|
Democrats were once admired because they stood for common sense. Their policies were easy to explain.Now our message is muddled and, though Americans hate the NeoCon agenda, they don't hear anything from Democrats to get them excited. Case in point: this "we're in it so we have to stay until its fixed" strategy on Iraq blows because it advertises our greatest weakness-- we're not as hard ass as the Republicans.
Americans respect hard ass but they respect common sense more.
Its time for a new party line on Iraq: we'll only stay as long as it makes sense. What makes sense? If being there only makes things worse, let's get the hell out.
This puts the onus on the Administration to make things better there or suffer the consequences. With this approach we can't lose. Its what's on everybody's mind and it'll open the door to looking for ways to get us the hell out of there.
I can see a second possible position to take, but its rarely been successful in the history of democracy: honesty. We should declare to the world that the US of A is going to build permanent military bases in the region whose sole purpose is to guarantee the flow of oil onto world markets. We don't care what kind of govts they wind up with as long as the oil hits the markets. We will cooperate totally with the intl commty and respect their sovereignty under one condition: you don't mess with our oil lifeline.
The global "order" is currently unstable because of the unbridled aggression of the American hyperpower. Nations in general value stability. I believe they would welcome this gesture of candor on our part and lay down their pretenses and help put together the broken pieces that the NeoCons have wrought upon this world.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
