The Warlord offers many lessons. The most salient is how vulnerable we as a Nation are to radicalization via minority government. On the face of it, it would seem our Nativist and Schmittean friend Pat is correct. The Warlord’s minimalist withdrawal — they at least recognized April — could well game the budgets due in October and November 2007. He could wage war until Jan. 2009 and lock the U.S. in afterwards.
We remain unconvinced, at least for now, that this is inevitable. True, the Dems are hopeless at Agitprop. Outside the netroots it is an utter disaster.
But things have changed. Now it is finally revealed that Admiral Fallon, CENTCOM’s commander (and Petreaus’ superior) does not agree with White House Petraeus testimony. He is planning his own report. Other Joint and Service flag rank officer share Fallon’s view, too. The hardliners have never liked Fallon much as he is perceived as a ‘squish’ on litmus test issues like ChiCom military ambition (Fallon was Combatant Commander for the Pacific (see PDF attachment) (in Rummy-speak)), but this time his voice is backed by many.
We still remain unconvinced the Warlord will be able to maintain the 130,000 throughout 2008 when the Army literally begins to dissolve. Bush’s threat of calling up even more National Guard in an election year hemlock to the Republican Party. What also remains striking is how much this is simply the Neocon plan of 2002 — and even Derbyshire over at NRO has given up on that. Since abortions are not directly involved, not sure if KLO is still chugging the Kool Aid.
The Warlord’s gambit may be the so-called security agreement with Baghdad he raised tonite. First of all, a diabetic manic personality like Tweety shouldn’t be calling this a “Pact of Steel” unless he fully intends to say this is agreement between Fascist governments. You can give him books but no guarantee he understands what he reads. Second, it is only natural the regime would try and recoup something from the “investment”. Third, there are considerable legal precedents about the extent to which the Executive can bind the United States unilaterally to international agreements (hence the Senate ratification provision in the Constitution).
It may well be this last is his chip on the table to give the Democrats something to take off/cut back in return for looking the other way on the troop levels. The Administration has never operated in this relatively normal form of negotiation and posturing, but then Ed Gillespie is there now, not the earlier crew. This would be just like Ed to do.
The pundit class we predict will solidify around Buchanan’s tortured reasoning (he hates the war, but he hates Democrats more and loves Authoritarian Executive Branches the most). Sglover, we may well have to send you that mug. But not yet.
AEI Kommandos apparently deployed Semtex at STSOZ 1.0 earlier this morning. Seabees repaired and recovered everything. The sabotage mission failed. We plan on covering the Warlord’s address tonight, answering Comment and Cato and other fun stuff. Armchair, hilarious as usual — you have the gift of ‘listening’ as well as hearing. See folks later tonight . . .
[UPDATE] The AEI Kommandos have been caught and sent to the Pierson College (Yale) Howard Dean Center For Interrogation by the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. We expect them to break within hours. STSOZ 1.0 is back up.
[UPDATE 2.0]Elite Lieberman Youth from Morse College (Yale) exfiltrated the AEI captives from the Deaniacs apparently in the trunk of Washington Post delivery vans. Sigh.
[UPDATE 3] A long day so will get to the interesting comments from this week tomorrow . . .
Aldershot says
Thanks, nutty buddy, that means a lot.
Armchair says
All Hail Aldershot – Thanestress of Zossen
Aldershot says
God help me, I do love this board so.
Armchair says
Bush’s Surge Speech reminds us all of that famous old story about the Goat and his Rabbi – This is from memory, but we recall this is how it goes: A goat was complaining about his small house and cramped living conditions – His wife and his little baby goats were taking up all the available space in his cramped stinky abode. So instead of just shaking his head and saying, “Hey, I’m an effing goat – I really shouldn’t complain,” he decided to go to his Rabbi and ask for advice because his Rabbi was known to be very wise – So a rang up the Rabbi and set an appointment for the next day:
“Rabbi, you are so wise, I need your help – my tiny apartment is too small and there is goat s*** all over the place. What should I do?”
The Rabbi paused and asked, “First off all – you’re a goat and I usually just advise people who are Jewish …
“I’m Jewish, er, ah – on my Mom’s side,” replied the goat, somewhat hestitantly…
“Were you circumcised?” ask the Rabbi
“Even better – I was branded,” responed the goat
The Rabbi pondered the theological implications for a moment and said, “Ok – I’ll take your word for it.”
“Thanks Rabbi – you are know to be wise.”
So the Rabbi tells the goat: “Go to the marketplace and by a Rabbi, take the Rabbi home and put him in your apartment and come back and see me in a week.”
“What a seconds,” replies the goat, “I told you the place is crowded with goat crap – I’m not sure the Rabbi will fit.” But the wise Rabbi advising the goat insists and so the goat does as he says.
Sure enough after he buys a Rabbbi at the marketplace and brings him back to his apartment, all hell breaks loose – The purchased Rabbi upends everything, throws out all the hay and just crowds out the place insisting that he doesn’t want to be there anyway.
So the goat goes back to the wise Rabbi and tells him of his travails – The Wise Rabbi says, “kick out that purchased Rabbi and come and see me in a week.”
The goat does that – returns the recently purchased Rabbi to the market and watches him run off – then he goes and tells the wise Rabbi – The wise Rabbi ask him if things are better — and the goat says they are and he thanks the Rabbi for the wise advice and help .
Ok – so that’s Bush’s surge policy in a nutshell.
Comment says
Kagan’s presentation was a spectacle as we noted – His exasperated tone revealed a man somewhat on the brink – as if deep down, he knows people “serious people” (LOL) are beginning to catch on. We thinnk he slipped when he named Webb by name and suggested that Webb’s concern for troops well-being was a “guise” and that the Webb amendment was “disingenous.” Whatever – the Webb amendment does look like excellent politics on the face of it – in addition to being “serious” and “responsible” (LOL) – Kagan’s insistance on trying too bracket out disagreement with him as illegitimate as “irresponsible” and “disingenious” and “unserious” etc was not nearly as subtle as it should have been – We repeat, he showed weakness and he showed laughable lack of self-awareness as one of the world’s most conspicious chickenhawks when he suggested that Congress does not have the requisite experience to weigh in on war policy (esp – since he was alluding to Webb in context.}
Comment says
A new idea for your boutique – House wrap to compete wit Tyvvik – make it Straussing, with a esoteric/exoteric double coasting
Comment says
More like a Commmodore Vic – with a 16K plug-in add on memory cartridge for Space Invaders.
Dr Leo Strauss says
New Item in Stiftung Boutique !!
http://www.stiftungleostrauss.com/bunker/?page_id=20
Dr Leo Strauss says
No, they just understand that Washington and the policy and chattering classes are dullards enough to wilt under repetition and have the memory of Commodore 64k computer. The fact that Kagan still gets published proof he has taken the right measure and deservedly looks with contempt upon his enablers.
C says
If you get a chance make sure to check out the Kagan and O’Hanlan show at Heritage. It was on c-span today. It was pretty funny in an unintentional way – Fred Kagan is quite a character – always acting as if he has just about lost patience with the slow minds around him. Amazingly arrogant for someone who has a lot of egg on his face. He called Jim Webb disingenius – Imagine who would win a sincerity contest
These clowns must be high.