I’ve just published a foreign policy-related post at Outside the Beltway:
There’s more than one way of thinking about how events in Iraq will unfold.
I’ve just published a foreign policy-related post at Outside the Beltway:
There’s more than one way of thinking about how events in Iraq will unfold.
The title of this post, “All Things Pass”, is akin to the adage “this too will pass,” referencing the rotating influences of good and bad in life. I guess then this pattern holds true for Iraq as well, in that VP Biden boasted in 2011 that Iraq would be one of Obama’s “greatest accomplishments.” Now it has drifted back to “it’s all Bush’s fault,” as these said accomplishments have reversed themselves and soured under this president’s non-watchful eye.
Yes, but Jan, he birdied #15 yesterday.
No matter what the outcome in Iraq and Syria, a secondary outcome will be the return of hardened and battle trained Islamists to Europe, assuming the reports are correct about the makeup of ISIS forces.
Yeah, Drew, the President continuing to play and campaign his way though the increasing number of crisises in his presidency is finally being noticed by a few more people.
Also, catching one Benghazi terrorist, who has been in the public eye for months, right after Iraq blows up and the IRS lost email fiasco surfaces as the lastest stall tactic, is beyond suspect.
@jan
“it’s all Bush’s fault,â€
A responsible leader ensures his project is complete. President Bush walked away. For those with feeble memories, let’s review:
After the 2004 presidential election, President Bush pivoted to Social Security reform. This was to be his legacy issue, and he spent nine months pushing it. During that time, he had very little to say about Iraq, and he wasted his political capital on SS reform.
As Iraq devolved, President dithered. He was urged to surge troops for months before he finally did. The surge stabilized Iraq, but President was finished with Iraq long before that.
I find it hard to believe that anybody could reasonably conclude that candidate Obama was going to establish military bases in Iraq.
If military agreements are re-negotiable every 4 years, why would Iran ever stay out of Iraqi domestic politics?