Cut and Run? You Bet

I only need say, Many were expressing what would happen if we invaded, as the rest were beating the drums of Destruction!

After the Invasion it was plain to see that this would be just what was warned about and the Danger it would place on the rest of the World as to the Criminal Acts of Terrorism!

We have Allowed this Country to even go Further down the road of not only Destructive Arrogance but Allowing ‘Crimes Against Humanity’, oh so many!!

Lt.Gen. William E. Odom lays it out short and to the point what We Must Do.
Cut and Run? You Bet. By Lt. Gen. William E. Odom

May/June 2006
Why America must get out of Iraq now.
First Paragraph

Withdraw immediately or stay the present course? That is the key question about the war in Iraq today. American public opinion is now decidedly against the war. From liberal New England, where citizens pass town-hall resolutions calling for withdrawal, to the conservative South and West, where more than half of “red state” citizens oppose the war, Americans want out. That sentiment is understandable.

Read Report To Fill In The Middle

Ending Statement

None of these prospects is possible unless we stop moving deeper into the “big sandy” of Iraq. America must withdraw now.

Lt. Gen. William E. Odom (Ret.) is senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and professor at Yale University. He was director of the National Security Agency from 1985 to 1988.

4 Comments

Meteor Blades on May 2, 2006 at 3:30 pm

…has been saying this for a long time, as I noted back in November in A Tale of Two Generals.

In August, Odom was saying:

If I were a journalist, I would list all the arguments that you hear against pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, the horrible things that people say would happen, and then ask: Aren’t they happening already? Would a pullout really make things worse? Maybe it would make things better.

Here are some of the arguments against pulling out:

1. We would leave behind a civil war.

2. We would lose credibility on the world stage.

3. It would embolden the insurgency and cripple the move toward democracy.

4. Iraq would become a haven for terrorists.

5. Iranian influence in Iraq would increase.

6. Unrest might spread in the region and/or draw in Iraq’s neighbors.

7. Shiite-Sunni clashes would worsen.

8. We haven’t fully trained the Iraqi military and police forces yet.

9. Talk of deadlines would undercut the morale of our troops.

But consider this:

1) On civil war. Iraqis are already fighting Iraqis. Insurgents have killed far more Iraqis than Americans. That’s civil war. We created the civil war when we invaded; we can’t prevent a civil war by staying.

For those who really worry about destabilizing the region, the sensible policy is not to stay the course in Iraq. It is rapid withdrawal, re-establishing strong relations with our allies in Europe, showing confidence in the UN Security Council, and trying to knit together a large coalition including the major states of Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, and India to back a strategy for stabilizing the area from the eastern Mediterranean to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until the United States withdraws from Iraq and admits its strategic error, no such coalition can be formed.

jimstaro on May 2, 2006 at 4:06 pm

And if the MSM won’t give him, and others,the SoapBox of the Reality, We All Must!!

Because it’s Blood on our hands and Done in Our Names!!

jimstaro on May 2, 2006 at 4:35 pm

For our Troops, and For This Country!!!

Iraq veterans turn to VA centers to heal emotional battle scars

Number of troops needing help threatens to overwhelm Veterans Administration

Vets’ mental health focus of conference

Marisacat on May 2, 2006 at 6:21 pm

I like Odom… and he called for withdrawal from Spring of 04.

He based it on, capture of Saddam and no WMD. He bascially gave the US a formula that, if it cared to, it could use.

Further, he opposed the war from the get go. And with the strength and fearlessness of an old man, he will state openly that people died for nothing in Vietnam (he lost his own friend and roommate from West POint) and that people would die for nothing (well other than Bush, a pro war single party governance and empire) in Iraq.

I fear we are there for 100 years – and widening war. There is still wealth in this country that can be bled off for foreign war… and more Katrinas to enable…. And that was clear going in.

Thanks for this diary. America needs to be reminded everyday, she need not wage a criminal unjust war.

Meteor Blades on May 2, 2006 at 3:30 pm

…has been saying this for a long time, as I noted back in November in A Tale of Two Generals.

In August, Odom was saying:

If I were a journalist, I would list all the arguments that you hear against pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, the horrible things that people say would happen, and then ask: Aren’t they happening already? Would a pullout really make things worse? Maybe it would make things better.

Here are some of the arguments against pulling out:

1. We would leave behind a civil war.

2. We would lose credibility on the world stage.

3. It would embolden the insurgency and cripple the move toward democracy.

4. Iraq would become a haven for terrorists.

5. Iranian influence in Iraq would increase.

6. Unrest might spread in the region and/or draw in Iraq’s neighbors.

7. Shiite-Sunni clashes would worsen.

8. We haven’t fully trained the Iraqi military and police forces yet.

9. Talk of deadlines would undercut the morale of our troops.

But consider this:

1) On civil war. Iraqis are already fighting Iraqis. Insurgents have killed far more Iraqis than Americans. That’s civil war. We created the civil war when we invaded; we can’t prevent a civil war by staying.

For those who really worry about destabilizing the region, the sensible policy is not to stay the course in Iraq. It is rapid withdrawal, re-establishing strong relations with our allies in Europe, showing confidence in the UN Security Council, and trying to knit together a large coalition including the major states of Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, and India to back a strategy for stabilizing the area from the eastern Mediterranean to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until the United States withdraws from Iraq and admits its strategic error, no such coalition can be formed.
- jimstaro on May 2, 2006 at 4:06 pm
  
  And if the MSM won’t give him, and others,the SoapBox of the Reality, We All Must!!
  
  Because it’s Blood on our hands and Done in Our Names!!
jimstaro on May 2, 2006 at 4:35 pm

For our Troops, and For This Country!!!

Iraq veterans turn to VA centers to heal emotional battle scars

Number of troops needing help threatens to overwhelm Veterans Administration

Vets’ mental health focus of conference
Marisacat on May 2, 2006 at 6:21 pm

I like Odom… and he called for withdrawal from Spring of 04.

He based it on, capture of Saddam and no WMD. He bascially gave the US a formula that, if it cared to, it could use.

Further, he opposed the war from the get go. And with the strength and fearlessness of an old man, he will state openly that people died for nothing in Vietnam (he lost his own friend and roommate from West POint) and that people would die for nothing (well other than Bush, a pro war single party governance and empire) in Iraq.

I fear we are there for 100 years – and widening war. There is still wealth in this country that can be bled off for foreign war… and more Katrinas to enable…. And that was clear going in.

Thanks for this diary. America needs to be reminded everyday, she need not wage a criminal unjust war.

About The Author

jimstaro

4 Comments

Recent Posts

Recent Comments