stop this? Read a book called "L.A. Secret Police" written by an ex-cop and he tells all their dirty little secrets and tricks. Why isn’t gangstalking ever in the news? Go to http://www.stop-predatory-gangstalking.net/ and you will see what it is. If you use the search engine mamma.com and search for gangstalking, you should get 30 items and number 15 tells that the cops are all in on this. Why don’t we do something to stop this? Read a book called “L.A. Secret Police” written by an ex-cop and he tells all their dirty little secrets and tricks.

]]> By: cognitorex http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-710344 cognitorex Sun, 06 Aug 2006 15:23:16 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-710344 Maria: You are wholly correct. However, to implement your solution requires int'l co-operation, disarmament and U.S. leaders with great moral integrity and courage. Such leadership does not presently exist. EXORCISE YOUR RIGHT, VOTE! Maria: You are wholly correct. However, to implement your solution requires int’l co-operation, disarmament and U.S. leaders with great moral integrity and courage. Such leadership does not presently exist. EXORCISE YOUR RIGHT, VOTE!

]]> By: Paul Olivier http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-710142 Paul Olivier Sun, 06 Aug 2006 11:16:20 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-710142 The situation in Iraq represents the biggest foreign policy mistake in recent US history, and Friedman outlines the only strategy that stands a chance of salvaging something positive out of this extremely complex debacle. The United States should announce to the entire world that it has made a gigantic miscalculation with respect to Iraq, and it should quietly and humbly adopt Plan B. Too much is at stake if it tries to do otherwise. The situation in Iraq represents the biggest foreign policy mistake in recent US history, and Friedman outlines the only strategy that stands a chance of salvaging something positive out of this extremely complex debacle. The United States should announce to the entire world that it has made a gigantic miscalculation with respect to Iraq, and it should quietly and humbly adopt Plan B. Too much is at stake if it tries to do otherwise.

]]> By: Julia http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-709904 Julia Sun, 06 Aug 2006 08:00:12 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-709904 The route via Kuwait-Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea-Red sea is 750 miles longer and ties up oil tankers in pointless movement east, south, and back north and west again. The route via Kuwait-Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea-Red sea is 750 miles longer and ties up oil tankers in pointless movement east, south, and back north and west again.

]]> By: SamSnedegar http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-708481 SamSnedegar Sat, 05 Aug 2006 12:32:44 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-708481 "...the war in Iraq has so divided us at home and abroad that leaving, while bringing other problems, might also make it easier to build coalitions to deal with post-U.S. Iraq, Iran, Hezbollah and Syria. All these problems are connected. We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength — and that requires a broad coalition." Here's the Syria-Lebanon connection Tom: it's the Syria-Lebanon pipeline which moves oil from fields in northern Iraq to the Mediterranean Sea giving then a straight shot to New Orleans and Houston. The route via Kuwait-Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea-Red sea is 750 miles longer and ties up oil tankers in pointless movement east, south, and back north and west again. We can't accomplish our mission in Iraq---stealing oil---if we can't ship it out, and we can't ship it out the best way unless we control the terminus of the Syria-Lebanon pipeline. Look at a map, why don't you? “…the war in Iraq has so divided us at home and abroad that leaving, while bringing other problems, might also make it easier to build coalitions to deal with post-U.S. Iraq, Iran, Hezbollah and Syria. All these problems are connected. We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength — and that requires a broad coalition.”

Here’s the Syria-Lebanon connection Tom: it’s the Syria-Lebanon pipeline which moves oil from fields in northern Iraq to the Mediterranean Sea giving then a straight shot to New Orleans and Houston. The route via Kuwait-Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea-Red sea is 750 miles longer and ties up oil tankers in pointless movement east, south, and back north and west again.

We can’t accomplish our mission in Iraq—stealing oil—if we can’t ship it out, and we can’t ship it out the best way unless we control the terminus of the Syria-Lebanon pipeline. Look at a map, why don’t you?

