Matt, in his post on the NSC Iraq strategy, puts his finger on exactly what's been bugging me about the document. It's not a strategy, it's a goalset. Things like:
• Clear areas of enemy control by remaining on the offensive, killing and capturing
enemy fighters and denying them safe-haven.
• Hold areas freed from enemy control by ensuring that they remain under the control
of a peaceful Iraqi government with an adequate Iraqi security force presence.
• Build Iraqi Security Forces and the capacity of local institutions to deliver services,
advance the rule of law, and nurture civil society.
Aren't touted as objectives but steps. The only question is, considering we've shown no facility at doing any of those things, what's to say we do them now. Was all we were missing really a document counseling us to defeat the evildoers?
Update: Man, what a brilliant response! All those Democrats who'd been calling for some sort of realistic strategy really wanted a bullet-pointed picture of perfection. Yes, this is what we've been missing. I am chastened.
