Webb issues statement on the five-year “anniversary” of the war
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From Senator Jim Webb’s press office:
“The invasion and occupation of Iraq began five years ago today in the absence of a clearly articulated strategy that should have defined our national objectives as well as the circumstances that would bring about an end point to our military presence in that country. Five years later, the American people are still waiting for the kind of political and diplomatic leadership that will end the occupation, stabilize the region, and allow our country to focus on other, vital strategic challenges around the world.
“At the same time, the debate over the current situation in Iraq is being conducted as if Iraq was an isolated island rather than one country in a region that has grown ever more volatile over the past five years. Our occupation in Iraq has also tied down our highly-maneuverable military forces on the streets of that country’s violence-prone cities while the forces of international terrorism retain their own fluidity. International terrorism, by nature, knows no country boundaries, which is one reason that the situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan have become more precarious.
“Only when our political leadership matches the high quality of our military performance will we be able to resolve our current occupation of Iraq. And it is clear that we are not going to see that kind of leadership from the Bush administration. It is imperative that our next president place great emphasis on robust diplomacy in the region to a degree that allows us to reduce our presence in Iraq and increase stability in the region.
“In the coming months we must guard against allowing this Administration to position the next President into a situation where we have agreed to support a long-term military presence in Iraq. For more than six years, the administration has been less than open with the American public or Congress about its long-term intentions in Iraq. We must ensure that the future military presence in Iraq is decided not behind closed doors, but through the open air of free debate, including congressional consent.”
Some great points are made in this statement, and it should be approached with an open-mind, despite it’s obvious partisanship. It’s unfortunate that no political leader can seem to ever make a statement without taking a swipe at the other side’s perspective. He didn’t say that the administration was bungling and secretive, but he sure as heck implied it.
I think what bothers me is not so much the difference of opinion, but that those that feel this administration’s policies are bad (and those who support them), truly feel like the president and his supporters are out to wreck the country.
People disagree. There doesn’t have to be implied wickedness with every statement and release issued.
Here’s the audio clip.
JR - where you may see partisanship, Sen Webb only sees his perspective on the situation. The fact is that the Administration has been less than forthcoming - and has been trying to use Status of Forces Agreements inappropriately to cicumvent the Senate’s treaty ratification role and create a long-term commitment in Iraq. This is a clear misuse of SOFAs and could result in a further deterioration of the balance of power between the Executive and Legislative Branches.
Moreover, the facts are clear, the Administration has been less than clear in their explanations about the inavasion, the reasons for invasion, the on-going struggle in Iraq, etc.
While I disagree that Sen Webb was implying wickedness, I certainly agree that he is right to draw attention to these issues and bring them into the light.
As a PS -
I would love for our nation to follow the example of the Israelis after their recent disasterous invasion of Lebanon. They appointed judges to investigate what went wrong and why - these judges were apolitical and called the government and the military to task (particularly Shimon Perez who was then sitting as the Minister for Defence) for a multitude of failings in planning and execution. We have a right, as the Israeli population had a right, to know what the reasons for the war were, what went wrong and why.