Wednesday, June 29, 2005

A Plan for Iraq

Regular citizens and senators from both sides of the isle are now calling for a timetable for withdrawl from Iraq. The President refuses to set one, believing that this would send the wrong signal to the insurgency.

It seems so simple; set a timetable for withdrawl but make it conditional. We will pull out on such and such a date, but only if violence has lessened this much, or the Iraqi army is now of a certain size, etc.

As I understand it, it is our presence in a country that really incenses the Islamic extremeists. By setting a conditional timetable we use both the carrot and the stick; the extremeists have their main motivating factor removed, but only if the country is really in good shape at the time. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Who loses?

That is, of course, unless WE have no real plans to leave.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Albany

You know what is important?

Having beautiful places to see, instead of unending urbanity.

Are you listening, City of Albany?