So far, Democrats have shared slogans, but have not come out with any real policy. The need of the hour is to look forward and quickly. During the campaign, their most common call was for a ‘phased redeployment’ or a plan for withdrawal of American troops starting before the end of this year. The Democrats will not be able to savor their victory for long. Americans are waiting to hear if they have any good ideas for how to get out of Iraq without creating even wider chaos and terrorism.
Criticizing President Bush’s gross mismanagement of the war and pitching it as a winning electoral strategy was an issue bygone, now it would not extricate the United States from this mess, nor will it persuade voters that the Democrats are ready to take back the White House.
The responsibility for all that has gone wrong lies squarely with Mr. Bush. Even with control of the Congress, the Democrats’ role in changing things will be hortatory. People are eager to hear the recommendations of the ‘Iraq Study Group’ - better known as the ‘(James) Baker commission’ - it should be the start, and not the end, of a bipartisan discussion on Iraq strategy. The Democrats need to be ready to play a full role.
Threatening to pull out may be the only way to get cooperation from Iraq’s prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, who is thwarting even the most limited American efforts to disarm militias and set timetables for genuine political compromise on the most fundamental issues, like protecting minority rights and fairly apportioning the country’s oil wealth.
Unless America’s exit plans are coupled with a more serious effort to build up Iraq’s security forces and mediate its sectarian divisions, a phased withdrawal will only hasten Iraq’s descent into civil war - while placing American soldiers who remain behind in even greater danger. We also fear that Iraqis will have no interest in anything but retribution, until they see that security and rebuilding is possible. For that reason, we have suggested one last push to stabilize Baghdad. That would require at least a temporary increase in American and Iraqi troops on Baghdad streets.
Some are of the view to divide the country into three ethnically based regions. Most Iraqis - except for the Kurds - show little enthusiasm for the idea. And, while there has been horrific ethnic cleansing, it hasn’t yet got to the point that boundaries could be drawn without driving more people out of their homes. Such ideas deserve a full discussion, something the United States has not had since its troops first rolled into Iraq. We are not sure that any shift in strategy can contain the disaster but we are sure that even a few weeks more of drift and confusion will guarantee more chaos and suffering once American troops leave. Voters gave the Democrats the floor - and are now waiting to hear what they have to say.
Via: telegraph
