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Iraq Study Group: Iraq Situation is Grave

By Al Owens
I just knew this would happen. The long awaited Iraq Study Group report would have right wingers flying before cameras everywhere to discredit it.

Just minutes after the bipartisan group released its 140 page report on the state of our involvement in Iraq, Bill Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard appeared on Fox News. (He never appears on any of the other cable news networks - and for good reason. Kristol has a great command of Republican talking points)

“It’s not a serious report”, Kristol announced. “It’s a deeply irresponsible report”. I had to laugh at Kristol’s characterization of a document that had been developed through serious research by five serious-minded Republicans and five serious-minded Democrats – statesmen and stateswoman all. I couldn’t help thinking that the report’s conclusions just didn’t include the option of outright victory for American troops in Iraq. So it was Kristol’s time to sulk.

The report and those who forged it claim, “The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating”. That, “The Iraqi people are suffering”, and that “The ability of the U.S. to influence events (there) is diminishing.”

In fact, the word victory doesn’t appear within the document. Something that may have pleased Kristol and all of those un-battle tested neo-cons who think that victory is still achievable. And maybe those weapons of mass destruction Americans were sent to Iraq to find, can still be found.

The Study Group was comprised of people who’ve all served their country honorably. When they came together, they traveled to Iraq, and afterwards they spoke with 170 people in order to be objective about their findings.

I’m wondering why Kristol believes that if the 79 recommendations made by the Study Group would be followed, they would lead us to disaster in Iraq? I have a sneaky suspicion that some hard line right wingers may not be happy with the findings because Democrats had already drawn many of the same conclusions a long time ago.

Recommendations for a slow draw down of U.S. forces, and stepped up diplomacy in the region – including with Iran and Syria, could have been lifted right out of the Democratic pre-election playbook. In fact, one of the leaders of the Study Group, Republican Secretary of State James Baker under Ronald Reagan, used these words when announcing the report: “It’s time to find a new way forward, a new approach.” Baker must have listened to too many Democratic campaign commercials. He’s starting to sound just like them!

Tammy Bruce is a right wing feminist. Whenever she appears on TV, I watch her just for the curious stands she takes. "I'm not sure why everybody is treating this like the second coming", so says Bruce. I would agree! I really don’t think that’s what the report was supposed to be. Just something that injects a little common sense into a continuing argument that doesn’t seem to have a lot to do with the return of Jesus Christ. Maybe Tammy Bruce was disappointed the report didn’t reveal a miracle or two. She also mentioned on Fox News that nothing short of calling for an all out victory in Iraq isn’t worthy of much attention. All that Study Group suggested that, with a price tag that could reach a trillion dollars, a military victory may not even be possible.

Oh well, I guess you just can’t please everybody. I’d suggest they form another Study Group. one that will satisfy those hard-to-please Republicans. One that will provide a roadmap for “victory” in Iraq – and spray the word all over the place. One that will find the United States of America has unlimited resources and will.

What’s that? There is already such a Study Group? It’s called the Bush Administration? It’s been releasing its report for some time now, but nobody seems to be paying much attention to it either?

Well, you can’t please everybody!