Thanks go to Tina for this find!!! I couldn’t let it stay in our comments section, it was just too good. Great find Tina! This is by Richard Fernandez and it’s titled, In Search of Plan C. Enjoy:
“Has President Obama been a disaster in Iraq — as in every other place? Sure he has. … Let’s not pretend, though, that America’s Middle East mess is strictly an Obama production. Today … it happens after more than 20 years of willful blindness to the ideology of our enemies, and more than 20 years without a strategic vision of the global jihadist challenge.
Obama took the alternative strategic route of denying that Islam was a problem in need of reform; rather it was our inability to understand and deal with its nuances that lay at the root of security problems. Rejecting the Bush approach of overawing the locals followed by a semi-colonial nation building strategy, Obama substituted engagement, pay-offs and flattery, epitomized by assigning NASA to boost the ego of the Muslim world. The result, as McCarthy notes, bordered on madness:
Today, a Sunni jihadist in Iraq might be killed by an American drone in support, incredibly, of the Iranian military intervention to prop up Iraq’s Shiite government. But if that same Sunni jihadist instead crosses the border into Syria, he will be given American-supplied weapons to fight against the Iranian military intervention that props up Syria’s Shiite government.
As recent events in Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Iraq show, the problem with Obama’s conception is it doesn’t work. It is so bad that it makes GWB look good by comparison. The world didn’t jump from the frying pan into the bright clear uplands. It jumped into the fire. The threats as it turns out, emerge whether America invades anything or not. For starters, countries in the region were constantly invading each other without any prompting. Iraq invaded Iran in the Saddam years; gassed Kurds and massacred the Shi’ites. All by his lonesome.”
Here’s another good one…
Link– http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2014/06/httpwwwnytimescomreuters20140613worldmiddleeast13reuters-iraq-security-region-insighthtmlrefworld.html
““Sykes-Picot is dead,” Walid Jumblatt roared at me last night – and he may well be right. The Lebanese Druze leader – who fought in a 15-year civil war that redrew the map of Lebanon – believes that the new battles for Sunni Muslim jihadi control of northern and eastern Syria and western Iraq have finally destroyed the post-World War Anglo-French conspiracy, hatched by Mark Sykes and François Picot, which divided up the old Ottoman Middle East into Arab statelets controlled by the West.” The Independent
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The media accepts the simplistc idea that ISIS, an AQ affiliate, is the sole actor in this campaign on the anti-Shia side. In fact, this is a coalition largely balanced between ISIS, former Iraq Army fighters and officers (that is why they have moved as though Guderian or Rommel was in charge and can fly helicopters) as well as Sunni bedouin tribesmen under their own sheikhs.
The Rebel Army’s advance to the south has followed the classic pattern of modern maneuver warfare in “hauling ass, bypassing the non-essential, and letting the following infantry mop up.” Thus the advance to and seizure of Mosul was immediately followed by a quick advance to Tikrit and then to further south. IMO ISIS is not capable of organizing this kind of operation. They are more suited to head chopping and beard measuring in occupied towns.
Among the things being missed and misunderstood in the US media is the presence of Rebel Army forces in strength in Anbar Province. The Rebel army occupied Falluja and Ramadi months ago and the Iraqi government failed in its attempts to dislodge them. There is a Line of Supply that runs from Anbar up the Euphrates Valley to Syria and the ISIS dominated area there. From this flanking position in Anbar the rebel Army is placed to intervene on the flank of a government counter-offensive to the north or to participate in a concentric attack on the capital.
Today we have news from CNN’s Nick Robertson in Erbil in Kurdistan (a good place to be just now) and from Arwa Damon at the same place. These are two fine ME oriented reporters. They, Ben Weideman and the war junkie Richard Engel, are the best. Robertson reports that government forces have withdrawn from Sammara because a Rebel Army flanking column has ocuupied Baquba to their rear. One must ask if the spirits of “Cump” Sherman and Stonewall are guiding this campaign.
The present Iraqi government will have one opportunity for a counteroffensive to the north. If that fails then we will see the de facto partition of the country in a way that largely cancels long-established Western imposed structure in the region.
Present events in Iraq and Syria bring to mind all the “experts” in government and academia who over the decades insisted to me that sectarianism was only a surface screen that hid the economic realities beneath. Their brains had been rotted by IR/PS in universities and they were incapable of seeing the truth of continuing and vital community identities. They still are incapable of understanding that simple reality. For them everything is a struggle for economic assets in a western system of “rationalism.” The idea that Maliki would try to destroy the Sunni Arabs in Iraq from sheer malevolent ancestral hatred was beyond their comprehension.
“Sykes-Picot is Dead.”
