IRG vs Dubya

Granted, I haven’t actually read ALL of the Iraq Study Group report that was released this morning, (though I have perused it) but I think the underlining fact is relatively clear:

Smackdown, baby! Otherwise known as: Karma, baby!

The mainstream media (my vote for phrase that needs to go away for 2006) began leaking some of the details last week and now are reporting the report’s details in full, and it doesn’t bode well for the Bush(whacked) Administration… especially in regards to their managing of the war… or rather, their lack thereof.

You want snippets, we got ‘em:

"It's clear the Iraqi government will need U.S. assistance for some time to come, especially in carrying out new security responsibilities. Yet the U.S. must not make open-ended commitments to keep large numbers of troops deployed in Iraq."

It’s the second sentence that makes it art.

It’s the second sentence that, essentially, tosses the Bush Administration’s talking points of “staying the course” out the window as the Iraq Study Group report says, emphatically, that the U.S. cannot have an open-ended commitment.

Too late…

Every single person in this administration from the President down to the White House gardener has been saying the U.S. needs an open-ended policy to stay in Iraq until the job is done (what is the job exactly is what I want to know… but that’s another post altogether) and that the U.S. will need a presence in the country even after the job is done.

By definition, this means that the U.S. has to come up with a timetable (which the Iraq Study group failed to do) as the report calls for Bush to begin withdrawing troops by early 2008 (ooo, a Presidential election year… big surprise!)

The report contends the United States:

"Cannot achieve its goals in the Mideast" unless it embarks on a "renewed and sustained commitment to a comprehensive peace plan on all fronts,"

As part of this initiative the panel calls for direct talks between the United States and Iran and Syria, something the Bush administration has repeatedly refused to do.

Let’s see if I can put the above into simple words that even Bush could understand…

I got it: It's the diplomacy, stupid.

It’s not war… it’s not guns blazing... it’s not even getting all “Ramboed” up… it’s called discussion and diplomacy, and it’s worked before so let’s try it again.

"Iraq's neighbors and key states in and outside the region should form a support group" to help Iraq achieve long-term security and political reconciliation -- "neither of which it can sustain on its own.

This passage refers to the “government” of Iraq and its shakiness. Put another way; everything is not ‘fine and dandy like sour candy’ regarding the Iraqi government that’s currently in place and the Iraqi government needs to open its doors and allow everyone to have a voice.

"What we recommend demands a tremendous amount of political will and cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government."

Translation: keep the partisan bickering out of this situation and let’s get Congress and the White House to agree

The report concludes with:

"Foreign policy is doomed to failure -- as is any action in Iraq -- if not supported by broad, sustained consensus."

You can almost hear Dumbya whining… though he could be whining about his Daddy loving Jeb more than he… but that’s a whole other post.

Let this be your lesson “President” Bush; you need to work with everyone, and not merely live in your personal bubble where you can do no wrong.

Tony Snow(job) and the White House can’t spin this one in their favor… it’s a smackdown, plain and simple, with a little thing we like to call Karma thrown in for good measure.

Let’s hope “President” Bush listens this time… for everyone’s sake.

Though it certainly sounds like he's gonna ignore it... but only time will tell.