Comments on: An “Obominable” Plan http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:45:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: MarkJ http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13580 MarkJ Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:20:39 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13580 Interesting piece. In the interest of brevity, pray allow me to focus on just Scenario 3. To wit: Sure, Turkey may try to swallow Kurdistan, but it'll be buying a whole lot of trouble. Turkey will face it's own--dare I say it?--quagmire given that the Kurds will be united in their resistance and will, undoubtedly, mount a ferocious, and very effective, guerrilla campaign against any occupying force. I suspect every Turkish general who can read a map and knows his history already realizes an invasion of Kurdistan would be nothing short of insane. Indeed, even if the U.S. pulls out of Kurdistan, who's to say we wouldn't "accidentally" leave behind large quantities of AA, AT, and light artillery systems for the Peshmerga? Use of these alone would significantly slow down a Turkish invasion, if not stop it dead in its tracks. A couple of other points: I don't have precise figures handy, but the Turkish armed forces are heavily conscripted, which doesn't augur well for keeping up either military or civilian morale for a lengthy guerrilla war. Furthermore, as we've learned repeatedly, wars of occupation are hideously expensive: an invasion of Kurdistan would undoubtedly raise havoc with the Turkish economy, especially in the tourism sector. All those Eurotrash tourists currently sunning themselves on Aegean and Black Sea beaches would disappear quicker than free chicken wings at a Friday night Happy Hour. And we should damn well count on the Kurds quickly opening a second front by attacking civilian and military targets within Turkey itself. If the Turks think they've got a terrorism problem now with the PKK, they haven't seen anything yet. Once multiple car bombs start exploding in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir all bets will be off. In short, in my humble view, a Turkish invasion of Kurdistan would be a guaranteed recipe for political, economic, and military disaster...<i>for the Turks</i>. Interesting piece. In the interest of brevity, pray allow me to focus on just Scenario 3. To wit:

Sure, Turkey may try to swallow Kurdistan, but it’ll be buying a whole lot of trouble. Turkey will face it’s own–dare I say it?–quagmire given that the Kurds will be united in their resistance and will, undoubtedly, mount a ferocious, and very effective, guerrilla campaign against any occupying force. I suspect every Turkish general who can read a map and knows his history already realizes an invasion of Kurdistan would be nothing short of insane. Indeed, even if the U.S. pulls out of Kurdistan, who’s to say we wouldn’t “accidentally” leave behind large quantities of AA, AT, and light artillery systems for the Peshmerga? Use of these alone would significantly slow down a Turkish invasion, if not stop it dead in its tracks.

A couple of other points: I don’t have precise figures handy, but the Turkish armed forces are heavily conscripted, which doesn’t augur well for keeping up either military or civilian morale for a lengthy guerrilla war. Furthermore, as we’ve learned repeatedly, wars of occupation are hideously expensive: an invasion of Kurdistan would undoubtedly raise havoc with the Turkish economy, especially in the tourism sector. All those Eurotrash tourists currently sunning themselves on Aegean and Black Sea beaches would disappear quicker than free chicken wings at a Friday night Happy Hour. And we should damn well count on the Kurds quickly opening a second front by attacking civilian and military targets within Turkey itself. If the Turks think they’ve got a terrorism problem now with the PKK, they haven’t seen anything yet. Once multiple car bombs start exploding in Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir all bets will be off. In short, in my humble view, a Turkish invasion of Kurdistan would be a guaranteed recipe for political, economic, and military disaster…for the Turks.

]]> By: william jonas http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13579 william jonas Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:57:35 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13579 No one has apparently thought to ask Barack Obama what the benefit is to the US to abandon Iraq. Or perhaps no reporter has the courage to embarass the Senator.What a pity. They seem to have no reservation about posing difficult questions to Republicans. Austin Bays great analysis leaves little doubt about the consequences of Obamas "plan". I'm an optimist so I see scenario #7 as the eventual outcome . The President just concluded his address and my wife and I laughed at the Democrats who had to be squirming in their seats as he suggested a victorious effort in Iraq. No one has apparently thought to ask Barack Obama what the benefit is to the US to abandon Iraq. Or perhaps no reporter has the courage to embarass the Senator.What a pity. They seem to have no reservation about posing difficult questions to Republicans.

