Michael Ledeen - How we could lose

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | September 11th wasn't terrible enough for most Western leaders to recognize the gravity of the threat and the urgency of victory.

The two leaders who were catalyzed by the terror attack (President Bush and British Prime Minister Blair) have been boxed in by a combination of so-called friends and allies and by their own advisers who counsel excessive prudence. This antiwar coalition prevented the rapid and decisive action Mr. Bush seemed instinctively inclined to unleash.

* First, the uniformed military insisted we were not "ready" to take on Iraq until we had totally replenished our supplies and massed a quarter of a million fighters for the Battle of Baghdad, even though there is abundant information suggesting that the Iraqi people are counting the minutes until we give them the chance of liberation from Saddam's terrible dictatorship, and will do much of the job themselves.

* Then came the sly Abdullah plan, a scheme put forward by the Saudis to deflect our attention from the real terror masters, and focus it instead on the "Palestinian question," even though - or more likely because - that problem cannot be solved until the terror masters have been defeated.

* All along, the really big prize - Iran - was there for the asking, and at a bargain price. Not a single bullet needed to be fired, not a single bomb dropped. The president had only to instruct his people to support the openly rebellious Iranians with money, vigorous radio and television broadcasting, and some communications equipment. But he contented himself with a few speeches - quickly gainsayed by Foggy Bottom's "quiet diplomacy" - and nothing substantial was done. More at link, top of page.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2003