How do we win in Iraq?

The ISG report suggests that we involve Iran and Syria diplomatically as a major part of our effort to appear not to lose too badly in Iraq and that Israel is a major part of the equation. I think the report may be on to something: Yes, we should involve Iran and Syria; Yes, Israel is a critical element in the equation and the status quo must be altered.

Much has been said and written about the "fact" that our armed forces are stretched thin and we have no more troops to send to Iraq. Many are of the opinion, for differing reasons, that more troops in Iraq are not the answer.

I am no military expert. It does appear though that any overuse of our assets, if that is what it is, is limited to the Army and Marines. Our Navy and Air Force do not appear to be heavily committed in Iraq or in support of the troops that are there.

Here are a series of actions designed to capitalize on the ISG's recommendations with respect to involving Iran, Syria and Israel in resolving the problems plaguing the Middle East:

1) We park a carrier group in the Mediterranean off Israel;
2) We park a second carrier group in the Persian Gulf off Iran;
3) We inform Iran and Syria that their support of sectarian warfare and terrorism in Iraq and Lebanon will no longer be tolerated;
4) We inform Iran and Syria that we will begin strategic bombing of their countries immediately in retaliation for their activities in Iraq and Lebanon;
5) We inform Iran and Syria that the bombing will end when:
A) We can verify that they have withdrawn their aid and support for insurgents and terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon;
B) We can verify that they have closed their borders with Iraq and stopped the shipping of arms to Lebanon;
C) They turn over to the USA all Iraqi Baathists and Al-Quada members in their countries as well as the assets of those people;
D) They issue unambiguous declarations in English, Arabic and Farsi that they recognize Israel's right to exist as a free and sovereign state and forswear any intention to attack her;
E) Iran issues a declaration in English, Arabic and Farsi that it will not now, or in the future, attempt to create nuclear weapons or attempt to acquire the materials to make them;
F) Iran invites US inspection teams into the country in order to facilitate the verification of E above and gives the teams complete freedom of movement.

What we are seeing now in Iraq and Lebanon are the fruits of our reliance on organizations like the UN and over-reliance on institutions like "International Law".

The UN is a failed concept. It is now clear to all but the most blindered of internationalists that elevating to the level of legitimacy any regime in the world just because it exists invites the barbarians into the dining room where they will, quite naturally, feast on the truly legitimate since the truly legitimate are constrained by the rules of decency.

You do not promote Human Rights in Libya by making Libya the chair of the Human Rights Commission. You promote Human Rights in Libya by denying membership in august organizations to Libya until Libya has demonstrated that its government will protect the Human Rights of its inhabitants.

The internationalists have somehow persuaded otherwise intelligent people that exposure to right minded people and invitations to high councils will cause the transformation of brutes into intellectuals while our human experience is exactly the opposite. You don't award a Harvard degree to a High School student in the hope that he will study hard and earn the degree. You have removed any incentive for him to study hard and earn the degree.

Similarly, we don't invite rogue regimes like Syria and Iran to sit down and discuss things with us. We drive them to the table begging for us to talk with them instead of shoot at them.

International law, like domestic law, only serves to inhibit those who are law abiding. Criminals really don't care about criminal law. Rogue regimes which, by definition, have spent their existence defying international law are obviously not constrained by it. Why should they be? There are no meaningful penalties for breaking it.

The road to victory in Iraq will be paved with stones made of courage and resolve. Not the courage and resolve of our forces already there, who have already proven just how courageous and resolute they are. The stones of courage and resolve needed can only come from an American public supportive of the truly liberal cause of spreading freedom and dedicated to the imperative cause of refusing to bow down to tyrants. Those stones are missing. They must be found.