Austin Bays great analysis leaves little doubt about the consequences of Obamas “plan”.

I’m an optimist so I see scenario #7 as the eventual outcome .

The President just concluded his address and my wife and I laughed at the Democrats who had to be squirming in their seats as he suggested a victorious effort in Iraq.

]]> By: Stout Republican http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13578 Stout Republican Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:24:09 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13578 I'm stunned that more people don't point out how important this timeline of 2008 is to them. They don't want to deal with it when they're in office. It's about being able to put all consequences on the current administration. If Bush pulls the troops out by 2008, and things go to hell in a handbasket, the Democrats are in the clear, because they didn't actually make any decisions. It puts them in the position of always being right, no matter what happens...but if they get into office, and pull the troops out, and Iraq collapses...that responsibility is on them. They don't want that... I’m stunned that more people don’t point out how important this timeline of 2008 is to them. They don’t want to deal with it when they’re in office. It’s about being able to put all consequences on the current administration. If Bush pulls the troops out by 2008, and things go to hell in a handbasket, the Democrats are in the clear, because they didn’t actually make any decisions. It puts them in the position of always being right, no matter what happens…but if they get into office, and pull the troops out, and Iraq collapses…that responsibility is on them. They don’t want that…

]]> By: Tom W. http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13577 Tom W. Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:01:09 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13577 I'll never forget seeing some Harvard student-twerp on TV during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, accusing the U.S. of "firebombing" Baghdad. It never occurs to these giant brains to study weaponry and ordnance so that they won't be fooled by those with agendas. No, to study military hardware is morally unacceptable, tantamount to endorsing the military, and that would make Gaia sad. I’ll never forget seeing some Harvard student-twerp on TV during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, accusing the U.S. of “firebombing” Baghdad.

It never occurs to these giant brains to study weaponry and ordnance so that they won’t be fooled by those with agendas.

No, to study military hardware is morally unacceptable, tantamount to endorsing the military, and that would make Gaia sad.

]]> By: Tom W. http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13576 Tom W. Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:00:43 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13576 I'll never forget seeing some Harvard student-twerp on TV during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, accusing the U.S. of "firebombing" Baghdad. It never occurs to these giant brains to study weaponry and ordnance so that they won't be fooled by those with agendas. No, to study military hardware is morally unacceptable, tantamount to endorsing the military, and that would make Gaia sad. I’ll never forget seeing some Harvard student-twerp on TV during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, accusing the U.S. of “firebombing” Baghdad.

It never occurs to these giant brains to study weaponry and ordnance so that they won’t be fooled by those with agendas.

No, to study military hardware is morally unacceptable, tantamount to endorsing the military, and that would make Gaia sad.

]]> By: David Thomson http://pjmedia.com/blog/an_obominable_plan/#comment-13575 David Thomson Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:32:29 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/an-obominable-plan/#comment-13575 Barack Obama is a graduate of leftist dominated Harvard University and something of a disciple of the late political radical, Saul Alinsky. What more does one need to know? Obama, on a gut level is a self-hating American. Such a mindset is the minimal requirement if one wants to capture the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Many Democrats deceive themselves. They fail to consciously come to grips with their inner traitor. Folks like Obama who attended Harvard often learned to hate their own country. In their heart of hearts, they are convinced that America is responsible for much of the evil in the world. Barack Obama is a graduate of leftist dominated Harvard University and something of a disciple of the late political radical, Saul Alinsky. What more does one need to know? Obama, on a gut level is a self-hating American. Such a mindset is the minimal requirement if one wants to capture the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Many Democrats deceive themselves. They fail to consciously come to grips with their inner traitor. Folks like Obama who attended Harvard often learned to hate their own country. In their heart of hearts, they are convinced that America is responsible for much of the evil in the world.

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