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the problem with iraq

Bush & Co. have made a hash of Iraq, that’s not news. It’s been called the greatest strategic blunder in American history – time will tell.

Whatever your moral feelings about Iraq, I don’t think there are many people left who claim it’s been a successful campaign.

That’s why I’m uncomfortable with the Dem’s move to set a specific deadline for pulling out. I would argue that the Bush team’s chronic stupidity and demonstrated incompetence (whether cynical or real) suggests that it would be imprudent to leave something as complicated as a pull-out from Iraq to them. Dangerous. They were terrible in their approach to going in; and even worse once they got in; one presumes they will be just as disastrous in pulling out.

Heads here and there have rolled in the Administration and military for various things, but the real head that has to go is the one at the top. No other organization (private company, beaurocracy, or, say, rugby club or church committee) would allow such a proven failure stay in charge after having been so wrong and so bad at getting things done so often.

The parliamentary system has provisions for a vote of no confidence that will bring down a government. The American governing system has no such provision, so the only way to get Bush out, if I understand correctly, is to get him to resign. Even impeachment isn’t enough. Clinton was impeached, but continued to govern (more popular than ever); Nixon resigned before impeachment.

The only way Bush will get the axe is if Republicans themselves apply the pressure (which is what happened to Nixon). I doubt there’s much chance of that…

So if I were the Dems I wouldn’t put a timetable on withdrawl as long as Bush is in charge. I think it’s too dangerous.

3 Comments

  1. Kristin Kristin 2007-03-23

    Well, impeachment as far as I know, is just the first step among many that could remove a president.

    I was talking about this to someone the other day, and we both agree on one thing. I don’t think that many Americans could handle the president being impeached. For one, vice president Cheney is not someone I would want running the country. Two, I think people are afraid of having even more chaos in Iraq if he were to leave. Third, many in congress would have to admitt that their going along with Bush early on was wrong, and would be condemning themselves indirectly.

  2. Hugh Hugh 2007-03-23

    well the question is, will Bush be deemed to be such a danger to the country (or Republican Party) that he is forced out by his party. he’s not there yet, but I could imagine him going in that direction, but then I am a pessimist. otherwise, nothing will happen. if such an extreme happened, I can’t imagine that Cheney would have any power to do anything…

    the point is that the power of the president is, in the end, granted by the party he rules – the Republicans – more so than the American people. So whatever happens next is, in large part, up to them, more so than the Dems.

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