]]> By: snaggletooth http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707887 snaggletooth Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:58:26 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707887 Friedman just wants to get off the bus before this is offically declared world war three. For that matter, I notice that the latest Bushie move is to create a US official secrets act. Now they are going to try to make all the evidence that they had plenty of reason to know how bad this would be illegal to discuss. I personally hope to do federal time for chanting, "You break it -- you bought it! You break it -- you bought it! You break it -- you bought it! You break it -- you bought it!" in Lafayette Park. Has a nice syncopated bounce to it as a demo chant, don't you think? While I'm at it, does anybody besides me wonder how many of the Bushies are hopped up on supplemental testosterone? Bet that'll be a state secret, too. Anybody remember if Hitler did hormones? Or was it just bennies and coke? Friedman just wants to get off the bus before this is offically declared world war three. For that matter, I notice that the latest Bushie move is to create a US official secrets act. Now they are going to try to make all the evidence that they had plenty of reason to know how bad this would be illegal to discuss. I personally hope to do federal time for chanting, “You break it — you bought it! You break it — you bought it! You break it — you bought it! You break it — you bought it!” in Lafayette Park. Has a nice syncopated bounce to it as a demo chant, don’t you think?

While I’m at it, does anybody besides me wonder how many of the Bushies are hopped up on supplemental testosterone? Bet that’ll be a state secret, too. Anybody remember if Hitler did hormones? Or was it just bennies and coke?

]]> By: Triumph http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707856 Triumph Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:27:12 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707856 #66 Wrong Hippie. Tom is joining a club he should've joined 3 or 4 years ago ... The Club of Realisitc Military Leadership: ‘ … He expresses even more concern about the task the U.S. military might face after a victory. “What is postwar Iraq going to look like, with the Kurds and the Sunnis and the Shiites? That’s a huge question, to my mind. It really should be part of the overall campaign plan.” … ‘ ‘ … The administration may be discussing the issue behind closed doors, Schwarzkopf says, but he thinks it hasn’t sufficiently explained its thinking to the world, especially its assessment of the time, people and money needed. “I would hope that we have in place the adequate resources to become an army of occupation,” he warns, <strong>“because you’re going to walk into chaos</strong>.” … Retired General <strong>Norman Schwartzkopf </strong>from “Desert Caution’ - January 28, <strong>2003</strong> In addition - Ret. General <strong>Tony McPeak</strong>, who commanded the U.S. Air Force during Desert Storm, switched parties ( From Republican to Democrat ) because of the Bush Administration's insistence on going to war ... <strong>John Shalikashvili</strong> - The Chariman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after Colin Powell - also switched from Republican to Democrat as a result of the Bush Administration's insistence on this war. While <strong>Colin Powell's </strong>record is "mixed" as Secretary of State ( with the U. N. Speech and all ) - he did lay down his Club of Realisitc Military Leadership card when he said to Bush re: invading Iraq - "You break it, You own it ..." <strong>Brent Scowcroft </strong>- who served under "big time liberals" Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush - was also against this debacle. Scowcroft had also achieved the rank of general before moving to politics. <strong>The U.S Army War College </strong>said that it wasn't a good idea to do this in <strong>2003.</strong> So take your bullsh#t "liberals are with Osama" pistol, <strong>shove it up your @ss and pull the trigger, Hippie.</strong> And then call <strong>Rumsfeld</strong> to come and clean up the mess. #66

Wrong Hippie.

Tom is joining a club he should’ve joined 3 or 4 years ago …

The Club of Realisitc Military Leadership:

‘ … He expresses even more concern about the task the U.S. military might face after a victory. “What is postwar Iraq going to look like, with the Kurds and the Sunnis and the Shiites? That’s a huge question, to my mind. It really should be part of the overall campaign plan.” … ‘

‘ … The administration may be discussing the issue behind closed doors, Schwarzkopf says, but he thinks it hasn’t sufficiently explained its thinking to the world, especially its assessment of the time, people and money needed. “I would hope that we have in place the adequate resources to become an army of occupation,” he warns, “because you’re going to walk into chaos.” …

Retired General Norman Schwartzkopf from “Desert Caution’ – January 28, 2003

In addition – Ret. General Tony McPeak, who commanded the U.S. Air Force during Desert Storm, switched parties ( From Republican to Democrat ) because of the Bush Administration’s insistence on going to war …

John Shalikashvili – The Chariman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after Colin Powell – also switched from Republican to Democrat as a result of the Bush Administration’s insistence on this war.

While Colin Powell’s record is “mixed” as Secretary of State ( with the U. N. Speech and all ) – he did lay down his Club of Realisitc Military Leadership card when he said to Bush re: invading Iraq – “You break it, You own it …”

Brent Scowcroft - who served under “big time liberals” Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush – was also against this debacle. Scowcroft had also achieved the rank of general before moving to politics.

The U.S Army War College said that it wasn’t a good idea to do this in 2003.

So take your bullsh#t “liberals are with Osama” pistol, shove it up your @ss and pull the trigger, Hippie.

