Every week of the Obama Presidency so far has brought a new big pronouncement with this as no exception. President Obama outlined our withdrawal plans for Iraq so our cudos to the Executive Producer, Betsy Fischer, for securing the exclusive with Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, for today's Meet The Press.
The essentials of the plan are that by August 2010, our combat brigades will be drawn down and a residual force of 50,000 (a 'weigh station' to get to zero is how Gates described it) will remain until we pull out completely for 2011. Secretary Gates also provided the caveat that the President reserves the right to alter this plan if the situation on the ground dictates otherwise. And the reality is that no matter what the conditions on the ground, the United States will have troops in Iraq for years to come. It's an obvious necessity really. Special operations to quell Al Qaeda, sectarian violence, and Iranian influence. Today, Sec. Gates described a successful ending to the Iraq theater as having a stable government and country that is an ally of the United States. This isn't unrealistic if we don't genuinely assist the Iraqis in more practical matters. If we were to make great strides in helping the Iraqis rebuild their infrastructure as we withdrawal, we'll have an ally. The Bush Administration's rebuilding plan was essentially a money grab for company's friendly to former Vice President Cheney.
It's completely exasperating because the United States have poured billions upon billions into rebuilding and conditions are still not comparable to the Saddam era. And to ask the American people to have the wherewithal for a re-doubled effort on Iraq while our own infrastructure is in the CPU is just too much.
But here we are... and Mexico is to the south, which was a substantive change of tact by Mr. Gregory. The Mexican drug wars have practically turned that country into a police state, and the police are losing. It is a grave security threat along the United States' southern border and is now a matter of national security.
Secretary Gates initially pointed out that President Calderon for the first time is taking on the Drug Lords, hence the gruesome increase in violence. This begs the question what was President Bush's friend Vincente Fox doing? A 'Good Job Brownie' episode we suspect. However, the Secretary then eluded the support we would give to Mexico. He didn't say no to Mr. Gregory's question with regard to use of the military. He said support, training, surveillance, intelligence... Basically, that translates into the United States soon having a policy with Mexico as it is Columbia where we have substantial military resources allocated for the War on Drugs.
There are hard choices to be made and so far, President Obama has addressed quite a few of them, but according to Joe Scarborough, Host of 'Morning Joe' and one of the program's guests, he's made none with respect to the budget. In short order - first, he's wrong and second, he's not a good guest and shouldn't be on the program again. Meet The Press is for candid and thoughtful discussion, not bluster. However, what he points to is the budget deficits, which are staggering in size and for the duration for which we'll endure them. Spelled out, that means a $1.75 trillion deficit next year, a trillion dollars the year after, and then $500 billion for an undetermined amount of years. And as the former Congressman from Tennessee, Harold Ford, astutely pointed out, he'll have a political price to pay if he doesn't get this straightened out in four years. You think?
But there is Republican Strategist, Mike Murphy to save the day. With regard to the Republicans' collective floundering right now, he likened the party to a group of enuchs invited to a wild party at the Playboy Mansion who can just stand there. Now that's analysis! In all seriousness, he's also right that the Republicans have to come up with a plan of their own. So yes, there will be a political price Obama may pay, but to what alternative. Tax Cuts and military spending will not lead to a cure. This is an uninspired, stale idea and that's all the Republicans have to offer right now. Their issue as Mr. Murphy put it is to modernize conservative principals, in other words to convey a sense that the Republican Party is more in touch with the people. This is fine for discussion, but while the Republicans try to find themselves, the rest of the country is check to check if they're fortunate to have one.
The wheels without lug nuts are in motion and Republicans with knife in hand are eyeing the tires. If they continue this trajectory and do not become reasonable, not only will they loose their supports, they'll also put the rest of us on the skids.
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