I Cogitate

In the December, 2004 issue of GQ Magazine, Larry Diamond of Stanford's Hoover Institute details his Iraq story to Adam Davidson and Jen Banbury.

Background on Larry Diamond in the article: he has studied democracy in more than 20 developing countries and been involved with a number of books on the problems of institution building in postauthoritarian countries.

Some excerpts from the brief article:

Diamond praises many in the Coalition Provisional Authority for their dedication and hard work but believes arrogance was the hallmark of the entire mission.

He criticizes the Defense Department most harshly: "...we didn't have enough troops. In fact, the entire mission was under-resourced...It was gross negligence on the part of the Pentagon planners...We didn't have enough body armor. We didn't have enough armored cars. The police in Iraq didn't have either of these items; they didn't have cars at all..."

He goes on: "To have invaded Iraq at all, without planning in place, without the size of force and the level of resources necessary to secure the country, is one of the most profoundly negligent and irresponsible actions any administration in the United States has undertaken since Vietnam. Indeed, I would say, in terms of our national security, it is the most damaging action that any administration has taken since Vietnam."

Continuing, he says: " Obviously, my views aren't shared by everybody, and certainly not by the highest officials. But I'm one of the few people who was there from the outside and who does not aspire to any other position in government, so I don't have anything to lose by saying what I think. I did not meet a single military officer, who, in private conversation, expressed confidence that we had enough force in the country. And I met many officers who knew that we didn't have enough troops in the United States armed forces to handle this mission."

Diamond concludes that we cannot fail in Iraq and cannot withdraw prior to easing the likelihood of civil war or a radical Islamist state or the development of warlord principalities because by doing such we would create a direct and imminent threat to the national securioty of the United States.

Now the Hoover Institute isn't exactly a liberal think tank and Larry Diamond doesn't qualify as a frothing-at-the-mouth radical. Finally, someone whose thinking should be acceptable to the right has stated the emperor has no clothes.

So, how many soldiers died because of this failure to plan?

So, how many soldiers were maimed because of this failure to plan?

So, how many wives and husbands lost their mates and how many children lost a parent because of this failure to plan?

So, how many civilians died because of this failure to plan?

So, how many civilians were maimed by this failure to plan?

So, how many civilian wives and husbands lost their mates and how many children lost parents because of this failure to plan?

So, how badly has the battle against terrorism been damaged by this failure to plan?

Why are these planners still in place and still planning for failure?

Why have some been rewarded with praise and medals?

Why has our President failed?

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