And then call Rumsfeld to come and clean up the mess.

]]> By: freeman http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707840 freeman Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:07:36 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707840 and I am angry !!!! and I am angry !!!!

]]> By: freeman http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707838 freeman Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:06:56 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707838 go polish your jackboots ,its time to invade Poland go polish your jackboots ,its time to invade Poland

]]> By: freeman http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707836 freeman Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:05:55 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707836 don't shoot yourself in the foot harpie don’t shoot yourself in the foot harpie

]]> By: Hippie with a pistol http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707790 Hippie with a pistol Sat, 05 Aug 2006 00:21:58 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707790 "In this truce, both parties will enjoy security and stability and we will build Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by the war. There is no defect in this solution other than preventing the flow of hundreds of billions to the influential people and war merchants in America, who supported Bush’s election campaign with billions of dollars. Hence, we can understand the insistence of Bush and his gang to continue the war." Osama bin Laden, April 2006 Welcome to the club, Tom. The club that wishes for defeat and for us to abandon Iraq so al Qaeda can have their way with it. It's hard to tell if that club is the Angry Left or our enemies anymore. “In this truce, both parties will enjoy security and stability and we will build Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by the war. There is no defect in this solution other than preventing the flow of hundreds of billions to the influential people and war merchants in America, who supported Bush’s election campaign with billions of dollars.
Hence, we can understand the insistence of Bush and his gang to continue the war.”

Osama bin Laden, April 2006

Welcome to the club, Tom. The club that wishes for defeat and for us to abandon Iraq so al Qaeda can have their way with it. It’s hard to tell if that club is the Angry Left or our enemies anymore.

]]> By: toes http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707640 toes Fri, 04 Aug 2006 23:15:39 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707640 Hey, Tommy, millions of us understood this reality years ago, BEFORE our country sent thousands to their deaths. I usually don't say that we told you so, but WE TOLD YOU SO. How does it feel to have been a primary enabler of this total disaster? Hey, Tommy, millions of us understood this reality years ago, BEFORE our country sent thousands to their deaths.

I usually don’t say that we told you so, but WE TOLD YOU SO.

How does it feel to have been a primary enabler of this total disaster?

]]> By: TerrytheTurtle http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707628 TerrytheTurtle Fri, 04 Aug 2006 23:10:03 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707628 Noone wants to be the 'last man to die for a mistake', Maria Noone wants to be the ‘last man to die for a mistake’, Maria

]]> By: For Truth http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707469 For Truth Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:22:36 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707469 Wow Maria you make it sound so easy to just put an army in that can be trusted, and teaching the children to be civilized. Just those two things are monumental tasks. Our government doesn't even want to pay for domestic programs to teach our own kids how to be civilized. I want some of what you are smokin'. Wow Maria you make it sound so easy to just put an army in that can be trusted, and teaching the children to be civilized. Just those two things are monumental tasks. Our government doesn’t even want to pay for domestic programs to teach our own kids how to be civilized. I want some of what you are smokin’.

]]> By: maria http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707424 maria Fri, 04 Aug 2006 20:54:23 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707424 Staying the course and "let's leave now", are both bad ideas....Im a democrats and i hate this war because it causes so much suffering BUT i sincerily believe that if we leave now, the shiites will try to wipe out the sunnies just like the nazies tried to eliminate all jews on earth..and this is not what we want to see. THIS IS WHAT IM SUGGESTING...BUSH SHOULD PULL BACK HIS PRIDE, APOLOGIZE TO THE FRENCH AND THE OTHER EUROPEAN UNION THAT THEY OFFENDED BECAUSE THEY DIDNT WANT TO SUPPORT THE INVASION, AND ASK THEM , "BEGG" THEM TO HELP OUT WITH TROOPS...I BELEIVE THAT WE NEED AS MUCH AS 1 MILLION FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ TO PACIFY THE VIOLENCE,DISARM EVERY SINGLE CIVILIANS,SECURE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY..BUILT A VERY CREDIBLE IRAQI ARMY THAT CAN BE TRUSTED..TEACH THE YOUNG IRAQIES HOW TO BE CIVILIZE...THEN ONCE THE ARMY IS FULLIED BUILT AND READY TO TAKE OVER, THEN THE FOREIGN TROOPS CAN START LEAVING. MY POINT IS, A VERY IMMENSE FORCE OF FOREIGN TROOPS IS NEEDED TO SCARE OFF THE INSURGENCY AND TOTALLY DISARM THEM..I THINK YOU WILL HAVE TO FORCE IRAQ TO ACCEPT DEMOCRACY...RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ONLY 130K AND THE ARMY IS STRETCHED OUT TO THE LIMIT PLUS THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING DURING TIMES OF WAR..NO ONE WANT TO ENLIST NOW AND GET SEND TO IRAQ. Staying the course and “let’s leave now”, are both bad ideas….Im a democrats and i hate this war because it causes so much suffering BUT i sincerily believe that if we leave now, the shiites will try to wipe out the sunnies just like the nazies tried to eliminate all jews on earth..and this is not what we want to see.

