One of the major talking points used by the neo-con warmongers is that the war critics offer no alternative plan. This is a rhetorical ruse because an alternative would never be considered anyway. Nevertheless here is a plan for a successful outcome in Iraq.
Declare War
Article 1 of the constitution states that only congress has the power to declare war, and thus, inversely, the power to declare a war to be over. The American people, acting through their elected representatives, have lost control of this vital responsibility. A formal declaration of war would send a clear message of resolve to friends and foes alike. It would focus the energy of the government toward solving this problem. Congress should grow a spine and join the vertebrate kingdom. Without a formal declaration of war, these acts of violence are a crime by the executive branch.
Initiate the Draft
Occupying and bringing civil order to a foreign country is a labor intensive endeavor. Bringing stability to Iraq requires more manpower than it did to simply topple the government there. Unfortunately, the experienced military personnel that pointed this out were fired and now the problem is much worse than it would have been had this sage advice been heeded. If the president is unable to inspire an adequate number of men to volunteer for military service, this unpopular measure must be enacted. Without adequate manpower, the few unfortunate soldiers charged with the poorly thought out mission in Iraq face an increasingly dangerous and frustrating task with a decreasing chance for success.
Rescind the tax cuts for the wealthy
Failure to commit adequate resources such as body amour, the needed equipment, ample manpower, pay raises and benefits for the brave soldiers that are placed in harms way, is deeply irresponsible. There are two costs of war, blood and treasure. In past wars the soldiers in the field have been confident that wealthy citizens have made their contribution. The burden of this war is being shifted from the beneficiaries of it to the working class. The war in Iraq has become an extension of the class warfare on the domestic front. Interest payments on the national debt are de-facto entitlements for the leisure class. The debt being accrued has placed this country at the mercy of foreign lenders. Communist China could shut this war down any time it wanted to, however they are content to watch America shoot itself in the foot.
The Powell Doctrine
America should commit its armed forces only when there is a clear objective that the public broadly supports. If so we should use overwhelming force and have a plan for an exit strategy. Unfortunately, Mr. Powell, like many other military experts have been shown the door.
Leadership
When a naval captain runs his ship aground he is customarily replaced. The Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal that contrived this war has suffered from continuous intelligence failures. Intelligence failures have become the hallmark of the Bush administration. When accused of lying, the White House cites intelligence failure as an excuse. So are they lying or are they just stupid? Either way, should the American people reward this much incompetence?
Stop the Madness
War is a serious undertaking and must be done right or not at all. Partisan apologists have labeled this as “Cut and run” or a “Retreat” or “Dishonoring the sacrifice” or whatever they come up with in the next spin cycle. The choice now is to stop the madness as soon as possible, OR “Cut and Run” 10 years, a trillion dollars and thousands of American lives from now. Leaving Vietnam did not result in the nightmare scenario the hawks wanted the public to believe. The search for WMD and regime change has been accomplished. The presence of a foreign occupying army is counterproductive to bringing stability to Iraq. Therefore, what is the rational basis for continuing to occupy Iraq? The true reasons for invading Iraq are not known to the American public. Establishing permanent military bases in Iraq and expanding the war into other countries may be the true purpose of the invasion. This would explain the reluctance of the Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal to leave Iraq. This is the rationale that dare not speak its name.