BLACKBURN, England - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice conceded Friday that the United States probably has made thousands of “tactical errors” in
Iraq and elsewhere, but said it will be judged by its larger aims of peace and democracy in the Middle East.
The U.S. diplomat met loud anti-war protests in the streets and skeptical questions about U.S. involvement in Iraq at a foreign policy salon Friday, including one about whether Washington had learned from its “mistakes over the past three years.”
Rice replied that leaders would be “brain-dead” if they did not absorb the lessons of their times.
By nehad ismail, April 2, 2006 at 10:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
The blunders and mistakes are many but by far the most irresponsible actions were:
1- The dissolution of the Iraqi army and police 2- The dismantling of the government apparatus, the administration, the civil service and the functioning bureaucracy 3- Failure to secure the borders which facilitated the entry of jihadis/terrorists 4- The military tactics used such as uprooting of trees, demolition of buildings, and the setting up of check points, alienated the Iraqis and infuriated the Arab people outside Iraq who saw a parallel with the Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Ther Iraqi civilians and the American military personnel are nosw paying the heavy price for the fatal errors.
nehad ismail commentator on Middle East Affairs, based in London
By James, April 1, 2006 at 6:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Condi Rice puzzles me. She is purportedly a bona fide genius, having gone to college at a precocious age and having remarkable talents. Is she now demonstrating her cunning and genius at getting ahead and ensuring that she comes out on top? Did she not, of all the things she has read, ever see anything about public service being more about helping others and ensuring a better society than enriching one’s own interests? It’s nice to know that Condi Rice acknowledges errors made in Iraq and elsewhere. She could, however, help rectify the situation by removing herself from the administration. Cardy was good at getting cheeseburgers for W; I wonder what Condi’s special talent is or was....
By Lynn, March 31, 2006 at 2:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is not by absorbing ‘the lessons of their times’ that they will learn, they will not be around in the future. It is by learning from mistakes made by others in the past that they could have prevented making the same mistakes now.
By augustus, March 31, 2006 at 11:07 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Sadly, the “thousands of mistakes...” include the nearly 2,500 dead, the 17,000 maimed and wounded US troops, the underestimated 37,000 Iraqi dead...and the mistakes will continue until “victory” is accomplished.
Clinton Pick Wins Conservatives’ Approval
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By nehad ismail, April 2, 2006 at 10:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
The blunders and mistakes are many but by far the most irresponsible actions were:
1- The dissolution of the Iraqi army and police
2- The dismantling of the government apparatus, the administration, the civil service and the functioning bureaucracy
3- Failure to secure the borders which facilitated the entry of jihadis/terrorists
4- The military tactics used such as uprooting of trees, demolition of buildings, and the setting up of check points, alienated the Iraqis and infuriated the Arab people outside Iraq who saw a parallel with the Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Ther Iraqi civilians and the American military personnel are nosw paying the heavy price for the fatal errors.
nehad ismail
Report thiscommentator on Middle East Affairs, based in London
By Lynn, April 2, 2006 at 1:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
“I wonder what Condis special talent is”
How about : a Chevron Corp. director since 1991
http://www.chevron.com/news/archive/chevron_press/2001 /2001-01-16.asp
Report thisBy James, April 1, 2006 at 6:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Condi Rice puzzles me. She is purportedly a bona fide genius, having gone to college at a precocious age and having remarkable talents. Is she now demonstrating her cunning and genius at getting ahead and ensuring that she comes out on top? Did she not, of all the things she has read, ever see anything about public service being more about helping others and ensuring a better society than enriching one’s own interests? It’s nice to know that Condi Rice acknowledges errors made in Iraq and elsewhere. She could, however, help rectify the situation by removing herself from the administration. Cardy was good at getting cheeseburgers for W; I wonder what Condi’s special talent is or was....
Report thisBy Lynn, March 31, 2006 at 2:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is not by absorbing ‘the lessons of their times’ that they will learn, they will not be around in the future.
Report thisIt is by learning from mistakes made by others in the past that they could have prevented making the same mistakes now.
By augustus, March 31, 2006 at 11:07 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Sadly, the “thousands of mistakes...” include the nearly 2,500 dead, the 17,000 maimed and wounded US troops, the underestimated
Report this37,000 Iraqi dead...and the mistakes will continue until “victory” is accomplished.