Neocon Adelman: If Iraq Doesn’t Improve By July 4, ‘I Will Say It Is Hopeless’
Neocon Adelman: If Iraq Doesn’t Improve By July 4, ‘I Will Say It Is Hopeless’
Kenneth Adelman, “a lifelong neocon activist and Pentagon insider who served on the Defense Policy Board until 2005,” was a prominent advocate of the Iraq war. He famously claimed in a February 2002 Washington Post op-ed, “I believe demolishing Hussein’s military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk.”
Two months ago, Adelman delivered a mea culpa in an interview with Vanity Fair. “I just presumed that what I considered to be the most competent national-security team since Truman was indeed going to be competent. They turned out to be among the most incompetent teams in the post-war era. Not only did each of them, individually, have enormous flaws, but together they were deadly, dysfunctional.”
This week, at a Denver City Club luncheon, Adelman said he sees the light at the end of the tunnel:
Adelman is not optimistic of a positive outcome to the American occupation of Iraq. … He said if by July 4th there is no progress made, “then I will say it is hopeless.”
Nevertheless, Adelman said President Bush’s escalation strategy is “worth a try,” even though its “chances of it succeeding are very low.” He also refused to express regret for promoting the war. “I expected an apology from you today,” said one attendee “who identified himself as a former intelligence officer for the United States Army during the Vietnam War.”
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‘……. Chances of succeeding are very low, but strategy worth a try’, meaning more soldiers and civilians will be killed’…and billions of dollars will be spent on a failed case . These words come from the guy who pushed this war vigorously in 2002 with his other NecoCons friends..and who described the war then..as a ‘Cakewalk…’. NeoCons are nothing but ‘wars by trials and errors…’ , none of the NeoCons war planners paid any price in all of these wars…,yet they all benefited from them.
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:17 amWho cares whether morons like Adelman utter this word or that? This is as trivial as arguing over whether to employ the language “civil war.” Words don’t alter the reality that Iraq has become a river of blood, we caused it, have no capacity for ending it, and must get our troops out NOW! Use whatever words you need to accomplish that, but DO IT!
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:18 amWhy July 4?
Sounds like this neocon is setting a deadline that will “embolden the enemy”!
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:19 amMore Weasel Words from the right. “No progress” is meaningless for the Lying Liars who argue that a painted schoolhouse demonstrates success in the midst of Iraq’s armed resistance and civil war. And the 4th of July? The insipid arbitrariness of that choice alone displays his contempt for his listeners. Again. And that is the only story here.
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:43 amWhy fourth of July?!!! The irony here is that as much as mismanagement was demonstrated in handling this war in Iraq, we are now asked to believe Mr. K. Adelman giving us a specific and exact day (4th of July) as the judgment day of Iraq war performance…Does he think people are that fool to believe a man who described this war in Iraq as a ‘Cakewalk’?!!
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:59 amHe said if by July 4th there is no progress made, “then I will say it is hopeless.â€
Typical neocon – they can only view time in terms of quarterly reports (i.e. profits).
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:03 amWhy fourth of July?!!!
Comment by tarazan — February 3, 2007 @ 8:59 am
Probably because it is the start of the third quarter, or his company’s fiscal year (when he gets a profit check, as that is all his memory can focus upon) combined with the celebration of the most patriotic US holiday of all. Though, he should have gone with a religious holiday to really make himself look more “Anti-Islamic”…
They really are that trasparent.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:08 amHow ironic to use July 4th as a meaningful date. Will that become Iraq’s Independence Day? Hey Ken…in the meantime, why don’t you and every neocon cheerleader…and all able members of your families sign up and help fight in this quagmire? Perhaps you’d be better at soldiering than you are at predicting outcomes of wars and evaluating the people who create them.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:13 am#7.. I forgot the ‘profit’ part , but you might be right on this one…shall we call it then..the “Money walk” ?!!
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:18 amIf US is scared silly of fighting the terrror groups, being the sole super power, the future of the planet looks bleak, its best to forget kyoto and count and report bomb blasts across the world and talk the Rhetoric of Peace and Non-Violence.
http://www.tekno-world.blogspot.com
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:21 amshall we call it then..the “Money walk†?!!
Comment by tarazan — February 3, 2007 @ 9:18 am
As in “If it walks like a duck (or in this case, neocon money whore)…”? That works! :D
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:26 amDoes anyone else see Richard Dreyfuss in that picture?
“You’re gonna need a bigger National Security team!”
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:28 amnever trust a neo-con
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:29 amLooks like all he is missing from that photo is the merry-go-round horse…
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:32 amIran: A War Is Coming
by John Pilger
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:33 amhow conevenient for him. and do you hear how neo-cons are talking about iran now?
