No denying it, we're not winning it

There's a bit of good news, even though it's really bad news. The good news is that someone in the Bush administration may get it. After telling us for 3 years that we're winning and that there's more good news than bad news, in spite of what we saw on the news, Robert Gates fesses up in his confirmation hearing. From the NY Times, this is a brief but finally direct response:


“Mr. Gates, do you believe that we are currently winning in Iraq?” Mr. Levin asked.

“No, sir,” Mr. Gates replied, going on to agree with the senator that a political settlement is needed to end the blood-letting, and that the United States needed to convey “a sense of urgency” to the Iraqis about reaching an accord.

Finally an admission that we're not winning. In fact, at best we're going sideways. I hope for the best, but it looks like tough sledding. Still, Gates seems to understand that change is in order. And that's a breath of fresh air.

Another worrisome issue is the factionalism in Iraq. With all of the private militias, each playing the US off the other, it's possible that we could quickly get drawn into a bloodletting. I was disturbed by reports that Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the SCIRI party, who was visiting President Bush, had requested increased action against Sunni insurgents, while at the same time saying nothing of the problems created by his own Shiite militia. Are we going to get suckered into a feud?

What is sad is that for the past two years the Bush administration and its supporters have used patriotism to cow critics of the war effort. It's not unpatriotic to hold our leaders accountable. In fact it should be the American way -- we live in a representative democracy, not a monarchy or a dictatorship.

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