Yup. That’s true. The eighty year old deal between the French and British over dividing up the spoils of war in the former dominions of the Turkish sultan is finished. At Versailles the “Allies” (Churchill, Gertrude Bell, TE Lawrence et al) decided that these dominions would be cut up along lines that ran north-south with greater Syria (to include what is now Lebanon) going to the French, what is now Iraq going to the British and an enclave made out of Ottoman lands south of Syria going to Britain “in trust” for a Jewish homeland that had been promised by Britain in the Balfour Declaration in 1916 as they sought Jewish support during WWI. The “minor issue” of the rights of the previous inhabitants of the Holy Land was simply ignored.
We should remember that “Syria,” “the Lebanon,” “Palestine,” and “Iraq,” had not been names that denoted political entities. These were geographical expressions that transcended politics. These lands had previously been organized along different lines in the administrative structure of the Ottoman empire. In that oecumenical empire the various peoples had only recently been “infected” with the Western notion of ethno-linguistic nationhood. Before that, people thought of themselves as; Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Jews, different kinds of Christians, etc. In those locally characteristic categories people lived in their “millets” in relative order under the yoke of the Ottoman state. Saddam continued that tradition.
Now, the ancient system of loyalties is re-asserting itself. Like calls to like. The Iraqi Sunnis have begun to align themselves together in a way not seen since WWI. In the “American War” in Iraq, US Army SF and the marines succeeded in separating traditional Sunni Arab tribal groups from AQ and friends. We threw that advantage away by accepting the exclusivist sectarian policies of Malii’s government.
Now, “the chickens has come home to roost.” Perhaps the Ottoman Empire was not such a bad thing. pl
Assessment? The entire five hundreds words make only one point, of dubious significance:
“What is our Plan C? … I believe there is an exit, though I do not know what it is. But the key to finding it lies in facing the facts, even so unpalatable a set of facts as McCarthy proposes, full in the face.”
But he won’t come out and say it … just as Tina won’t. But now, at least, I know where she’s getting this muck from … one of her sources, anyway.
For all the ominous angsting, and harrowing paranoia manifested by Mr. Fernandez, I’m sorry, no. There will be no attempt at any global subjugation of Islam.
Violent actors will be dealt with on an “as needed” basis, but there will be no Third Great Crusade.
What is going to happen (oh, irrational me) is that you are going to make some attempt to evolve. You’ve lost the commies; you will not replace them with the muslims. You know what? … you are going to learn to live without an “enemy.”
… in my dreams.
Aha! Libby finally says what SHE BELIEVES conservatives want: ” There will be no attempt at any global subjugation of Islam.”
Her fantasy is the power source of her bias, her seething anger, and her radical politics. WE represent the devil and SHE is the superhero that will eliminate us from HER America. To Libby WE are worse than al Qaeda and the Taliban and she will stand as a shield to those “poor boys” and demand that we clean our own house (she will ash-can the Republican/conservative evil)
I wish I could express just how angry this ignorant opinion makes me. The undisciplined adult child would love to scream the most vile of names, so despicable do I find her words.
This fantasy is ignorant and ugly. We have bent over backwards to make a distinction between those who fly jets into buildings, go on murderous rampages, commit mass murder of 13000, cut off the heads of captors for affect, and advocate religious tyranny across the globe, and those who practice their religion peacefully.
Libby simply refused to admit that we make that distinction.
She also refuses to acknowledge that those who do practice this religion peacefully, allow the radicalism in the religion to continue. Very few do anything to stop or reform the radical elements of THEIR religion.
Libby admits there is a solution but: ” I believe there is an exit, though I do not know what it is.”
How does someone who says she knows nothing justify criticism of those who at least are willing to discuss the problems and make suggestions, not to mention those who have put their own butts and lives on the line to attempt to address it?
How does she explain or justify her own “solution”: “Violent actors will be dealt with on an ‘as needed’ basis”
Yeah, like there’s only one or two of these very real, very determined bad guys running around. Is she insane?
And her final word…a typical dismissal: “you are going to learn to live without an ‘enemy'”.
How about…YOU FIRST!
Conservatives and Republicans have been the straw man enemy of you and your radical, fundamental transforming progressive Democrat Party in America for over seventy years! I say “straw man” because you do not depict us as we are but as it suits you to create an enemy. You stir up hatred toward your political opponents with lies and fabrications about our desires and intent. You preach division politics. You teach people to hate in the name of fundamental transformation, that is, changing our free republic into a communal socialist utopia.
You are a phony and that’s not meant to be name-calling. It is meant to be descriptive of a person who claims to be open minded, fair and inclusive, who pretends to care about freedom and the rights of all, but who harbors a hateful animosity toward anyone who doesn’t see the world exactly as she does or who gets in the way of her communal vision with power vested in socialist, ideological icons and big government tyrannical enforcers.
Dewey you and your lefty pals are doing everything you can to shift responsibility for the last five years to our previous president and of course to evil corporations and their vile money.
One day you will have to try to join us in the world of adults.
You have your issues with Obama “but” is a giant cop out.
“Cheney needs to be hung.”
