Good Speech

Good Speech, quite excellent. Two things:

• --The Maliki government will cooperate; and
• --Border problems with Syria and Iran will be addressed and Syria and Iran will be recognized as problems.

Both points are absolutely essential. Both were merely stated as positions, but they have to be threats. Syria and Iran have to pay. That's the easy one, that's the one in our own power. And Maliki has to play. The Iraqi troops have to be committed to Baghdad, and all the militias, both sides, Sunni and Shiia, have to be neutralized. The manner can vary, but they can't remain independent of the national government. That the manner can vary I make as a stipulation because I don't think it's been a terribly bad deal that Shiia have been shooting Sunnis. Somebody has to do it. But if civil order is to develop those Sunnis not violent have to know that they are protected from violence, and that can happen only if the only legitimate violence is controlled by the government. Shia may not have to be killed, they will have to disband. And of course the armed government must be seen as protective of all interests, Sunni, and Shiite. And if Maliki doesn't play? That's when it will be necessary to use a very quiet, very forceful diplomacy.

I'll note too that Bush did mention that those opposing his plan have some obligation to explain how their plan might be better.

Possibly more later.

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Posted by Michael Ledeen at The Corner:

Did We Just Declare War on Iran and Syria? [Michael Ledeen]
Try parsing this carefully:

Succeeding in Iraq also requires defending its territorial integrity – and stabilizing the region in the face of the extremist challenge. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria. These two regimes are allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.

I've read that last sentence maybe ten times. Those "networks providing advanced weaponry and training" certainly are based in Iran and Syria. It sounds like he said we are going after terrorist training camps and the IED assembly facilities, doesn't it?

Well? Posted at 10:47 PM