Most of the candidates have disparaged Barack Obama’s decision that all U.S. troops will leave Iraq this year. (Ron Paul considers the withdrawal of U.S. assets insufficiently thorough; but, then, he might favor U.S. withdrawal from territories of the constitutionally dubious Louisiana Purchase.) What is the candidates’ objection to Obama implementing the status-of-forces agreement that his predecessor signed in 2008?
The candidates should answer three questions: How many troops would they leave in Iraq? For how long? And for what purpose? If eight years, 4,485 lives and $800 billion are not enough, how many more of each are they prepared to invest there? And spare us the conventional dodge about "listening to" the "commanders in the field." Each candidate is aspiring to be commander in chief in a nation in which civilians set policy for officers to execute.
11.07.2011
more like this, please
George Will:
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3 comments:
"Each candidate is aspiring to be commander in chief in a nation in which civilians set policy for officers to execute."
this is where Will's reasoning shows flaw. a civilain CIC should be expected to seek the counsel of those who are expected to carry out the orders, and weigh this with other counsel, in order to acheive policy objectives.
if it a dodge, then it should be called on.
but if you want to know the situation on the ground, you need to look at all sources of information.
my question would be: what is the objective, and what makes you think it may be achievable in the first place at the cost required?
I don't think Will is saying that the CIC shouldn't seek the counsel of professionals who know the situation firsthand. I think he's saying that this is a standard way to dodge answering any probing policy questions with a definitive statement.
One that is in no way limited to Republicans, I might add.
but its an honest dodge. i dont expect anybody running for office to have a full understanding of things as would say someone who already sits in the chair.
i'm more interested in his vision, what he intends, and how he would make the decision.
how would you answer it if you were running? probably much the same way i think.
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