You are getting mighty close to being permanently banned from Post Scrips.
Skip the lecture; we’ve all read your previous posts.
Interesting. Dewey would hang former Vice President Dick Cheney and Chris would be first in line to burn President Barack Obama’s feet.
Is anyone besides me seeing a pattern emerging here?
Tina, you do realize that you contradict yourself here:
“This fantasy is ignorant and ugly. We have bent over backwards to make a distinction between those who fly jets into buildings, go on murderous rampages, commit mass murder of 13000, cut off the heads of captors for affect, and advocate religious tyranny across the globe, and those who practice their religion peacefully.
…
She also refuses to acknowledge that those who do practice this religion peacefully, allow the radicalism in the religion to continue. Very few do anything to stop or reform the radical elements of THEIR religion.”
First … in rather florid language you claim to believe that radical fundamentalists are not representative of the majority .. and THEN you assert that the majority IS RESPONSIBLE for the actions of their fundamentalists.
You do this all the time. And we always notice. And we will continue to give you a bad time about it, because your attitude is prejudiced and bigoted and fearful and the root of most of this species social difficulties.
P.S.:
Libby admits there is a solution but: ”I believe there is an exit, though I do not know what it is.”
See the quote marks. I was quoting your author.
Talk about your cosmic convergences:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/video-emerges-from-last-nights-controversial-heritage-benghazi-panel/
Fun viewing. First, the well-mannered, articulate gentleman lays out how Islamic ideology, itself, is as dangerous as any violent jihadist. Thereby inferring that any adherent of Islam is dangerous. (I much prefer “fear of Islam” to “Islamophobe”, but … which ever … this would qualify.) However, he does nothing more than infer.
Then the somewhat ill-mannered woman makes it all perfectly plain.
If you thought about it, maybe you’d see that, historically, ideologically speaking, you cannot fear an idea … and call yourself an American.
That’s just not how it’s supposed to work.
Libby: “you do realize that you contradict yourself here.
Sorry, no. I am aware of, for instance, Dr. Juhdi Jasser who works tirelessly through his organization, AIFD, and as an American Muslim “…to advocate for the preservation of the founding principles of the United States Constitution, liberty and freedom, through the separation of mosque and state.”
I am also aware of the radical element that works to undermine the principles of freedom and individual rights and will use terror and death as a vehicle to gain absolute power and tyranny across the globe.
I see the difference. You don’t?
“and THEN you assert that the majority IS RESPONSIBLE for the actions of their fundamentalists.”
No. I acknowledge that very few have done anything to reform the religion…you know…like the Christians did a few centuries ago.
“You do this all the time. And we always notice. And we will continue to give you a bad time about it, because your attitude is prejudiced and bigoted and fearful…”
Blah blah blah, same old song. How in the he77 is making an obvious distinction, lamenting that few have stepped up to do anything within the religion, make me prejudiced and bigoted fearful?
And you always do that! You react to that caricature in your head.
“If you thought about it, maybe you’d see that, historically, ideologically speaking, you cannot fear an idea … and call yourself an American.”
I don’t know, Libby, you lefties sure do seem to fear open discussion, opposing views and ideas, conservatives and Tea Partiers, talk radio and FOX News. And you will go to extraordinary lengths to destroy them…you also support a man who promised to fundamentally transform your beloved America…and he has…and still you think of your self as American.
That’s not how it’s supposed to work either but since the “me me me” generation of leftist brats decided revolution was a lifestyle we got it anyway.
First, it’s Zuhdi Jasser.
Second, was he on the panel? I don’t think so.
But this I especially like:
“No. I acknowledge that very few have done anything to reform the religion…you know…like the Christians did a few centuries ago.”
So, the Muslims should have themselves a “protestant reformation”?
Maybe it wasn’t the commies who fomented the execution of JFK? Wonders.
And you do crack me up. You do.
Jesus H.
You don’t suppose?
Could that be why the Warren Commission did such a piss-poor job? Why we, ostensibly, still don’t know who killed JFK?
It wasn’t a Cuban-Commie Cabal?
They knew.
It was YOU.
YOU couldn’t stick a Catholic in the White House … and that’s why he was killed?
My God.
Double-up security on the O-man … that’s all I can say.
Libby I will leave you to do that superior dance with the only partner you’d deem worthy…you.
Well, I mean, really, Tina … the arrogance: “it would all be all right if they were just more like us” ???
And I suppose I should point out that all our wing-nut, and occasionally violent, Christian sects are protestant.
Geez.
Geez Libby. Just because you think that is what I think doesn’t mean that it IS what I think.
It has nothing to do with protestantism.
It has to do with a reform of the religion. There are Muslims who practice the religion without the head chopping and wife beating. If one can do it; others can do it but for the world to be at relative peace I think it will require that the religious leadership form a committee to put an end to thirteenth century practices.
Your prejudice has become comical now.