In an op-ed column this past Sunday in the New York Times (November 30, 2008) Thomas L. Friedman used a recent Iraqi’ high court decision about a parliamentarian’s right to free speech as evidence of what he believes is a reduction in tyranny in Iraq due to our invasion. Mr. Friedman also believes that Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq for having failed to initiate inter-scene warfare. This has then led them to shift their focus to other parts of the world; e.g., Afghanistan, India, etc. Mr. Friedman’s opinion piece argues that, given the successes we have seen in Iraq, especially since the surge, that President Elect Obama should be patient with his withdrawal plans to “salvage something positive” out of the war, e.g. reduction in tyranny, increased democracy in Iraq and in the region.
With the United States set to inaugurate a new President and say good bye to an unpopular one and with Mr. Friedman’ well timed column it would seem appropriate to try and put the Iraq war within a long term perspective, if no other reason than to help guide our actions in the next few years. The electricity the Country felt during the recent Presidential and Congressional elections, fanned in part due to the huge issues the Country currently faces have reinforced the need for citizens to stay involved in the US political process, to continue to talk about the threats we face and the opportunities these threats present and to inform elected officials about what we think. Thus far, at least, President-Elect Obama appears to want to hear from us.
While many Neo Cons profess disgust at the way President Bush has conducted the war they believe that the invasion was justified due to our critical need to stem the spread of terrorism, the continued instability in the Middle East and the likelihood that extremists could obtain and use weapons of mass destruction against the West. Neo Cons further believe that the democratization of Iraq would allow the country to become a democratic mentor to other countries in the Middle East and help move the Arab community away from Islamic extremists and towards a more Western style democracy. Many Neo Cons believe that by “finishing” the job in Iraq the Middle East can begin to stabilize, setting the stage for an overarching Arab, Israeli peace agreement, the diplomatic holy grail.
Given that we can’t know what would have happened to Iraq if we had not invaded (many analysts believe that Iraq could not have continued for long under Hussein but these same analysts had been believing this for years) and we can’t change the circumstances of our attempt to stabilize Iraq, therefore, we must focus our attention on what to do from this point forward. If the Neo Cons are fundamentally correct, i.e., that a freely and successful democratic Iraq is the only way to stabilize the Middle East, and to set up true peace in the Middle East what should we do to achieve these goals? If they are wrong, that no effort on our part can possibly lead to stabilization, democratization and Middle East peace how do we move forward given our continued military and political involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and our resolute unconditional support of Israel. Should we act differently depending on which outcome you think possible/inevitable, and, if so, in what ways? Should we cut our losses and pull out? Should we allow the “conditions on the ground” to dictate how and when we withdraw? Obviously many complex issues here. However, no matter how smart President Obama’s National Security Team may be, and there is no denying the brain power and experience they bring to the table, they will need the clear support of the United States electorate to achieve anything meaningful out of this incredible debacle. So, it would seem, it starts and ends with us. Thoughts?
Does anyone have a reference to the governmental and political structure of the White House (i.e., who reports to whom and what their roles are)?
Here is a list of the announced and rumored individuals that will make up the Obama’ team preceded by legend:
A = announced
C = Cabinet Position
?=Not sure of role/position
WHA – White House Aide/Staff
DS= Department Staff
RC – Requires Congressional Confirmation
Chief of Staff - Rahm Emanuel (WHA,A)
Secretary of State – Hillary Clinton (C,A,RC)
Secretary of Defense – Robert Gates (C,A,RC)
Treasury Secretary – Tim Geithner (C,A,RC)
National Economic Commission Director – Larry Summers (WHA,A)
Economy Recovery Advisory Board Chairman – Paul Volcker (WHA,A)
Director, Office of Management and Budget - Peter Orszag (?,A,RC)
Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors – Christina Romar (?,A)
Secretary of Interior – Robert Kennedy Jr. (C,RC)
Secretary of Agriculture (C,RC)
Secretary of Commerce – Bill Richardson (C,RC)
Secretary of Labor – Kathleen Sibelius, David Bonior(C,RC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development-Manny Diaz (C,RC)
Director, Department of Health and Human Service – Tom Daschele (C,RC)
Health Czar – Tom Daschele (WHA)
Press Secretary-Robert Gibbs (WHA,A)
Director of Communications – Ellen Moran (WHA,A)
Deputy Director of Communications -Dan Pfeiffer
Ambassador to the United Nations – Susan Rice (A,C,RC)
Director, Department of Homeland Security – Janet Napolitano (A,C,RC)
Secretary of the Interior-(C,RC)
Director, Environmental Protection Agency-Robert Kennedy (C,RC)
Secretary of Energy – Al Gore (C,RC)
Attorney General – Eric Holder (A,RC)
National Security Agency Director – James Jones (A)
Director, CIA (C,RC)
Director, FBI (C,RC)
Chief Campaign Strategist – David Axelrod (WHA,A)
Cabinet Secretary – Chris Lu (WHA,A)
Staff Secretary – Lisa Brown (WHA,A)
White House Counsel - Greg Craig (WHA,A)
Valerie Jarrett – Public Liaison, Senior Aide (WHA,A)
Senior Advisor – Pete Rouse
Deputy Chief of Staff –Mona Sutphen (WHA,A)
Deputy Chief of Staff –Jim Messina(WHA,A)
Liaison to Capitol-Phillip Schiliro (WHA,A)
National Intelligence Director-Dennis C. Blair (WHA,A)
Secretary of Education-Ray Barnes (C,RC)
Secretary of Transportation-(C,RC)
Secretary of Veteran Affairs-Max Cleland, Tammy Duckworth, Anthony Brown (C,RC)
Administrator of the Environment Protection Agency-Robert Kennedy Jr., (C,RC)
Director of National Drug Control Policy-(C,RC)
US Trade Representative-(C,RC)
Deputy Attorney General-(DS)
Deputy Secretary of State-(DS)
Director, White House Military Office-Louis Caldera (WHA,A)
I will update and correct in future blogs.
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2 comments:
If the neo cons were right, it was purely accidental. Even though peace between Israel and the rest of the Middle East is certainly desirable there were likely better ways for us/them to achieve it. Lastly, who made the USA responsible for peace in the Middle East. It would seem that the most likely way that peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the conflict at the heart of Middle East dysfunction, would be for them to abandon the two state goal and have Palestinians gradually take over Israel politics via the voting booth given that Palestinians will become the majority in Israel within ten years. Now, won't that be interesting?
The sad thing is that no one wins in the unending war between the Israelis and the palistinians. Bush did nothing and Obama will have his hands full cleaning up Bush's other messes, so there is no major power broker to step in and make these unruly children behave. Why is there no Palistinian state? With a home of their own the Palistinians will continue their horrific ways, with predictable heavy handed Israeli responses. It is everyone's fault, but how can a lasting peace be established in that hopeless region?
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