Neocons Put on a Surge-Stravaganza

[laststeamtrain]

Neocons Put on a Surge-Stravaganza

Eli Clifton

<snip>

On Thursday, the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute (AEI) -- which has generally supported the George W. Bush administration's decisions in Iraq -- put on a marathon three-and-a-half hour series of panel discussions to promote AEI resident scholar Frederick Kagan's new report, "No Middle Way: The Challenge of Exit Strategies From Iraq".

Kagan challenges another recent report by the Centre for a New American Security, which proposes a phased withdrawal from Iraq and a shift from the current U.S. role of performing security operations to an advisory and support role for the Iraqi police and military.

"...(The CNAS) report, like most middle-way strategies, mistakes the conditions that would make such a transition successful: when basic security has been established. Instead, it suggests than an immediate transition to an advisory role -- driven by hopes for bipartisanship in Washington but irrespective of the security situation in Iraq -- would allow the United States to withdraw most of its combat forces without compromising its interests," writes Kagan. "That conclusion is false."

<snip>

Kagan, Keen and O'Hanlon discount such dire statistics as not being representative of the Iraq they have witnessed during week-long tours of the country.

Graham summed up the situation as either continuing with the surge and emerging victorious, or choosing a middle ground and facing certain defeat.

"My last visit convinced me more than anything else that the biggest benefit from the surge is to take the men and women on the frontlines and change their attitudes about their mission," said Graham. "They've gone from riding around waiting to be shot to feel like they're kicking their ass. God bless," Graham concluded.

<more>

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39189