In addition to a reduction in violence, she said the government of Iraq has made progress in a number of areas, including a national budget. “From top to bottom, our military and our civilian leadership as well will tell you there is not a tactical military solution to this war. It has to be political,” she said.
Poster's comments:
I've always confused whenever anyone pounds the desk and hysterically insists that "There is no military-only solution for Iraq!".
No kidding. Who said there was?
It's actually a form of accusation, the assumption being that the accuser's political opponents think there is a purely military solution, even though no one has ever said anything to that effect. You're then expected to admire the accuser's insightful analysis that no, you can't kill everyone on Earth to reach a democratic state in Iraq.
Curiously, war opponents often maintain that there is a political-only solution to Iraq and we should withdraw our military while leaving Al-Qaeda's forces free reign. Presumably they'll stop chopping off heads and bombing schools long enough to notice the country has voted them to leave, then politely pack up their weapons and depart in an orderly manner.
Pursuing a military-only strategy or a political-only strategy are equally foolish policies. The difference being only one of these strategies is actually being voiced by anyone involved.
LCDR_Nichols
12/26/2007 6:58:00 AM