Nothing New About It

.

Faced with the reality of the impossibility of enacting Keane & Kagan’s Cock-Up, General David Petraeus has announced his “new way forward” – Baghdad will be walled off into gated neighborhoods in an effort to quell the sectarian violence that claimed 200 in one day last week.

The New York Times calls it a “radical new strategy” in the Saturday edition.

Except it’s not.

It’s basically just a retread of the “Strategic Hamlets” approach that was a horrifying failure in Vietnam.

It has also been a part of the planning from the outset of this current apostasy of ramped-up death and violence. In January, they were pimping it as The Tal Afar Model(!) - before that all fell apart a few weeks ago.

The Sunni’s feel like they are being sequestered; boxed off in ethnic enclaves. ASunni physician was understandably angry “It’s unbelievable that they treat us in such an inhumane manner. They’re trying to isolate us from other parts of Baghdad. The hatred will be much greater between the two sects.”

I am going to stand up for Dave Petraeus. Not that he needs my help, but damnit, it pisses me off to listen to the all the pissing and moaning that Petraeus is new to the job, give him a chance to make his plan work – especially the pundit class of the right wing media.

They all know damn good and well that this is not Petraeus’ plan. This was laid out in that POS white paper, Choosing Victory, from Kagan and Keane at the AEI last December 14. All of this is in that paper. The record is there.

Hang it around the necks of Kagan and Keane, not Petraeus. He is doing the best he can with a bad situation. He has enough problems trying to apply the lipstick to this pig without getting credit for this cock-up that is wholly the notion of others. Place the blame appropriately.

And by the way - you damn well know that it isn't working, and here is your proof: If it was, don't you think that the real authors of the plan would be falling all over themselves to take the credit on the Sunday morning talk shows?
.

[Cross-posted from Watching Those We Chose. You should be reading that blog every day.]