The real world has made appearances the last two days.
Iraq:
The United States is open to the idea of keeping troops in Iraq past a deadline to leave next year if Iraq asks for it, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
"We'll stand by," Gates said. "We're ready to have that discussion if and when they want to raise it with us."
Gates urged Iraq's squabbling political groups to reconcile after eight months of deadlock. Any request to extend the U.S. military presence in Iraq would have to come from a functioning Iraqi government. It would amend the current agreement under which U.S. troops must leave by the end of 2011.
The Obama administration has decided to begin publicly walking away from what it once touted as key deadlines in the war in Afghanistan in an effort to de-emphasize President Barack Obama's pledge that he'd begin withdrawing U.S. forces in July 2011, administration and military officials have told McClatchy.
At the end of the Iraq story there is this paragraph:
Although the 2011 deadline was a point of pride for Iraq after years of U.S. military occupation, it does not leave much time for the U.S. to train Iraq's fledgling air force. Iraq also wants more U.S. help to protect its borders.
That first sentence is a joke. Much time? Try no time, and it has been known for years that Iraq would need training, support, and America's protective umbrella for maybe a decade to come. Not just because of the Iraqi Air Force either, though that is by far the component with the longest time frame.
This is a good thing so long as Iraqis continue to handle internal security and remain committed to democracy. Strong defense ties and a strategic relationship with Iraq will cement stability between Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia and counter the natural influence that Iran has in Iraq. Yes, Iraqis are struggling to form a government again, but be wary of those who moan about Iranian influence while ignoring the ethnic and nationalist sentiments among Iraqis. Those are significant limiters as is American influence as Iraq's partner and protector.
On Afghanistan, I said last year after the surge there was announced that Obama made the right decision but then botched it with his half-assed withdrawal time line. It was the triumph of the wishful thinking of Obama's academic mind over the practical reality that the people of the region would read his words through their own goals and fears. It was a massive fuckup and if President Obama is finally realizing it, that's good. What he needs to do next is fire every last advisor who thought it would be a good idea. I understood back then the need to pressure Karzai, but it was obvious that using a time line to do that was a cure worse than the disease.
Speaking of Karzai, what good has the withdrawal time line done in that regard? Nothing. I think the blame for that part resides almost entirely with the civilian side of the US government effort. Karzai is absolutely a very difficult and problematic partner, but guess what? That's a very difficult and problematic part of the world. The culture of the US military is that failure is not an option. I don't see that same attitude coming from the US State Department or US aid organizations. I'm sure there are individuals who are performing heroically, but overall the civilian side is failing. That's reality. President Obama needs to use the upcoming review to reinvigorate the civilian side of the US effort and if necessary, clean house.
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