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:34 amHopeless from a neocon perspective. That’s why they want to expand it to Iran. The Iraqis have different ideas however.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:44 am(sigh)
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:45 amWhat is it with the Right Wing and July 4th? Why not say by End of 2nd quarter?
July 4th, ahhh maybe so….but what year?
You you have to nail these smarmy Straussian downs or they slither away only to rear their ugly assertions later.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:48 amAny small dip in June in GIs casualties will allow him to say there’s progress, we’re doing good.
By Nov. they’ll announce Iraq just wouldn’t stop interferring and of course we had to bomb them.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:11 amIt’s important not just to debunk the evidence in the push for war with Iran, but to paint realistic scenarios about the possible outcomes that are not the rosy scenarios I am seeing.
The pro-Iran crowd seems to think this will be a “cakewalk” again. They have not thought this through. The Iranians will not “surrender” and then be nice to Israel and give up nuclear ambitions. That’s a joke. We’re not ready for a Middle East plunged into chaos – it would have enormous negative consequences now. This is beyond the incredible moral failing that it would represent.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:12 amwho but these type of non people can qualify failure and murder with so many variants? do 35% of america really want to be known as the world police?
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:16 amwhat is the rationale? is it fear or greed?
rome fell.
Of course, the neocons will define “progress” differently than the rest of us, given their denial of facts. They have no credibility, and are trying to blame their failures on the way the war was “implemented” rather than on the phony rationales for war which they manufactured. They have much work yet to do to embroil us in a war with Iran, and we need to make sure they don’t succeed.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:21 amThere are a lot of commas in a Friedman.
F*cking wanker.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:21 amKeep this in mind!
Yesterday in a press conference Gen Peter Pace and Sec of Def Gates were asked if they have any hard intelligence that suggest the Iranian Government is undermining the US efforts in Iraq and whether there is evidence they are sending weapons, IDEs, or fighters. They say tere was no evidence.
So those Democratic Presidential Candidates who are jumping on Bush’s Iran war wagon are making the same mistake the said they made with Iraq. Saber Rattling with no intelligence to support it.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:23 amJust a couple more Friedmans !
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:23 amTwo months ago, Adelman delivered a mea culpa in an interview with Vanity Fair. “I just presumed that what I considered to be the most competent national-security team since Truman was indeed going to be competent.
*****************************************
One is inclined to wonder exactly what led Adelman to believe that the Bush administration was competent when they’ve turned out to be quite the reverse. Was it merely the fact that they were Republicans and neoconservatives? If so, maybe that will teach him next time that political ideology isn’t everything!
And why does he think that escalation is “worth a try” even though he doesn’t think it has much chance of succeeding — and especially since it will only mean that more of our soldiers will die and billions of dollars will be wasted? Where I come from, that’s called a fool’s errand. Oh, wait — silly me, I forgot! The man is a neoconservative — he only cares if rich people die, and we don’t have many (or any) of them fighting in Iraq…
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:25 amFlip flopping, cut-and-running, pure genius.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:33 amWouldn’t it be a bit more appropriate to say, “Since George W. Bush hasn’t improved the Iraq situation, he’s hopeless!
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:34 amits “chances of it succeeding are very low.â€
How does he define “succeeding?” When you attack and kill thousands of People, torture and rape others, destroy many of humanities most precious cultural artifacts and historic relics, throw billions of dollars into the unaccountability of the irresponsible American based contractors in Iraq at what point and by what measure do you say you have succeeded? Was Hitler, after all, by this standard successful?
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 amOff topic BUT…
The Democrats have a REAL candidate for President…
…his name is Mike Gravel…
…but you’ll never see or hear of him in the MSM…
…watch C-Span’s coverage of the DNC’s convention if you want to see a presidential candidate tell the UNVARNISHED TRUTH about American politics…
go to:
nationalinitiative.us
Then DEMAND that the DNC give Mike Gravel the national exposure he DESERVES!
Power to the people is what Mike Gravel is all about…
…if you are about taking back our gov’t check out Gravel’s speech on C-Span (if they re-air the DNC convention)…
…and visit his website…
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:50 amQ. What’s the difference between Kennny Adelman and a cockroach?
A. The cockroach has real feelings and is a more-evolved lifeform.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:52 ambig papa, you’ve got to cut back on the bold font, i read your comments regardless of the bold emphasis
i just don’t understand what the Democrats are waiting for, start exit strategy now, defund war;
perhaps than we’ll be able to focus on getting some REAL progressives in and the hillaries out
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 amOne wonders if that former intelligence officer for the United States Army who criticized Adelman could have been Ray McGovern.
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 amWow, Rajeev, that is quite a little straw man you erected in post #10. Do you always think in terms of false dichotomies? Is it all black and white for you? Will we be fighting them over here if we aren’t fighting over there? Will we cut and run, or stay the course? Are we with the terrorists, or are we against the terrorists?
