Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Exit Strategy? What Exit Strategy?
I'm tempted to find a long list of links to put here... but one article by Mark Steyn covers just about everything.
Here's an example of what I mean:
The Democrats' big phrase is "exit strategy." Time and again, their senators demanded that Rice tell 'em what the "exit strategy" for Iraq was. The correct answer is: There isn't one, and there shouldn't be one, and it's a dumb expression.His point, briefly, is that an exit strategy is what you look for if you think it was a mistake to be there in the first place. For those who intended to go, get the job done, and not leave until then, however, talk of an "exit strategy" doesn't make sense. In this case, by introducing this key phrase, anti-war folks have framed the debate in their own terms.
My hat's off to them for a successful debating technique. But that doesn't make them right.
Another comment from the same article:
In the first half of the week, Senate Dems badgered the incoming secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice -- culminating in the decision of West Virginia porkmeister Robert C. Byrd to delay the incoming thereof. Don't ask me why. Byrd, the former Klu Klux Klan Kleagle, is taking a stand over states' rights, or his rights over State, or some such. Whatever the reason, the sight of an old Klansman blocking a little colored girl from Birmingham from getting into her office contributed to the general retro vibe that hangs around the Democratic Party these days.As Prof. Reynolds would say, read the whole thing.
UPDATE: James Taranto gets off some characteristically great zingers in today's Best of the Web. For example:
Here we have a group that calls itself "MoveOn" but is obsessing over ancient history. The decision to liberate Iraq was made in October 2002, and we've had two elections since then, both won by the pro-liberation party. Iraq itself will have its first-ever free election in four days. MoveOn's attitude seems to be that because Saddam Hussein's weapons capabilities turned out to be less impressive than everyone thought, Iraqis don't deserve to vote.Zing!
UPDATE II: Some unforgettable comments from Alaa of The Mesopotamian:
Despite all the snags and faltering, these [Coalition-aided Iraqi] forces are getting bigger and stronger and should be supported and nurtured until they can bear the full responsibility; this is the only viable “exit strategy” available. In fact, we do not like this phrase, for what is required is a “victory strategy”. This war must be fought to the bitter end, and there is only one outcome acceptable both to us and to you: Total and Complete Victory. Anything else is completely unthinkable.Amen.
