Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
As a first step, I'll throw out my definition of "win" here, and let's see if there's any controversy there:
We accomplish the stated goals of: removing Saddam, initiating the process of establishing a constitutional democracy, (and it appears going forward that that process is . . . well, . . . progressing well, meaning, the country votes and elects and legislates and enforces as an expression of popular will instead of concentrated power), Iraq is no longer a destabilizing influence on the rest of the ME (and is, in fact, a stabilizing influence), Iraq is left as a willing friend and ally and business partner of the USA, and we bring home our military in stages as these things happen.
To me, that's a win.
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(1) is clearly a good thing and a Win; (2) is one of the items I want to hear debate on; frankly, bringing Democracy to Iraq is not critical to my definition of win, and I have doubts about whether it is an appropriate military (as opposed to political) objective; (3) I want to hear debate on; I'm not convinced, as I indicated before; (4) we'll find out about "willing" once we are more fully disengaged; and (5) I'm happy if we bring home most of our military - let's not set the bar unreasonably high.
So, I'd set the bar for a winner lower than you, but am still less certain we have achieved it or will achieve it (apart from ousting Saddam, which is a clear win).
