petroleumworld

The Bush White House is searching for a scapegoat to blame for the Iraq
debacle. The prime candidate this week is the US military. Below is a
Petroleumworld editorial from April 06 reminding that President Bush and his
appointees created the Iraq mess and are still responsible for policy.

Ask President Bush about US strategy in Iraq and when US troops will be
coming home, or if more troops are needed in Iraq, or if US troops will be
drawn into a civil war, his answer is invariably "Ask the US military
commanders."

When asked about US strategy for Iran and its nukes, his answer now is
invariably "ask the UN Security Council." That's right, the Administration
that came into office reviling the UN now sees the UN, which is for the most
part a US ticket to nowhere, as its salvation on Iran.

Not good enough, Mr. President. The US military did not design and is not
responsible for overall US political-military strategy in Iraq, you and your
civilian advisors are. It is you who decided to favor the Kurds, alienate
the Sunnis, and empower the pro-Iran faction of the Shiite community (all
three major blunders). It was you who decided to send Iraq down the road to
partition with the new constitution. It was you who opened back channel
negotiations with Iran on Iraq, and turned Iran into the US's primary
partner in Iraq and the region. This is your plan in Iraq, and your plan alone.

The same is true on taking Iran to the UN. You know that such a policy is a
prescription for further Iranian stalling and inaction. The UN route also
provides Russia and China with multiple opportunities to derail US policy on
Iran, assuming such a coherent US policy actually exists. Much can be
accomplished by the US outside the UN context to contain Iran, but no US
initiatives are moving forward. This is your responsibility, Mr. President.

Finally, someone has too coordinate the three great parts of US policy on
Iran -- 1.) US policy on Iran's threat to the region (specifically, the
Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and Latin America); 2.) Iran's
stance on nukes; and 3.) the degree to which the US can cooperate with
Russia and China on all these problems, given US equities with Russia and
China on many other issues.

Once again, your military commanders cannot do that, nor can the UN. If an
overarching US policy is being developed -- and VP Cheney's upcoming trip
to Kazakhstan where he intends to confront Russia, suggests that might be
the case -- then share that policy with the US public and Congress. No need
for secrets when the issue is US policy towards Iran.

Petroleumworld

Petroleumworld News 05/01/06
Copyright©2006 Petroleumworld. All Rights Reserved.

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Petroleumworld 10/24/06

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