[Marxism] Bush, the lesser evil?

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

(In this editorial, the liberal NY Times, which is likely to back the
liberal Senator Kerry, calls for more US troops and an end to "half
measures". This is shaping up to be an interesting division between the two
factions of America's ruling party. The "extremist" Bush faction is being
outflanked to the right by the moderates whose banner is carried by the NY
Times, The Nation and the DSA.)

NY Times editorial, April 25, 2004
A Stronger Force in Iraq

President Bush should be sending yellow roses to Gen. Eric Shinseki and
begging him to come back. Before the war in Iraq, General Shinseki, then
the Army chief of staff, said that Mr. Bush was going to need "several
hundred thousand" soldiers to occupy and stabilize the country. The general
was denounced by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's civilian team and
then ushered into retirement. Mr. Bush clung to Mr. Rumsfeld's misguided
idea that a minimal force could not only capture Baghdad but could also
hold, stabilize and rebuild an entire country.

Mr. Rumsfeld was right about the lightning strike into Baghdad. But he was
tragically wrong about everything else, and the deeper the United States
gets into this badly planned occupation, the more American soldiers are
paying the price. In the 13 months of war, about 700 American soldiers have
been listed as killed, including at least 100 just in April. The White
House cannot continue to deny our forces and the Iraqi people the
protection that adequate troop strength would provide.

(clip)

We may, in the end, find that the task Mr. Bush has laid out for the brave
men and women in the military and the brave Iraqi citizens who are
struggling to create a better future is simply impossible to achieve. But
we have not reached that point. This is not the moment for retreat and it
certainly is not the moment for half measures.


Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org


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