What would a civilian service corps do? Either take jobs away from people who already do what the corps wants to do or take away volunteer opportunities from people who already fill those slots as volunteers.

Alternatively, the corps will become just another paid volunteer job which does make work, feel good, projects.

Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps paid its workers $30.00 with board and lodging at a time when soldiers were being paid $17.00.

America was not mobilized for the Long War

I’m glad he’s come around, but I wish he had thought of these when visionaries like Sec Rumsfeld and Pres Bush were mobilizing, rather than making their jobs harder and helping our enemies. He should acknowledge that he was also wrong when he said there was “failed leadership, lack of strategy and misdirection” at the start of the war.

Pres. Bush and Sec Rumsfeld fought the battle when it was difficult and mistakes were inevitable. They set a direction that addressed the root cause of the 9/11 attacks and enacted a workable, global strategy to defeat it, all the while keeping US AND civilian casualties lower than any other US war.

As it becomes clear that we are wining, more and more people like Gen Batiste will appear. We shouldn’t make all of these Saul’s apologize before entering Damascus, because in a war you take your allies as they arrive. We should, however, make sure they learn from and correct their mistakes.

Nothing more problematic. They’ll just forget they ever used him.

laelaps on December 8, 2007 at 6:19 PM

Hmmmm. You have a point. Anyone seen Cindy Sheehan lately?

I often wonder why the citizens of the US aren’t called on to do more. I wish our leaders would provide a better vision and specifics in that respect. For example, (I believe it was in one of the State of the Union addresses) Bush talked about a civilian service corps. I don’t recall seeing much about that since then.

Fourth, our strategy in fighting the Long War must address Iran. Much has been made this week of the intelligence judgments that Iran has stopped its weapons program. No matter what, Iran must not be permitted to become a nuclear power. All options should be exhausted before we use military force, but force, nonetheless, should never be off the table. Diplomatic efforts — from a position of strength, both regionally and globally — must be used to engage our friends and coerce our enemies to apply pressure on the Iranian regime.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120701772.html?hpid%3Dopinionsbox1&sub=AR

First, the United States must be successful in the fight against worldwide Islamic extremism. We have seen this ruthless enemy firsthand, and its global ambitions are undeniable. This struggle, the Long War, will probably take decades to prosecute. Failure is not an option.

That “Long War, will probably take decades to prosecute” part is reality, but a reality the Left (and even many on the Right) refuses to acknowledge.

To the Left, that’s basically like leaving Planned Parenthood and joining up with some Pro-Life group.

You mean the Iran thing?

No, but that’s not exactly out of the nutroots playbook either. I meant the WoT stuff.