Maybe Giving Billie Joe and Eminem the Reigns Wasn’t Such a Bad Idea
President George W. Bush would like to see a lengthy U.S. troop presence in Iraq like the one in South Korea to provide stability but not in a frontline combat role, the White House said on Wednesday.The United States has had thousands of U.S. troops in South Korea to guard against a North Korean invasion for 50 years.Democrats in control of the U.S. Congress have been pressing Bush to agree to a timetable for pulling troops from Iraq, an idea firmly opposed by the president.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush would like to see a U.S. role in Iraq ultimately similar to that in South Korea.
“The Korean model is one in which the United States provides a security presence, but you’ve had the development of a successful democracy in South Korea over a period of years, and, therefore, the United States is there as a force of stability,” Snow told reporters.
These are the people running not only our foreign policy, but the GWOT? Seriously?
As Dave pointed out, this site has plenty of historians. Hopefully they see the little flaw in our beloved President’s thinking here. If not, Josh Marshall explains.
gurusteve
E the Wise
Andre the Defiant
pg - your humble messenger
hairybeast
thompaine
Drowning Creek
Mo K.
I don’t know about equating troop presense with Korea. I have definitely called for the US to keep its permanent bases, as well as seize and hold all major oil fields, pipelines, ports etc. Especially if it looks like they may fall into the hands of an unfriendly Iraqi government, Iranian forces, or splinter militias. It’s one thing to remove major combat forces and just let the various factions fight it out, and quite another to abandon the entire region to either Al-Qaeda, Baathist leftovers or Iranian backed militias. I don’t think any of those are logical choices or rational options.
Dave the Infidel Sage
30 May 07 at 9:41 pm
I think it is kind of funny that Andre actually gets his talking points from a place with ‘talking points’ right in the title. I guess that’s full disclosure even if it is not very original.
Dave the Infidel Sage
30 May 07 at 10:28 pm
Well, if it weren’t for TPM the prosecutor scandal and all the subsequent resignations would have never happened, so I’m glad they’re on my side.
Andre the Defiant
31 May 07 at 9:53 pm