ISG Report - Everyday perspective

First let me apologize for not posting something on this earlier. I realize that the report was released last week, but I wanted to read it completely before I completed my opinion on this report. Also, be warned the word stupid is relative to the accumulated experience of the ISG and what is expected by such a well educated; distinguished group.

I would like to start with the Iraq Study Group members. These individuals represent the best in American education and experience in political and social sciences. Every single one of them have very impressive resumes. They each have spent their entire careers in some sort of highly regarded council or committee. They are the best of the best of American Bureaucracy. Two questions though Sandra Day O'Connor and Vernon Jordan.....Hey look at that I am bipartisan.
What the hell do they have to do with anything in Iraq.

Vernon Jordan - Stain Master General himself. Apparently covering up presidential perjury, sex scandals, and shady real estate deals constitutes foreign policy experience. Despite his apparently stellar resume stated in the ISG report, there had to be more credible candidate than this guy.

Sandra Day O'Connor - I guess she was selected for her experience with constitutional law. I am assuming she knows how to build a Constitution considering she has spent most of her tenor as Supreme Court Justice deconstructing ours.

With this groups obvious experience and education the ISG report should be a grand document full of ideas that are "outside of the box", and according to the media this group will have the answers to all our problems with the war on terror. When the report was finally released the individual members obviously felt like they were really really really really really really important. The arrogance and condescension with which the members of the ISG carried themselves was almost as aggravating as listening to idle threats from 5' tall dictators of third world nations. If these guys and gal were so smart, educated, and experienced then why is the ISG report so incredibly stupid. I am not only talking about the entire concept in general, but individual statements are just laced with stupidity.

Just an analysis of a few "Recommendations" to prove my point.

Recommendation 3: The Iraq International Support Group
A conglomeration of Iraq's neighbors with a vested interest in a stable Iraq.
Actual statement in the ISG "It is clear to Iraq Study Group members that all of Iraq's neighbors are anxious about the situation in Iraq. (ya think?) They favor a unified Iraq that is strong enough to maintain its territorial integrity, but not so powerful as to threaten its neighbors. None favors a break up of the Iraqi state."

Uhhh what? Isn't there a consensus that Iran and Syria are the major contributors to the chaos, thus supporting a more chaotic Iraq? Just a question. The report continues to reinforce the idea that Iran and Syria want a stable Iraq with multiple examples of Iran and Syria promoting the violence in Iraq. This includes statements saying that Iran is training, supplying, and funding shia groups. Sure does sound like an interest in a stable Iraq.

Recommendation 4: Iraq Support Group - More of the same. Appease the terrorists. Negotiate with Iran Syria and Palestine.

"Accordingly, the Support Group should actively engage Iran and Syria in its diplomatic dialogue, without preconditions" - There is some wisdom. So, the United States can offer ultimatums to the Iraqis, but not our enemies.

Recommendation 9: "...United States should engage directly with Iran and Syria in order to try to obtain their commitment to constructive policies toward Iraq and other regional issues." Then they go on to quote a "senior military official" in Iraq as saying "Iran does its negotiating with the United States on the streets of Baghdad". There is less contradiction in the Koran.

Recommendation 10: "The issue of Iran's nuclear programs should continue to be dealt with by the United Nations Security Council and its five permanent members (i.e. United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) plus Germany." The UN? Come on they can't be serious. I mean the UN and the security council, have a stellar record in the Middle East. Ask any Jew living in Israel. I feel that China and Russia want us to focus on Iran, a third world nothing, to keep the focus off China and Russia.

Recommendation 13: "There must be a renewed and sustained commitment by the United States to a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace on all fronts: Lebanon and Syria, and President Bush's June 2002 commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine" Boy we haven't heard this one in the last 30 years. Land for Peace seems to be working almost as well as Oil-for-Food. Gotta love the UN.

Recommendation 19: "The President and the leadership of his national security team should remain in close and frequent contact with the Iraqi leadership..." Now that is thinking outside the box. The entire recommendation in context, or out of context assumes that this isn't happening now, and that the entire United States Government is to stupid to figure this out. How asinine is this ISG.

Recommendation 34: "Violence cannot end unless dialogue begins, and the dialogue must involve those who wield power, not simply those who hold political office. The Unites States must try to talk directly to Grand Ayatollah Sistani and must consider appointing a high-level American Shia Muslim to serve as an emissary to him. The United States must also try to talk directly to Moqtada al-Sadr, to militia leaders, and to insurgent leaders. The United Nations can help facilitate contacts." There is that UN suggestion again, and they recommend talking to the very people in Iraq giving the orders to kill innocent civilians and the brave members of the American Military. The fox is in the hen house, and we are going to talk to him as he eats the chickens.

These recommendations were the meat of the answer to the violence in Iraq. Basically talk to Iran, Syria, and their agents within the borders of Iraq, because Iran, Syria, and Lebanon have a vested interest in a stable Iraq. This report is a pipe dream, based on an idealistic view of the same generation that gave us Viet Nam. The truth is that this region and the world are horrified of a stable, democratic, capitalistic, Iraq supported by the United States and other democratic nations. A stable Iraq would only strengthen the United States position in the World, and create a power shift in the middle east rendering Syria and Iran obsolete politically and economically. The President should read this, take it into consideration, and then use it to line the birdcage. Then call Iran, Syria, al-Sadr, and Sistani, and give them the ultimatums, not our allies.