THIS IS WHAT IM SUGGESTING…BUSH SHOULD PULL BACK HIS PRIDE, APOLOGIZE TO THE FRENCH AND THE OTHER EUROPEAN UNION THAT THEY OFFENDED BECAUSE THEY DIDNT WANT TO SUPPORT THE INVASION, AND ASK THEM , “BEGG” THEM TO HELP OUT WITH TROOPS…I BELEIVE THAT WE NEED AS MUCH AS 1 MILLION FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ TO PACIFY THE VIOLENCE,DISARM EVERY SINGLE CIVILIANS,SECURE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY..BUILT A VERY CREDIBLE IRAQI ARMY THAT CAN BE TRUSTED..TEACH THE YOUNG IRAQIES HOW TO BE CIVILIZE…THEN ONCE THE ARMY IS FULLIED BUILT AND READY TO TAKE OVER, THEN THE FOREIGN TROOPS CAN START LEAVING.

MY POINT IS, A VERY IMMENSE FORCE OF FOREIGN TROOPS IS NEEDED TO SCARE OFF THE INSURGENCY AND TOTALLY DISARM THEM..I THINK YOU WILL HAVE TO FORCE IRAQ TO ACCEPT DEMOCRACY…RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ONLY 130K AND THE ARMY IS STRETCHED OUT TO THE LIMIT PLUS THE FACT THAT WE’RE HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING DURING TIMES OF WAR..NO ONE WANT TO ENLIST NOW AND GET SEND TO IRAQ.

]]> By: steve duncan http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707192 steve duncan Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:32:07 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707192 "All these problems are connected. We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength...." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, we need to get out of Iraq to get ourselves in position to wage war with Iran and Syria? Thanks Tom, for describing the pullout rationale in a fashion even a neocon could love and put to good use. “All these problems are connected. We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength….”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, we need to get out of Iraq to get ourselves in position to wage war with Iran and Syria? Thanks Tom, for describing the pullout rationale in a fashion even a neocon could love and put to good use.

]]> By: Landsker http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707181 Landsker Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:26:50 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707181 Thinking forward. If the troops come back from Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Germany, Phillipines, South Korea, etc, etc, then obviously the production of airplanes and airstrips, munitions and humvees, smart bombs and submarines, boots, brass buckles and bullshit would all come tumbling. Well, that would put a few out of work. Also, the price of oil might rise. That might put a few out of work. At which point, house prices might fall. At which point, one wonders, will the administration confess that the war in Iraq is about oil, and that they lost. Just don`t talk about the twin towers. Or should that be the triple towers? Thinking forward. If the troops come back from Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Germany, Phillipines, South Korea, etc, etc, then obviously the production of airplanes and airstrips, munitions and humvees, smart bombs and submarines, boots, brass buckles and bullshit would all come tumbling.
Well, that would put a few out of work. Also, the price of oil might rise. That might put a few out of work. At which point, house prices might fall.

At which point, one wonders, will the administration confess that the war in Iraq is about oil, and that they lost.
Just don`t talk about the twin towers. Or should that be the triple towers?

