Definition of Insanity
I’ve heard it said that insanity is doing something a second time and expecting a different result. So I was struck by this passage from the AP’s coverage of PResident Bush’s speech tonight:
Bush’s blueprint would boost the number of U.S. troops in Iraq – now at 132,000 – to 153,500 at a cost of $5.6 billion. The highest number was 160,000 a year ago in a troop buildup for Iraqi elections.
So we’re going to “surge” to a number of troops less than we have had in the past, with personnel and equipment who are a year more exhausted than they were in the past, and we think this is going to be sufficient to turn the situation around?
And that doesn’t even factor in the possibility of allies reducing their troop levels.
I suppose it’s possible that these surging troops will be following some clever new plan that will make them all the more effective. But I can’t say I have a whole lot of confidence in the people coming up with the grand designs these days. And that means more people are going to be hurt.
I thought it was interesting that when Sen. Richard Durbin gave the Democratic response to Bush’s plan, he didn’t focus on the screwups. His argument instead was that we’ve done plenty of good things for Iraq, now it’s time for us to get out and let Iraq take care of itself. I gotta say, that’s not the route I would have gone. And it’s a shame if fear of looking weak or un-American keeps us from acknowledging the ways in which America’s actions have made the situation in Iraq worse, because we’d really better learn these lessons for the next time.
About Dave Thomer
Born and raised in Philadelphia. Studied philosophy at Fordham University in the Bronx, where I made many great friends and met my wonderful wife. We moved back to Philadelphia, where I studied philosophy some more and became a teacher. Online and off, I'm looking for ways that we can be better citizens and build stronger communities.