Here is the column of mine that ran in the CSM on Thursday. (Also, here).
Sorry it took me so long to post that. I’ve been really busy.
Alert JWN readers will note that the column is much gentler on Zal Khalilzad than what i generally write here. I still don’t think the guy has become a Quaker pacifist and philanthropist. (Though there’s still time, Zal!) But on reflection I did conclude that at least pursuing a policy of negotiations inside Iraq is a lot better than continuing to to try to rely solely on military means to resolve Washington’s problems in Baghdad. And if, as a result, there’s an easing of the broader tensions between Washington and Iran, then so very much the better.
And I wanted to recognize that in the column.
What I didn’t have space for there was to express my deep, deep reservations about much of the rest of the content of what Khalilzad and Gen. Casey are doing inside Iraq. They are certainly far from having given up their reliance on military force, and their use of pernicious divide-and-rule tactics, altogether.
Also, I didn’t say anything about the grave doubts I have about the tactics used by many other parties inside Iraq, too. That includes militants from all three of the big local population groups (including those inside and outside the present government), as well as the government of Iran.
I don’t believe any of these parties has yet become Gandhian angels! But still– and this is a centrally important point– it is always better to find ways to de-escalate violence and open up the path for negotiations, rather than not to… Especially with people you disagree with!
That was the point I wanted to get across.