]]> By: PLC (PatrioticLiberalChristian) http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707094 PLC (PatrioticLiberalChristian) Fri, 04 Aug 2006 18:34:45 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707094 56 Popmycherry Apology accepted and appreciated. I take both the "war" against terror and the War in Iraq as extremely serious. But, I have never seen any evidence that they are equivalent and events have played out my fears, that the misplaced attack on Iraq further destabalized the Middle East and has derailed any real efforts to curtail terrorism. Terrorism is increasing because of our very occupying presence in Iraq. BushCo with their PNAC agenda have been a major part of the problem, no where near a solution. I am tired of their excuses and simultaneously stating how wonderful things are and paradoxically projecting blame for what is going so horribly wrong. Progressives, democrats, the left, etc have legitimately been very aggressively criticising BushCo., unlike the very illegitimate attacks of the conservatives, republicans, right against Clinton. For the most part, we have been finding fault with real, verifiable actions on BushCo's part. Compare this with the made-up past attacks against Clinton (murdering Foster and Brown, Whitewater, having an illegitimate black child, 'wag the dog", filegate, their marriage) and the continuing attacks and blame against Clinton which are both hilarious and depressing. Who are we in the U.S. to think we have the right to "change ideology" in another country? Why did we squander our standing with the world and our domestic unity, necessary to fight terrorism, in order to attack Iraq (the multiple choice answers from BushCo don't count)? Why haven't we had true debate about what we are going to do in response to terrorism? Why don't we admit mistakes when we make them instead of trying to arrogantly maintain a false superiority? These are my questions or morality that have yet to be answered. I take no backseat to anyone in terms of morality or patriotism. 56 Popmycherry
Apology accepted and appreciated. I take both the “war” against terror and the War in Iraq as extremely serious. But, I have never seen any evidence that they are equivalent and events have played out my fears, that the misplaced attack on Iraq further destabalized the Middle East and has derailed any real efforts to curtail terrorism. Terrorism is increasing because of our very occupying presence in Iraq. BushCo with their PNAC agenda have been a major part of the problem, no where near a solution. I am tired of their excuses and simultaneously stating how wonderful things are and paradoxically projecting blame for what is going so horribly wrong. Progressives, democrats, the left, etc have legitimately been very aggressively criticising BushCo., unlike the very illegitimate attacks of the conservatives, republicans, right against Clinton. For the most part, we have been finding fault with real, verifiable actions on BushCo’s part. Compare this with the made-up past attacks against Clinton (murdering Foster and Brown, Whitewater, having an illegitimate black child, ‘wag the dog”, filegate, their marriage) and the continuing attacks and blame against Clinton which are both hilarious and depressing. Who are we in the U.S. to think we have the right to “change ideology” in another country? Why did we squander our standing with the world and our domestic unity, necessary to fight terrorism, in order to attack Iraq (the multiple choice answers from BushCo don’t count)? Why haven’t we had true debate about what we are going to do in response to terrorism? Why don’t we admit mistakes when we make them instead of trying to arrogantly maintain a false superiority? These are my questions or morality that have yet to be answered. I take no backseat to anyone in terms of morality or patriotism.

]]> By: K-Man http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-707089 K-Man Fri, 04 Aug 2006 18:32:38 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-707089 Iraq is a catastrophic foreign policy debacle. It has alienated us from our allies and generated hatred among Muslims across the world. It has weakened our military, forcing our troops into an extended occupation in the midst of a growing civil war for which they have neither appetite nor training. It is a recruiting boon for al-Qaida. It has sorely weakened our world-wide foreign policy influence, as demonstrated graphically in the current conflict in Lebanon. It has cost nearly 2,700 American lives, over 20,000 Americans wounded -- and an estimated 50,000 Iraqi deaths. It has compromised our budget priorities, spending about $400 billion already -- with the estimated cost likely to exceed $1 trillion. The budget is a statement of our moral choices -- and this is a deeply immoral choice. Hey Tom, can we cut and run from this mess. Iraq is a catastrophic foreign policy debacle. It has alienated us from our allies and generated hatred among Muslims across the world. It has weakened our military, forcing our troops into an extended occupation in the midst of a growing civil war for which they have neither appetite nor training. It is a recruiting boon for al-Qaida. It has sorely weakened our world-wide foreign policy influence, as demonstrated graphically in the current conflict in Lebanon. It has cost nearly 2,700 American lives, over 20,000 Americans wounded — and an estimated 50,000 Iraqi deaths. It has compromised our budget priorities, spending about $400 billion already — with the estimated cost likely to exceed $1 trillion. The budget is a statement of our moral choices — and this is a deeply immoral choice. Hey Tom, can we cut and run from this mess.

]]> By: TerrytheTurtle http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/comment-page-2/#comment-706978 TerrytheTurtle Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:29:16 +0000 http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/04/friedman-iraq/#comment-706978 Tom Friedman, your crocodile tears are unconvincing. It is you and people like you whose arrogant belief in the myth of American exceptionalism has brought the ME to the brink of a major war and made my family less safe. F*** you. Tom Friedman, your crocodile tears are unconvincing. It is you and people like you whose arrogant belief in the myth of American exceptionalism has brought the ME to the brink of a major war and made my family less safe. F*** you.

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