They want us to leave

Fred Kaplan at Slate writes an interesting article about a point that is too often overlooked in the "War on Terror."

They don't hate our freedom. They want us to leave.

Kaplan reviews three different studies of suicide bombers which all try to understand why they blow themselves up in the first place.

The overwhelming conclusion is that suicide bombers are motivated by "a specific secular and strategic goal: to compel democracies to withdraw military forces from the terrorists' national homeland."

None of this is to say the easy solution now is to just get out of Iraq and never look back. In fact, earlier withdrawals by the Reagan and Clinton administrations helped solidify the notion in these jihadist's minds that suicide bombings were a successful tactic.

Near the end of the article, Kaplan writes

The most vital lesson Americans can draw from this sorry saga, in retrospect, is that we shouldn't initiate foreign adventures unless they involve interests worth considerable sacrifice. But a more immediate—and regrettable—lesson is that, having blundered our way into Iraq, we can't hand these bastards a victory (which is what it would be) by giving in to their demands. It would only embolden them further the next time our interests clash.

It looks as though establishing a government with a legitimate Sunni presence may provide us with the best chance for a withdrawal that cedes little to the terrorists.

In the meantime, I think it would be refreshing if we didn't fall into the same cookie-cutter patriotic rhetoric whenever there is a terror attack. Our freedom means little to the radicals in the Middle East. In their minds, it's their freedom they're fighting for.

Good-bye, Sandy D

Fighting goes both ways, but right now, the ball is in Bush's court. Now is his chance to have an inclusive discussion with Democrats before nominating a Supreme Court Justice.

Ignoring the sentiments of half the country by nominating an ultra-conservative jurist and then spouting off about up or down votes will do nobody any good.

Some Thoughts

I've been quiet for a while, but wanted to throw out some random thoughts about the political stories of the day:

1. Bush's Speech - I agree that we should put the decision to go to war behind us and look for ways to make progress in Iraq, but whenever the president links 9/11 with the invasion of Iraq, it makes my blood boil. The war in Iraq was NOT the war on terror. I'll agree that it has become that, but only because we enabled it.
2. Dean's Antics - I think that Howard Dean going all Zell Miller on the Republicans is the perfect move for the DNC. It energizes the democratic base, and allows for those running for congress to set themselves up in relation to Dean. Are you a moderate senator from a conservative state? Then you rip Dean for generalizing all red-staters. Is your jurisdiction a little more liberal? Agree with Dean's intentions but express concern with the reckless way he made his remarks. Want to win in New York or California? Let it slip that Dean "makes some pretty good points." It's a win-win for everybody.
3. Exit Strategy - I think asking the administration and the military to set firm dates for leaving Iraq is a terrible idea. Regardless of how you feel about the monumentally stupid decision to go to war (I think you know how I feel), we are there now, and leaving would be an even bigger mistake. Setting a date gives the insurgents a goal to shoot for. Outlast the infidels and anarchy is yours. It's time to accept that there will always be a military presence in Iraq, just as there will always be bases in Asia.
4. Rove's Comments - It's difficult to respond politely to Karl Rove's comments about Democrats looking to fight the 9/11 attackers with "indictments and therapy," but I'll try. The White House keeps telling us that this is a war unlike any we've ever fought before (and they are right), but they keep trying to fight it like all the wars of the past (and they are wrong). Invading countries, locking up anybody suspect, pissing off most of Europe... none of this will eradicate terrorism. Understanding why somebody will strap a bomb to their chest and kill themselves in order to make the United States look bad is hard. But, that is what we need to figure out. Glossing over it by saying they "hate freedom" is ludicrous and counter-productive.