Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Sour Grapes

Yes, this is a case of sour grapes ... Peter Carlson's magazine column in today's Washington Post notes that in the forthcoming issue of Foreign Policy, General William Odom talks about leaving Iraq:

"Invading Iraq was not in the interests of the United States," Odom writes. "It was in the interests of Iran and al Qaeda."

Kudos to the brave editors for publishing such heresy.

Of course, Odom first made this case--in the summer 2004 issue of The National Interest. Back then, it wasn't quite the popular position to take. Of course, in summer 2006--this is now much more of a "mainstream" position.

Odom, of course, has displayed remarkable consistency on this issue. No "mea culpas" three years after the fact.

Comments:
General Odom is a sane man. He also knows what it takes to get anything done in the real world as opposed to the pages of paper and what true strategic interests of the United States are.
The degree to which people such as him are ignored by US Government is indicative of the effective of the policies that are pursued now.
 
It says something that "mainstream" publications have to wait until the bandwagon starts and it is "safe" to publish these kinds of opinions. Odom would have had to go to National Interest in 2004 because Foreign Affairs or Foreign Policy, in 2004, wouldn't have published him.
 
The even scarier possibility is that the Iranians, through Chalibi, snookered us into doing it. Perhaps they will tell us in 60 years or so.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?