The Lefts Exit Strategy

Despite trying to pry one out of JOhnKErry for three debates (remember the Global Test? I do, hee-heh), and an entire Presidential election press cycle; not until recently has a serious alternative strategy in Iraq been forthcoming from the political left. I have been concerned for some time that indeed there were no grownups left at all in the democratic party. That it was doomed to fester in the hands of PeterPan types like Michael Moore and Howard Dean who refuse to grow up and understand that life is hard, and sometimes requires hard choices be made.

Now, two prominent democrats are putting forth remarkably similar proposals. That is to use the threat of troop withdrawal to motivate various actors on the world stage to take on a larger share in the battle for Iraq in the war on terror. One of them is even being remarkably civil about it. Downright respectful of the President even. More respect than he is getting from within the ranks of his own party these days. The most recent of these proposals is from former NYC mayor Ed Koch.

". . . I urge the President to consider my proposal. But he should also know that I stand with him and extol his courage and willingness to stand up for the U.S. and all peaceful nations . . ."

Wow! That makes Koch a class-act in my book.

Koch's suggestion is aimed squarely at the Europeans who have blossomed economically over the last 50 years, the beneficiaries of decades and untold Billions of US treasure spent to see to it that the youth of France and Germany in particular have ample time to sit around, smoke, and complain simultaneously about US imperialism, and cultural inferiority.

". . . I propose that we put the UN Security Council on notice that we will leave Iraq by the end of this year. My belief is that the UN, particularly France, Germany and Russia, knowing we will leave, will have a greater interest in maintaining peace in Iraq than we have, either a regional interest, e.g., Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan; or a commercial interest -- oil and vendor contracts with Iraq -- e.g., Germany and France. They will then understand that it is in their interest to have us remain with them proportionately providing troops and sharing the costs of war. . ."

Well, we'll see. I think the French and Germans probably prefer to continue to sit around smoking and complaining. It really is funny to hear elitist-snob-French-surrender-monkeys in particular sniff how the French language and culture is dying out before their eyes. The French and Germans are both in a demographic crisis that is the result of low birthrates and a wide open immigration policy (sound familiar?) designed to prop up their failing socialist welfare states. If the French language and culture is worth saving from extinction, I suggest some French speaking patriots do something about it. Now. And I'm not talking about Quebec.

A nuclear Iran or a lost Iraq is not in the best interest of France or the rest of Europe for that matter. As Koch points out in his op-ed, al-queda has plans for Europe, to wit.

". . .The terrorists want to reestablish the Caliphate from Spain to Indonesia and impose militant aggressive Islam on the world. . ."

Imagine my surprise at finding myself agreeing with Carl Levin D of MI. He offered a similar proposal a day earlier, using the threatened withdrawal of our troops as leverage to get various Iraqi factions to unite and put down their own insurgency, which is killing and maiming far more Iraqis than American troops. Levin offers the same strategy but targeted at a different group, Iraqi stakeholders in Iraq.

". . . We must use that leverage -- the possibility of an American withdrawal -- to achieve the broad-based political settlement that is essential for defeating the insurgency. . ."

With both Koch and Levin suggesting it in such close proximity, it smells to me like it is some sort of backdoor democratic policy proposal. A trial balloon is being floated. It might be worth pursuing through diplomatic backchannels, but I believe we should continue to keep the insurgents guessing as to our timetable. We fight, win, and leave on our terms not those of the insurgents or European surrender monkeys.

This crafty proposal might yield similar benefits in other theatres with other maniacs, perhaps the protest monkeys a.k.a. South Korean college students would like to pick up a rifle and do their part, so our boys could come home and secure our border rather than theirs. They want US troops out; we should grant their wish.

Of course this is as ridiculous a suggestion as having them drop out of collge enlist in the South Korean army and face deployment in Texas or Montana to come secure our borders for us. They probably prefer to sit around smoking and complaining about US Imperialism and cultural inferiority.

Post WWII the diplomatic/political consensus was that defending other theatres was worth the effort as there was a certain quid pro quo or at least a feigned support of US policy in exchange for our huge outlays for their defense. This calculation seems to have worn thin in the new cntury and perhaps should be re-examined as SecDef Rumsfeld has suggested.

If such a proposal coming from their friends in the American left does not roust the Europeans from their slumber then perhaps they should go get a prayer rug and start growing out their beards.

And oh yeah, european fashion prediction; next seasons rage: the Burqua.

HT to RealClearPolitics -SpinDaddy