The Belmont Club: Khalilzad on Iraq

A speech entitled:

"IRAQ: A STATUS REPORT" AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD at
CSIS THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES in Washington, D. C. JULY 11, 2006

This is a must read. Very informative.

My impressions:
1. Be optimistic. Things are progressing.

2. The Sunnis are beginning to see the light but until they feel secure in the New Iraq, they continue to use terror as a bargaining chip.

3. al-Qaeda is kaput but the "terrorists" which I assume to mean the sunni or shia militas are still at it. I'm beginning to think that maybe all this tit-for-tat bloodletting was necessary to move the process forward. Now the Iraqi people demand the Government do something about it. The policy is to "contain sectarian violence" until the Government and military are strong enough to monopolise the violence. The Ambassador says the government must produce within 6 months.

4. Get the International community involved. Show 'em the money! Some of them, imagining the possibilities, are beginning to rub their hands.

5. Deal with Iran and Syria.

6. Realise the economic potential.

One of the great political ironies of our time is that circumstances forced George W. Bush to do what he did not wish to do; nation building and by gosh, I think he's going to do it. With any luck, in time, the new Iraq and its oil may provide an alternative to Saudi oil allowing the US to deal with the roots of Islamic terror.

God willing, it will work and history will vindicate the maligned "neocons."

Regardless of the success or failure in Iraq, I do not think I can ever forgive the MSM, the Democratic Party, or other world leftists. I feel contempt for them as I feel contempt for the Palestinians.