McCain's Cheerleader Strategy: Give Me A "V"

A number of bloggers on the right (here and here) are gushing over John McCain's latest speech on Iraq. Here's what McCain says:

"Anyone reading the amendment gets the sense that the Senate's foremost objective is the draw-down of American troops. What it should have said is that America's first goal in Iraq is not to withdraw troops, but to win the war. All other policy decisions we make should support, and be subordinate to, the successful completion of our mission.

Morality, national security and the honor our fallen deserve all compel us to see our mission in Iraq through to victory.
A date is not an exit strategy. To suggest that it is only encourages our enemies, by indicating that the end to American intervention is near. It alienates our friends, who fear an insurgent victory, and tempts undecideds to join the anti-government ranks.

Think about this for a moment. Imagine Iraqis, working for the new government, considering whether to join the police force, or debating whether or not to take up arms. What will they think when they read that the Senate is pressing for steps toward draw-down?

Are they more or less likely to side with a government whose No. 1 partner hints at leaving?

The Senate has responded to the millions who braved bombs and threats to vote, who put their faith and trust in America and their government, by suggesting that our No. 1 priority is to bring our people home.

We have told insurgents that their violence does grind us down, that their horrific acts might be successful. But these are precisely the wrong messages. Our exit strategy in Iraq is not the withdrawal of our troops, it is victory."

But wait ... I think I've heard this speech before. Isn't it simply a cut and paste from the speeches DeGaulle gave regarding Algeria in the early Sixties

... or is it from Nixon's speeches regarding Vietnam in the late Sixties and early Seventies

... or is it that the speech is similar to what Brezhnev and Andropov were telling Rissians about Afghanistan in the Eighties.

Regardless, what is missing, of course, is any plan for "victory" in Iraq. Is McCain still arguing for more troops? And, if so, what are the specifics for that plan? At this point, "more troops" arguments are about as fanciful as claiming success can be achieved by sprinkling a load of pixie dust on Baghdad.

Nor does McCain define "victory." That's the beauty of his speech. It's built to satisfy each individual's desire for what they view to be victory but leaves McCain an out in that he can define victory to mean whatever serves his need at some point in the future.

Finally, who is McCain talking about when he refers to the insurgents. He seems to think that they're only made up of those who engage in "horrific acts." If this truly is his understanding, I have a little secret to share with him ... Psst ... the insurgency is the Sunnis. Not just a few "deadenders," not just the extremist islamists, but a whole historical group of people which includes the secular and the pious. Debating such a group about "horrific acts" isn't going to get you anywhere. You cannot simply crush such a group militarily but need to coopt that group in some meaningful manner into a future Iraq. This group has been marginalized time and again throughout the rebuilding process; most recently through a referendum on a Constitution with highly suspicious vote counts and a Constitution itself which seems to enshrine Sunni marginalism.

One of the reasons many of us liberals opposed this war is that we viewed the task of bringing all the etnic/religious groups together in a new Iraq as a virtual impossiblity. We viewed a sectarian breakdown as the most likely result. However, once we went in --- not even trying to avoid this result, indeed, taking acts that have exaccerabated the problem, is inexcusable. How does McCain propose to address this problem? One simply does not know?

The raid on the torture facility in the Interior Ministry was the right step in finally showing some concern about the Sunnis' complaints. However, it is probably too little, too late and, indeed, at this late stage, it is simply peeling back another layer of problems. Maybe Iraq is now like Shrek or, mor precisely, an onion.

In any event, McCain's speech is nothing more than cheerleading. He offers no specifics because its all about politics to him and not about true leadership. It makes his supporters feel good without showing the courage necessary to confront the real problems we face in Iraq.

It looks like McCain has adopted the Bush playbook - All Hat, No Cattle.