Kissinger: military victory no longer possible in Iraq

[Uiler]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/19/AR2006111900287.html

LONDON -- Military victory is no longer possible in Iraq, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said in a television interview broadcast Sunday.

Kissinger presented a bleak vision of Iraq, saying the U.S. government must enter into dialogue with Iraq's regional neighbors _ including Iran _ if progress is to be made in the region.

"If you mean by 'military victory' an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control in a time period that the political processes of the democracies will support, I don't believe that is possible," he told the British Broadcasting Corp.

But Kissinger, an architect of the Vietnam war who has advised President Bush about Iraq, warned against a rapid withdrawal of coalition troops, saying it could destabilize Iraq's neighbors and cause a long-lasting conflict.

"A dramatic collapse of Iraq _ whatever we think about how the situation was created _ would have disastrous consequences for which we would pay for many years and which would bring us back, one way or another, into the region," he said.

Kissinger, whose views have been sought by the Iraqi Study Group, led by former Secretary of State James Baker III, called for an international conference bringing together the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Iraq's neighbors _ including Iran _ and regional powers like India and Pakistan to work out a way forward for the region.

"I think we have to redefine the course, but I don't think that the alternative is between military victory, as defined previously, or total withdrawal," he said.

Actually in an interesting comment in another article on the interview which I can't find right now, I remember Kissinger saying something like he believes one of the reasons why Bush has been stubborn so far is because his advisers may have been giving him a misleading impression of how the war is going in Iraq.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

I'm a bit confused by what hes saying. He says military victory is "no longer possible" but warns against withdrawing troops.

By the way, the definition he used of "military" victory is different then mine. I would say we would have a military victory if the Iraqi army can more than replace Coalition forces. The civil war and sectarian fighting can only be stoped politicaly, and only the Iraqis themselves can do that.

 

[GenMarshall]

Victory is impossible in Iraq. Even if there are Victory Class Star Destroyers there .

 

[ComradeDavo]

I was saying military victory wasn't possiable in Iraq back in 2003.

 

[Trajan12]

It is a huge overstatement to say that victory is impossible. Unless of course you can predict the future how would you know? It is not so hopeless that nothing we can do will work. We just need the right strategy and so far we haven't had anyone to find it. We have the American and British militaries, two of the strongest if not the strongest and second strongest (no offense intended) in the world.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Victory is impossible in Iraq. Even if there are Victory Class Star Destroyers there .

Why do people like you seem to want us to be defeated?

 

[Taliesin]

I was saying military victory wasn't possiable in Iraq back in 2003.

But you're not a callous mass-murdering war criminal, so who cares?

 

[GenMarshall]

Why do people like you seem to take pleasure in the possibility of defeat?

Well, were not going anywhere in Iraq. Its still a mess with Iraqis blowing themselves up at each other's faces and in our troop's faces. We were suppose to give Iraq to the new government and yet we still have our troops trampling on their territory.

BTW, if I was a leader of a nation in the Coliticion of the "willing", I would have withdrawn all of my troops and ships out of there once I see that there is no chance on winning. Heck I dont want no Iraqi Fundy Muslim blowing themselves up near my Star Destroyers .

 

[ComradeDavo]

Why do people like you seem to want us to be defeated?

I hate that attitude. It's so back and white.

 

[JohnRM]

Henry Kissinger hasn't mattered for many years now, why bother with what he thinks?

 

[Left]

Hes a politician with years of experience at the highest level?

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Well, were not going anywhere in Iraq. Its still a mess with Iraqis blowing themselves up at each other's faces and in our troop's faces.

Right. That shoudl be a great tragedy that that is happening now. Instead you post about how our troops are useless and top it off with a . Political bias is bringing out the worse in people.

We were suppose to give Iraq to the new government and yet we still have our troops trampling on their territory.

If the Iraqi gov wanted us to stop "trampling" in their contry, they would ask for it.

BTW, if I was a leader of a nation in the Coliticion of the "willing", I would have withdrawn all of my troops and ships out of there once I see that there is no chance on winning. Heck I dont want no Iraqi Fundy Muslim blowing themselves up near my Star Destroyers .

Good for you. Thankfully, our leaders have more foresite than that.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

I hаte that attitude. It's so back and white.

Are you blind? He used the smilie.

 

[Red Door]

You know, I believe military victory is very possible in Iraq. But the only way is to bring more troops over, and I don't want that, so in my terms, it is no longer possible.

 

[JohnRM]

Hes a politician with years of experience at the highest level?

We have hundreds of politicians with years of experience at the highest levels of government and public service, and we can't get any ten of them to agree on any one thing. What does that tell you about their experience?

 

[GenMarshall]

Good for you. Thankfully, our leaders have more foresite than that.

Most of the nation and the world disaproves of Bush and the US because of this unjust war. If you say that "our leaders have more fore site", then why did most of the US vote out the Republicans out and placed in Democrats in the past election?

 

[Left]

We have hundreds of politicians with years of experience at the highest levels of government and public service, and we can't get any ten of them to agree on any one thing. What does that tell you about their experience?

Democracy is alive and well.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Henry Kissinger hasn't mattered for many years now, why bother with what he thinks?

He's one of the most important thinkers in international relations today?

As a side note, let me throw in a big "I told you so", about Bob Woodward's book, directed at the world in general. Kissinger is a realist and sees that Iraq was never a threat to the United States.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

If you say that "our leaders have more fore site", then why did most of the US vote out the Republicans out and placed in Democrats in the past election?

I expect more from leaders (including Democrats).

 

[Murky]

George W. Bush and his cronies got us into this mess but they have no clue of how to get out of it.

Some think we should just withdraw and let them have their civil war. Others believe we have a "peace keeping" roll to play and others think we need to be more aggressive in confronting the sectarian violence.

I really have no idea of what should be done. I hope someone figures it out before thousands more people die needlessly.