This weekend, “surge” architect and American Enterprise Institute fellow Frederick Kagan took to the pages of the Weekly Standard to offer “a definition of success in Iraq.” Over at Attackerman, Spencer dissects what he deems “a classic of the Fred Kagan ‘everything in Iraq is A-OK!‘ genre,” writing that “what Kagan puts on offer isn’t a definition of success, it’s a wish list.” Spencer also critiques Kagan’s assessment of the relationship between Iraq and Iran, as well as how Kagan wants the U.S. to “stay in Iraq to make sure Iraq doesn’t become like Pakistan” while doing “nothing whatsoever about Pakistan.”
dream on Kagan, reality has a liberal bent and truth can not be changed.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pmThe measurement of defined success has been a moving
April 28th, 2008 at 2:04 pmtarget. Not too different than the education system of
no child left behind.
I urge this congress to heed to the wishes of Mr. Kagan and pass
April 28th, 2008 at 2:05 pmthe resolution, “MIGHTY SWELL IN IRAQ.” Slipped into the bill will be Mr. Kagan’s ordered deployment with faulty protective gear and no education benefits — the way our troops are made to feel at home.
Why isn’t Kagan in a uniform? Why isn’t he fighting the war that he is cheerleading?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:05 pmHow in the hell can someone who is supposedly a “military expert/military historian” be taken seriously on any level , much less be instrumental in actually devising a military strategy that is currently being invoked , when they themself have never served in said military ?
Are successful coaches of any sport hired with no 1st-hand experience with that particular athletic endeavor ?
Sheesh ; if there weren’t so many deaths in relation to Iraq , this would be ridiculously comical……..
April 28th, 2008 at 2:08 pmStratRat Says:
William the Bloody Kristol stole his cheerleader uniform.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:08 pm.
A Successful Occupation looks like:…
.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:13 pmVoice_of_no_Reason Says:
You don’t really think that Bella Karolyi was a female gymnast, do you?
I hardly think gender was the issue MCM was getting at. Maybe experience though… NO?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:17 pmVOR – whacha trying to get at? Bela Karolyi was an athlete (hammer thrower). Are you defending Kagan?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pmVoice_of_Reason Says:
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MCMetal Says:
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Are successful coaches of any sport hired with no 1st-hand experience with that particular athletic endeavor ?
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You don’t really think that Bella Karolyi was a female gymnast, do you?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Bill Laimbeer is also not a female basketball player …….
The point is not about focusing on gender , it is about the endeavor itself , you sorry turd…………
April 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pmJustify your racism any way you want, UnReasonable Voice.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pmVoice_of_Reason Says:
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MLB manager Carlos Tosca is another good example. There are several others, but I’ll stop there and turn to a more relevant extension of your question:
Given that Barack Obama has no 1st-hand military experience, how can he qualify as Commander in Chief under your restrictions? (Your quote: “How in the hell can someone who is supposedly a “military expert/military historian” be taken seriously on any level , much less be instrumental in actually devising a military strategy that is currently being invoked , when they themself have never served in said military?”)
April 28th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Because being president is much,much more than military experience , you GOP tool.
99% of the US population will never join the military , and even more pertinent , is that America spends more on defense and the military than the rest of the planet combined ; wouldn’t that especially rule out John McShitstain , the most clueless and dimwitted candidate left in the 2008 presidential race when it comes to economics ?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:24 pmMy dad used the phrase: a day late and a dollar short
Kagan is now 5 years late, and a trillion dollars short.
way to go, neo-cons!
April 28th, 2008 at 2:24 pmVoice_of_Reason Says:
You don’t really think that Bella Karolyi was a female gymnast, do you?
You don’t really think… do you?
I bet Fox is your news channel too.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:26 pmBTW Voice_of_Treason
How good a manager was Tosca ?
Didn’t the Jays finish 3rd twice and last in their division in the 3 years he was manager ?
Being president used to be about electing the MOST QUALIFIED person ; the GOP has been singularly responsible for changing that dynamic , and it sure as shit isn’t for the better…………
April 28th, 2008 at 2:28 pmThis was brainiac Kagan in November 2003:
“The American military today may be in the best position of any military in history. Its victories over Iraq and Afghanistan have transformed not merely the way the U.S. thinks about and conducts war, but the way the entire world sees violent conflict.”
Oh, did I miss something? We’ve actually been victorious over Iraq and Afghanistan? So why are we still trying to define victory?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:29 pmAnd um, Kagan, does winning in Iraq include this?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pmhonour killings return to iraq
Voice_of_Reason Says:
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18. No. I prefer the printed media and rarely watch television news.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Washington Times reader , eh ?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pmOne of my favorite movies is “V for Vendetta.” In one of the scenes, V rids London of the “Voice of London,” who represents propagandists within a totalitarian system. If you haven’t seen it, we all should.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XKa8VE7ILI
April 28th, 2008 at 2:31 pmFaux News and Voice of tReason share the same talking points.
The land of the free and home of the brave has turned into the land of the scared and home of the cowardly republican sissies.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:37 pmVoice_of_Reason Says:
18. No. I prefer the printed media and rarely watch television news.
He likes the picture books the best. I also heard he had a very used copy of “My Pet Goat”. Maybe he will finally finish reading it.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pmVOR:
We at least expect the coaches of our teams to be competent and to win. When they don’t, they’re down the road. What has Kagen won, or got right? Cheney? Bush? Any of your band of idiots?
I thought so.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:42 pmMCMetal Says:
I had it more pegged as a Weakly Standard reader.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:42 pmA guy I used to play in a band with just posted this song on youtube.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:44 pmIt’s about the Iraqi invasion; see what you think…
A new definition of “torture” would be: reading Kagan’s piece in the Weekly Standard without being able to scream or bang your head against a wall in astonishment and disbelief at the complete dishonesty of his garbage, and the overall moral bankruptness of these gutless f***s.
Gems like this will illustrate perfectly:
“But back in the US, the debate over Iraq is scarcely tethered to reality on the ground….” as if it isn’t Kagan HIMSELF, this criminal administration and the wingnut right cheerleaders that have done their utmost to KEEP the reality hidden, ignored or simply lied about.
“Whatever Saddam Hussein’s ties were to Al Queda before the invasion…” WHAT THE F***? Is this moron NOT aware of the information already out there – from our own government, etc. – destroying this canard?
And I’m only on page 2 – I can’t continue reading this utter bullsh*t and nonsense for fear of wanting to beat the holy sh*t out of the 1st chickenhawk I encounter today.
Aren’t there anymore THINKING rightwingers out there that are tired of being lied to and treated like simpletons by these people, as Kagan, et. al. does and continually do?
April 28th, 2008 at 2:50 pmIt appears to me that Mr. Kagan is living and breathing the “NOBLE LIE” to the hilt.Obviously he cannot come to grips with the truth yet.He must think that this country left or right is ignorant and uninformed and that we don`t know anything.Hang him along with Bush and his crime family.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:56 pmKKKarl, KKKagan & KKKristol; the New American Fascist Party.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:58 pmsatirev Says @ #26:
Mary: Kagan’s still playing computer games in some corner somewhere and totally out of touch with reality.
Is there a computer game version of Risk? Because with all of Kagan’s cheerleading for a bigger, stronger military it seems that he won’t be happy until the U.S. rules the world!
April 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pmWhy does Kagan continually whip out his tiny dick and piss into gale force winds?
April 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pmKagan’s fresh out of Friedman Units
April 28th, 2008 at 3:44 pmKagan should have applied for the role of “Newman” on Seinfeld.
April 28th, 2008 at 3:57 pmA great face for radio.