Post by bot on Jun 2, 2004 3:12:43 GMT -5
W's plan for Iraq
www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/198846p-171692c.html
After months of dithering on Iraq, President Bush has figured out what he wants to do. And whom he wants to do it with. "Kofi and I talked today," he told reporters yesterday. Kofi. The President of the U.S. and secretary general of the UN are back on a first-name basis.
Bush also praised UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi for supposedly choosing the new Iraqi transitional government. "I'm so appreciative" of the UN, he said.
Bush claimed to be delighted by the new government, and there's no reason to doubt it. His political opponents have been castigating him for lacking a plan. Now he has one.
Actually the President laid out a five-point strategy more than a week ago. At the time, it was greeted as more-of-the-same rhetoric. Turns out, though, that Bush wasn't just talking.
Point one - handing plausible sovereignty to Iraqis - was achieved a month ahead of its due date by making Ahmed Chalabi walk the plank. That let the U.S. install a different pro-American Shiite exile, Iyad Allawi, as prime minister. Bush told reporters Allawi and his cabinet were the UN's choice and that he had "zero" to do with it. The reporters did not laugh out loud.
Point two - a continued American military presence - has been assured by Allawi's announcement that he wants U.S. troops to remain in Iraq.
Point three - rebuilding the infrastructure - goes ahead. As a reminder, Bush mentioned that Iraq is now producing 2.5 million barrels of oil a day.
Point four - international support - is where George's good friend Kofi comes in. The President wants the UN Security Council to "express support for the new government." France, Germany (and probably Russia) naturally would oppose any such U.S. initiative. But Bush has made that difficult by asking the new Iraqi government to send a representative to New York and make the case.
Bush has always sounded silly speaking on behalf of the Iraqi people. With the appointment of Allawi and his cabinet, Iraqis can now speak for themselves. Bush even made it clear yesterday that they are free, as Iraqi patriots, to criticize the U.S.
But not too harshly. If the Allawi government changes its mind about U.S. disengagement, Bush will threaten to grant their wish. Iraqis are very well aware that the withdrawal of U.S. troops would turn their country into a new Lebanon.
As for point five - elections by January - Bush has backed off his demand for American-style democracy. He might prefer Thomas Jefferson but he is prepared to settle for Iyad Allawi or some similar figure.
The Five Points will now define the Bush reelection strategy Bush effectively has co-opted the Democratic demand to internationalize Iraq. Bush wants Iraq to be the Dubya and Kofi Annan Show, at least until November.
Still, the President has not relinquished his central strategic message: Iraq is a theater in a wider war, and a free (i.e., pro-American) regime in Baghdad is "a blow to terrorism at the heart of its power."
"The mission of the enemy is to get us to retreat from Iraq," Bush said. Put another way, the demand to bring U.S. troops home will be presented by the President - at the Security Council and in the campaign - as aid and comfort to the terrorist enemies of Iraq and America.
Originally published on June 2, 2004
www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/198846p-171692c.html
After months of dithering on Iraq, President Bush has figured out what he wants to do. And whom he wants to do it with. "Kofi and I talked today," he told reporters yesterday. Kofi. The President of the U.S. and secretary general of the UN are back on a first-name basis.
Bush also praised UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi for supposedly choosing the new Iraqi transitional government. "I'm so appreciative" of the UN, he said.
Bush claimed to be delighted by the new government, and there's no reason to doubt it. His political opponents have been castigating him for lacking a plan. Now he has one.
Actually the President laid out a five-point strategy more than a week ago. At the time, it was greeted as more-of-the-same rhetoric. Turns out, though, that Bush wasn't just talking.
Point one - handing plausible sovereignty to Iraqis - was achieved a month ahead of its due date by making Ahmed Chalabi walk the plank. That let the U.S. install a different pro-American Shiite exile, Iyad Allawi, as prime minister. Bush told reporters Allawi and his cabinet were the UN's choice and that he had "zero" to do with it. The reporters did not laugh out loud.
Point two - a continued American military presence - has been assured by Allawi's announcement that he wants U.S. troops to remain in Iraq.
Point three - rebuilding the infrastructure - goes ahead. As a reminder, Bush mentioned that Iraq is now producing 2.5 million barrels of oil a day.
Point four - international support - is where George's good friend Kofi comes in. The President wants the UN Security Council to "express support for the new government." France, Germany (and probably Russia) naturally would oppose any such U.S. initiative. But Bush has made that difficult by asking the new Iraqi government to send a representative to New York and make the case.
Bush has always sounded silly speaking on behalf of the Iraqi people. With the appointment of Allawi and his cabinet, Iraqis can now speak for themselves. Bush even made it clear yesterday that they are free, as Iraqi patriots, to criticize the U.S.
But not too harshly. If the Allawi government changes its mind about U.S. disengagement, Bush will threaten to grant their wish. Iraqis are very well aware that the withdrawal of U.S. troops would turn their country into a new Lebanon.
As for point five - elections by January - Bush has backed off his demand for American-style democracy. He might prefer Thomas Jefferson but he is prepared to settle for Iyad Allawi or some similar figure.
The Five Points will now define the Bush reelection strategy Bush effectively has co-opted the Democratic demand to internationalize Iraq. Bush wants Iraq to be the Dubya and Kofi Annan Show, at least until November.
Still, the President has not relinquished his central strategic message: Iraq is a theater in a wider war, and a free (i.e., pro-American) regime in Baghdad is "a blow to terrorism at the heart of its power."
"The mission of the enemy is to get us to retreat from Iraq," Bush said. Put another way, the demand to bring U.S. troops home will be presented by the President - at the Security Council and in the campaign - as aid and comfort to the terrorist enemies of Iraq and America.
Originally published on June 2, 2004