Marble Composition

Ignorance & Idiocy

Should we expect any less from the civilian tier of the Pentagon and the White House?

If this comes to fruition:

According to the former [CIA] official, Israel and the United States are currently discussing a large American role in exactly such a “multinational” deployment [in Lebanon], and some top administration officials, along with senior civilians at the Pentagon, are receptive to the idea.

The uniformed military, however, is ardently opposed to sending American soldiers to the region, according to my source. “They are saying 'What the fuck?'” he told me. “Most of our combat-ready divisions are in Iraq or Afghanistan, or on their way, or coming back. The generals don't like it because we're already way overstretched.”

And, you combine it with this kind of hostility:

America is totally alone on this. And more than most Americans might realize, America is being blamed for Israel's actions. The shift in Arab public discourse over the last week has been palpable. For the first few days, [there was a] split between the Saudi media and the "al-Jazeera public" which I wrote about at the time. Then for a few days, horror at the humanitarian situation, fury with the Arab states for their impotence, speculation about the endgame, and full-throated condemnation of Israeli aggression. But for the last few days, the main trend has been unmistakable: an increasing focus on the United States as the villain of the piece. (That the Israeli bombing of Beirut stopped just long enough for Condoleezza Rice's photo op certainly didn't help.)

You have the makings of the kind of PR and military disaster never before seen by America. Let's hope (and pray, if you want,) that this never comes true. It's obvious many of the top civilian leaders in the Pentagon should have been sacked long ago, but if this kind of thinking is going on, everyone should question whether they have any regard for American security whatsoever. Nevermind the regional political implications, where do the troops come from? Do we pull them out of Baghdad? While we're sending more troops in?

You could stack adjectives on top of each other trying to describe the lameness of the response coming from the Bush administration, but why even bother at this point? Israel is calling the shots. America's stance will be Israel's stance.

Riddle me this, by the way: Israel wants the Lebanese military to take decisive action against Hezbollah to quell the rocket attacks against northern Isreal while the Israeli AF deliberately bombs Lebanese military forces. Huh? What the Fuck are you people thinking?

I want someone to describe to me one policy objective that's being served here. One that might improve America's standing in the region. In Iraq, or the larger Middle East. I can't see it. Maybe I'm missing something.

I read Bush is shortening his annual month-long vacation in Texas a bit this year.

posted by FuzzFinger @ 7/26/2006 08:57:00 PM