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WE NEED ANOTHER PLAN B. Richard Lugar's Monday night speech on the Senate floor coming out against the surge was far from courageous. Despite winning his most recent election with a margin slightly smaller than one of Saddam Hussein's, he has refrained from public criticism of the president. He didn't vote against the troop escalation.The hubbub over his remarks, which earned a shout-out from Harry Reid, shows just how successful the surge has been -- in America. It may be feckless in Iraq, but in our country Bush's policy has pushed political discussion so far into the surreal that Dick Lugar gets accolades for echoing policies that a bipartisan commission proposed half a year ago:
Six months ago, the Iraq Study Group endorsed a gradual downsizing of American forces in Iraq and the evolution of their mission to a support role for the Iraqi army. I do not necessarily agree with every recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, and its analysis requires some updating given the passage of time. But the report provides a useful starting point for the development of a "Plan B" and a template for bipartisan cooperation on our Iraq strategy.Lugar's speech also includes a proposal -- apparently delivered with tongue outside of cheek--for the literal home of a "consistent diplomatic forum related to Iraq" open to all interested parties:
Eventually, part of the massive U.S. embassy under construction in Baghdad might be a suitable location for the forum. It is likely that the embassy compound will exceed the evolving needs of the United States. If this is true, we should carefully consider how best to use this asset, which might be suitable for diplomatic, educational, or governmental activities in Iraq.Why not? Lugar's idea for this bullseye-cum-"asset" is about as feasible as the rest of Baker-Hamilton. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad: future home of peace in the Middle East.--Matt Sledge
