I promise not to tell any of the rabid fans of your weblog what that UCL is such an optimist.
skepticalEsq thinks it might be the American Government that doesn’t want the Afghan collaboration to get out. 

I promise not to tell any of the rabid fans of your weblog what that UCL is such an optimist.
skepticalEsq thinks it might be the American Government that doesn’t want the Afghan collaboration to get out. 

Answer: by discretely acting in the interests of their country while pretending to reflect the views of the populace.

Politicians are a sneaky bunch, as you know. Most Americans do not realize, for example, that there are French special forces troops in Afghanistan that are helping the US search for Osama bin Ladin. The French keep this quiet because their population would find it unacceptable. The Americans keep it quiet at the request of the French.

Answer: by discretely acting in the interests of their country while pretending to reflect the views of the populace.

Politicians are a sneaky bunch, as you know. Most Americans do not realize, for example, that there are French special forces troops in Afghanistan that are helping the US search for Osama bin Ladin. The French keep this quiet because their population would find it unacceptable. The Americans keep it quiet at the request of the French.

The new Iragi government will be filled with politicians. Given the choice between acting in the rational, long-run interests of their country, or in their own self-interest (and self-preservation), how do most politicians act?

The new Iragi government will be filled with politicians. Given the choice between acting in the rational, long-run interests of their country, or in their own self-interest (and self-preservation), how do most politicians act?

I do like your exit strategy theory, and it very well could turn out to be true. However, it will not be true if the new transition government acts rationally, since it is quite obvious that the security situation in Iraq is out of control and the Iraqis do not yet have a stable police force. As much as they hate our presence (and will face political pressure to have us leave), they simply need our troop presence for the time-being.

I’m afraid I agree with the Democratic criticism of the President’s speech last night. Instead of telling us he’s “staying the course,” the President should be flying to Berlin, Paris and London to make good with our true allies and negotiate an international solution involving either the UN or NATO. He frankly should have been doing that before invading Iraq but, unlike his father, this President is an utter failure when it comes to international diplomacy.

I do like your exit strategy theory, and it very well could turn out to be true. However, it will not be true if the new transition government acts rationally, since it is quite obvious that the security situation in Iraq is out of control and the Iraqis do not yet have a stable police force. As much as they hate our presence (and will face political pressure to have us leave), they simply need our troop presence for the time-being.

I’m afraid I agree with the Democratic criticism of the President’s speech last night. Instead of telling us he’s “staying the course,” the President should be flying to Berlin, Paris and London to make good with our true allies and negotiate an international solution involving either the UN or NATO. He frankly should have been doing that before invading Iraq but, unlike his father, this President is an utter failure when it comes to international diplomacy.