An Iraq Strategy

Decision 1: Do we choose a -

a ) retreat strategy

b) exit strategy

c) or stay forevery strategy: if your plan could fit into the sentence - We should leave when... (fill in the blank) then you may have a stay forever strategy. Consider what your top priority is for assisting Iraq and set a deadline and put an end date to your strategy if this is the case.

Definition 1: Strategy - a plan for doing things that has a positive or acceptable outcome.

Position: I believe discourse in Iraq should focus around the question - What is an effective exit strategy?

My exit strategy is about timing and jujitsu. Jujitsu is a fighting method of using the energy of your challenger in your favour rather than fighting it. Timing, is about taking each step at a calculated time, which is most opportune and provides the highest potential of success.

Exit begins now here is the strategy.

The Iraqi generals began generating millitary plans for maintaining power to implement if the American's precipitously withdraw. The bottom line for my exit strategy is to look at those plans give the Iraqi's double what they think they need and five times the amount of time estimated to implement their plans and leave. The plans that they have written up are for "how to prevent a power vaccuum if the Americans leave." If we can support that plan and they believe they can implement it then why are we there? We must begin to leave even if they don't believe they can implement their plan because they won't know how successfull they can be unless they try. This situation compares to a momma bird pushing a baby bird out of the nest and saying "fly." It's how it works.

I believe that the current Iraqi millitary may be stronger and more loyal than the army under Saddam Hussein. With our training they may even be a better army. Thus, I believe they are far more capable than we interpret from our current understanding.

I ask you - to form an exit strategy. Don't say," We should just withdraw, get out." To Iran that says, "America is a paper tiger." Form a strategy - a real plan to leave - in a way that gets us out of there soon and at the same time allows us to leave with our heads held high.

We may have done a few good things there. If we play our cards right, the world may someday come to appreciate that, as well as Iraqis, when we are no longer an occupying force.