[Dr. Frank fan]

"No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government. It was elected by its people,"

I actually agree with him. The whole notion of "timetables" is stupid and reeks of bureaucrat-think. The process of stabilizing and governing a violent country in the wake of a power vacuum is not something you can plot out in "timetables" or as some big Microsoft Project file. Every time I hear some manicured Washington DC politician or bureaucrat spout off about "timetables" or "benchmarks" I want to p*ke.

[SE Mom]

Of course his premise is correct- it requires time to work through the enormous tasks of establishing a new government- that isn’t my problem with his statement.

I do, however take exception to:

..”Those who make such statements are bothered by our visit to Syria. We will pay no attention. We care for our people and our constitution and can find friends elsewhere,” Mr. al-Maliki said.

-That strikes me as completely over the top. The implication is that the US does not care for Iraq or it’s constitution.

[ArrogantBustard]

The process of stabilizing and governing a violent country in the wake of a power vacuum is not something you can plot out in "timetables" or as some big Microsoft Project file.

Which is not to say that you shouldn't plan, and that planning includes goals and objective criteria that you intend to meet. Just that no battle plan ever survived contact with the enemy. Stabilizing Iraq in the face of Syrian, Iranian, Democrat Party and other inspired guerilla warfare and terrorism is definitely a battle plan.

Every time I hear some manicured Washington DC politician or bureaucrat spout off

I want to rip their $500 haicut depilated face-lifted head off and $#!+ down their neck.

[Future Snake Eater]

I actually agree with him. The whole notion of "timetables" is stupid and reeks of bureaucrat-think. The process of stabilizing and governing a violent country in the wake of a power vacuum is not something you can plot out in "timetables" or as some big Microsoft Project file.

If he wants continued U.S. military support (i.e. my Soldiers, me, and 150,000 others like us), then he had damn well better put up with a few metrics from us. We have dumped almost 4,000 lives, over 20,000 or so wounded, and neary hundreds upon hundreds of billions of dollars into this dump, and he thinks he has the right to say, "No one can tell me what to do! No one can hold me accountable!" Bullsh*t.

Every time I hear some manicured Washington DC politician or bureaucrat spout off about "timetables" or "benchmarks" I want to p*ke.

Really? Does it make you sick enough to join up and help us out over here?

[SaintDismas]

I actually agree with him.>>>>

Mee too! I can’t stand what these a-wipes are saying, that we had no right to force regime change, yet, when it suits them, REGIME CHANGE!