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:16 ambig papa, that looks like one of the only democrat candidates i’d vote for (otherwise i’m voting green)
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:17 amI skip any comment that is all bold.
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:22 amwell, he’s been right about everything else…
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:43 amONE MORE FRIEDMAN!
-GSD
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:44 amOne wonders if that former intelligence officer for the United States Army who criticized Adelman could have been Ray McGovern. — Erroll
*************************************
I wondered about that myself…
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:52 amAnd who will care what you say?
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:53 amAdelman was a staunch supporter of this invasion from its inception; he has been proven 100% wrong, but he wants another 5 months to admit it.
“Worth a try.” Worth a try!?!
A lot of people are saying, worth a try — like it’s a casual solution to something as mundane as repairing a flopped souffle`. It’s lives, it’s treasure, it’s destruction of horrific proportions, but give it 6 months to turn around – it’s worth a try.
They make me sick.
One is inclined to wonder exactly what led Adelman to believe that the Bush administration was competent when they’ve turned out to be quite the reverse. Was it merely the fact that they were Republicans and neoconservatives?
I think it must have been that so many (including Cheney) were central to Iran-contra. I mean, if you can’t trust the same people who traitorously provided WEAPONS to Islamic fundamentalists (appeasement!) who took American hostage, who CAN you trust with US policy and security?
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:00 pmSo many here have stated the importance of the date as being the end of a business quarter. I agree – they always base everything on earnings. But could it be much more basic than that, considering the group of people we are talking about here. Could it just be some bizarre desire for a twisted, convoluted new playing out of “Independence Day” for the US? Just wondering…
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:00 pmThey make me sick.
Comment by Marie
Me too.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:04 pmShhh… It’s Adelman’s Last Opus.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:08 pmLook, I’m not trying to imply anything here, but why is it that so many of these guys are Jewish?
I’m just asking, that’s all. Don’t take offense, my Jewish liberal friends.
But the thing is, people are going to get a little irritated seeing this Jewish last names all the time, advocating that soldiers go off to die, while they see there in their expensive suits. Jewish liberals: please tell your Jewish conservative friends to stop.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:08 pmI mean, if you can’t trust the same people who traitorously provided WEAPONS to Islamic fundamentalists (appeasement!) who took American hostage, who CAN you trust with US policy and security?
Comment by tubino
And lest we forget, the same crew who gave Saddam the OK the invade Kuwait.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:13 pmLook, I’m not trying to imply anything here, but why is it that so many of these guys are Jewish?
Comment by Joe
Hhhmmmm.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:17 pmAs for when America first invaded Iraq: “All the evidence indicated that if you removed Saddam, the Iraqi’s would be successful and prosperous,†he argued.
Bullshit. The Army War College predicted how this scenario would play out, years before we invaded, and it has all come to pass. Adelman’s CYA strategy won’t work. History has already made her judgements, and she isn’t very impressed with Adelman’s revisionist backpedalling. But what else would you expect from a Reaganite? He still has a buttload of bad Karma to work off for Iran/Contra.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:25 pmI’d just like to remind people that in discussions of who/how/why + things went bad, with this crew, it’s ALWAYS good to point out that weakening US security has LONG been a Republican specialty, as Iran-contra shows.
The progressives in this country have a chance to undo the conservative rewriting of history on Reagan. Point out every chance you get that the patron saint of Republican conservativism is also the poster boy of US appeasement of Islamic fundamentalism, and betrayal of US interests and values for short-term party gain. In that context, what the Cheney admin has done with Iraq comes as no surprise — it just fits the pattern.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:41 pm#31 big papa
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:41 pmI was very impressed when I saw him speak at the DNC this morning on C-Span. He went on a little longer than most, but his words were worth it by far.
(Joe @ 46) Jewish liberals: please tell your Jewish conservative friends to stop.
Since when do Jewish conservatives/wingnuts pay any more attention to liberals than goyish ones do?
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:43 pmActually removing Saddam from power and liberating the country were a cakewalk. It was the what to do after that part that was completely screwed-up. The administration thought that the Iraqis would actually want to be a democracy. All the following mistakes resulted from that fundamental starting one.
As for people predicting exactly what did happen, there were so many thousands making so many predictions that inevitably some were correct. Too bad for this nation that the correct predictions weren’t made by the leaders.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:49 pm#46 joe
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:53 pmFrom Juan Cole:
“Most of the members of Cheney’s inner circle were neoconservative ideologues, who combined hawkish American triumphalism with an obsession with Israel. This does not mean that the war was fought for Israel, although it is undeniable that Israeli concerns played an important role. The actual motivation behind the war was complex, and Cheney’s team was not the only one in the game. The Bush administration is a coalition of disparate forces — country club Republicans, realists, representatives of oil and other corporate interests, evangelicals, hardball political strategists, right-wing Catholics, and neoconservative Jews allied with Israel’s right-wing Likud party. Each group had its own rationale for going to war with Iraq.â€
#12
Yes, I do see a resemblance. But Dreyfuss could wipe the floor with him any time. Especially when now that I have also seen Dreyfuss on Bill Maher’s show passionately defending the necessity of teaching the Constitution and civics classes.
