[Vision2020] Our Opinions On Iraq Strategy Don't Matter (Bob Schieffer)

[Tom Hansen]

>From the Bob Schieffer's closing commentary of today's (September 16, 2007)
"Face the Nation" -

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Our Opinions On Iraq Strategy Don't Matter
By Bob Schieffer

As I listened to the debate over Iraq policy last week, what struck me was
how people could look at the same situation and come to such opposite
conclusions about what they saw - let alone what to do about it. 

Think about it. General Petraeus told us the administration policy has led
to some success in Iraq. Critics said it has led to total failure. 

The general said violence is down in Iraq. Critics challenged his figures
and said violence is up. 

The general and the president said it is the success we have had that has
made it possible to bring home some of our troops. Critics said success had
nothing to do with it; we simply don't have an army large enough to keep the
current number of troops in Iraq past April. 

The president said being in Iraq has made us safer. Critics said it's made
us weaker. 

General Petraeus said he did not know. 

The administration says Iraq will require a long term American military
commitment. The critics say the president is just making an excuse to
justify the 100,000 American troops that will still be in Iraq when the next
president takes office. 

To my ear, the only thing the two sides agreed on was that the internal
factions in the Iraqi government are still a long way from working out a way
to share power and make the compromises necessary to form a stable,
efficient government. 

The discouraging thing is that until the Iraqis resolve that, who's right or
wrong about the rest of it doesn't really matter 

Not at all.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men." 

- Thomas Paine (English Writer, 1737-1809)

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