Democrats Abroad New Zealand
12.23.2006
The President is Unequivocally Undecided (TheAustralian.News.com.au)
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Geoff Elliott
A RETIRED Congressman runs through the studio audience to the stage. Crowd cheers. Cue titles for tonight’s episode of: “Let’s Find an Iraq Strategy!”
"Come on down, Ma’am,” the smiling host says. “Your chance for a new car, if you can just pick the right strategy from the four in front of you: withdraw immediately; stay the course; add more troops; invade Iran.”
The Iraq War as a game show? It may sound absurd, offensive even, but then you’re not living in Washington. Here the daily public ruminations from the President and his administration are trivialising what are life and death decisions in Baghdad.
It’s become a staple of political narrative here in the last few weeks, particularly since the bipartisan Iraq Study Group released its report and the President himself admitted he was looking to change course.
But rather than go private, call on a few trusted ex-military types to present a top secret battle plan. President George W. Bush is on the screen every other day to not rule this in, not rule that out. Thinking of increasing troop levels, President Bush was asked in his last press conference of the year yesterday. “I haven’t made up my mind yet,” says Bush.
The Decider, as he called himself earlier this year, is decidedly undecided. It makes one almost yearn for the unilateralist of yore.
(More ... The Australian > Blogs > Washington Correspondent)
Geoff Elliott
A RETIRED Congressman runs through the studio audience to the stage. Crowd cheers. Cue titles for tonight’s episode of: “Let’s Find an Iraq Strategy!”
"Come on down, Ma’am,” the smiling host says. “Your chance for a new car, if you can just pick the right strategy from the four in front of you: withdraw immediately; stay the course; add more troops; invade Iran.”
The Iraq War as a game show? It may sound absurd, offensive even, but then you’re not living in Washington. Here the daily public ruminations from the President and his administration are trivialising what are life and death decisions in Baghdad.
It’s become a staple of political narrative here in the last few weeks, particularly since the bipartisan Iraq Study Group released its report and the President himself admitted he was looking to change course.
But rather than go private, call on a few trusted ex-military types to present a top secret battle plan. President George W. Bush is on the screen every other day to not rule this in, not rule that out. Thinking of increasing troop levels, President Bush was asked in his last press conference of the year yesterday. “I haven’t made up my mind yet,” says Bush.
The Decider, as he called himself earlier this year, is decidedly undecided. It makes one almost yearn for the unilateralist of yore.
(More ... The Australian > Blogs > Washington Correspondent)
Labels: Bush, Iraq, Opinion, The Australian
¶ 16:13 0 comments
11.25.2006
Iraq A Moral Blunder, Says War Hero (Australian.com.au)
Patrick Walters, National security editor
November 25, 2006
THE former SAS officer who devised and executed the Iraq war plan for Australia's special forces says that the nation's involvement has been a strategic and moral blunder.
Peter Tinley, who was decorated for his military service in Afghanistan and Iraq, has broken ranks to condemn the Howard Government over its handling of the war and has called for an immediate withdrawal of Australian troops.
"It was a cynical use of the Australian Defence Force by the Government," the ex-SAS operations officer told The Weekend Australian yesterday.
"This war duped the Australian Defence Force and the Australian people in terms of thinking it was in some way legitimate."
As the lead tactical planner for Australia's special forces in the US in late 2002, Mr Tinley was in a unique position to observe intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and the coalition's military preparations in the lead-up to the war.
Mr Tinley, 44, who retired from the army last year after a distinguished 25-year career, said the US-led coalition had been naive in its thinking about what it could achieve after a quick military invasion of Iraq.
"They never had enough troops to fully lock down the major centres and infrastructure or the borders," he said.
(More ... The Australian > Iraq a moral blunder, says war hero)
November 25, 2006
THE former SAS officer who devised and executed the Iraq war plan for Australia's special forces says that the nation's involvement has been a strategic and moral blunder.
Peter Tinley, who was decorated for his military service in Afghanistan and Iraq, has broken ranks to condemn the Howard Government over its handling of the war and has called for an immediate withdrawal of Australian troops.
"It was a cynical use of the Australian Defence Force by the Government," the ex-SAS operations officer told The Weekend Australian yesterday.
"This war duped the Australian Defence Force and the Australian people in terms of thinking it was in some way legitimate."
As the lead tactical planner for Australia's special forces in the US in late 2002, Mr Tinley was in a unique position to observe intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and the coalition's military preparations in the lead-up to the war.
Mr Tinley, 44, who retired from the army last year after a distinguished 25-year career, said the US-led coalition had been naive in its thinking about what it could achieve after a quick military invasion of Iraq.
"They never had enough troops to fully lock down the major centres and infrastructure or the borders," he said.
(More ... The Australian > Iraq a moral blunder, says war hero)
Labels: Iraq, The Australian
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