#45 lib in NM
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:57 pmVery good!
Well Neocon Adelman in 6 months about another 500 American troops would be dead, and another 5,000 wounded or maimed, plus around 50,000 more Iraqis slain too. Far better to get out of Iraq NOW!
February 3rd, 2007 at 1:41 pmThe neocons want time, as much as they can beg, borrow, and steal (or stall for), to enable Bush to escalate and expand the war in Iraq to Iran, Syria and the entire region. They believe that once war in Iran begins, critics of the Iraq war will get drowned out by the GOP’s base – it will be all about “patriotism” again, and anyone who doesn’t get behind Bush (again) is a “traitor.”
And then all that Bush-Cheney have to do is ride out what remains of their term.
Everyone in the “Establishment,” which includes media as well as politicians and think tanks, has been wrong. Everyone who opposed both the conservative and neoconservative policies that have predominated in our government’s foreign policy for over 50 years have been ignored. The neocons got their way, and implemented what conservatives have really always wanted to do, but didn’t have the balls to do: Take over the Middle East’s supply of oil by force. The Bush Doctrine could only happen as a collaboration between the conservatives and the neocons. Had it succeeded, conservatives would have jumped out ahead and taken credit for it all. Until the full impact of the failure of the Bush Doctrine hits, conservatives will still keep one foot in while they are positioning themselves to do a full sprint away from Bush. Ken Adelman is one of the more pathetic straddlers.
My question is this: Can we count on all of these people, the media, the neocon and conservative politicians, the think tanks and strategists, the Ken Adelmans and the Newt Gingriches, to leave the public stage and make room for those among us who warned what a catastrophe Bush’s Doctrine would have on the world?
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:11 pmI can tell you know you can’t say anything negative about our Jewish brothers. Now you should know you can’t say anything that can be construed as negative about our Jewish brothers. Especially the right wing Likud types.
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:18 pmAs for why so many of the neocons happen to be Jewish, follow this link
http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/spheresInfluence.html
Comment 58 was for post 96. Forgot to mention that.
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:22 pmWhy July 4th? Why not June 2nd? Why not Feb 28th? Arbitrary numbers for a crap shoot, are as meaningless as his 2002 “cakewalk” prediction. Why bother quoting him about anything? Let’s find something other than ridiculous opinions to quote and discuss.
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:38 pmWhy is Cakewalk Ken even quoted on these things?
He was catastrophically wrong first time around. Isn’t that enough to ensure that no-one bothers asking him again?
February 3rd, 2007 at 4:00 pmfeel free to drop cakewalk ken a line:
adelmans@moversandshakespeares.com
February 3rd, 2007 at 4:18 pmAdelman: “So what’s 3090 American lives and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives? It was worth a try. What me worry?”
February 3rd, 2007 at 4:37 pmthis “worth a try” attitude of the neocons reveals personalities so vile, so contemptible, so devoid of empathy and obscene is self-absorption is beyond words. To say something is “worth a try” represents a complete lack of seriousness and a lack of analysis; to use the US military in that context with so many lives and so much destruction and cost at stake is disgusting. These people are the worst of the worst. they need to punished severely for their crimes against humanity, against decency, and for their callousness.
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:05 pm.
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Urban Dictionary: spudgeJoe enjoyed squeezing the spudge out of his blackheads. … verb – to spudge. I spudge, we spudge, they spudge, you spudge, he/she/it spudges. …
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=spudge – Similar pages
No more needs said really.
Nuff said.
Joanie Doe ®™
February 3rd, 2007 at 6:14 pmJuly = 6 Months = 1 F.U.
So what’s new??
February 3rd, 2007 at 7:57 pmWay to pull an arbitrary date out of your azz Kinny Boy. You guys were the ones who got us into this war, now get us out! Nothing makes me mad like a chicken hawk who loves to fight with other peoples blood. The funny thing is that not one of these cowards has ever served a day in the military. Yet they are the toughest SOBs on the planet when is comes to wanting to go to war.
If Ken Alderman and the other cowards had to actually fight with fists or anything else, they would run and cry like babies. It takes a real man to fight in combat and they didn’t have the guts to fight in Viet Nam, so what make stupid conservatives follow these fools?
February 3rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm[...] “I have no doubt we’re going to find big stores of weapons of mass destruction.” – Kenneth Adelman, Defense Policy Board member Washington Post, p. A27 3/23/2003 [2007 update on Adelman: here] [...]
March 4th, 2007 at 4:38 pm