Ret. General John Sheehan: Why I declined to serve, as war czar. "What I found in discussions with current and former members of this administration is that there is no agreed-upon strategic view of the Iraq problem or the region. [...] There has to be linkage between short-term operations and strategic objectives that represent long-term U.S. and regional interests, such as assured access to energy resources and support for stable, Western-oriented countries. These interests will require a serious dialogue and partnership with countries that live in an increasingly dangerous neighborhood. We cannot 'shorthand' this issue with concepts such as the 'democratization of the region' or the constant refrain by a small but powerful group that we are going to 'win,' even as 'victory' is not defined or is frequently redefined."

Posted by Laura at April 15, 2007 11:25 PM