"For generations now, Americans have been taught that all peoples are
the same, all cultures are the same, all religions are the same —
hard-wired to live by the same self-evident truths. Our experience in Iraq,
our experience with Islam, if you will, tells us, in fact, that we are not
all the same. We do not all want the same things out of governments, our
cultures or our religions. This is something our experience in Iraq has
finally taught us. There are vast differences between Islam and the West,
differences that are not the mission of the United States military, or in
the interest of the United States to bridge."
My dream secretary would continue: "Whether posterity judges us kindly
and calls ours a noble experiment in Iraq, Tim, the bottom line here and now
is that we're not getting results. I mean, how do you expect to fight a war
on terror for, or alongside, terrorist sympathizers? It can't be done. And
the war on terror is the president's primary concern. As a result, you will
see the mission of American troops changing as they leave the streets of
Iraq's cities to be redeployed to strongholds in Kurdistan — and
beyond."
"Where?"
"Let's just say we'll be talking much more about Iran and Syria in the
coming weeks, and their roles in sponsoring terrorism and nuclear
blackmail." Poof.
Alas, Coleridge-like, I find my vision of chat-show Xanadu has gone
black. On the real-life program, Miss Rice went on to offer a typically
reality-challenged solution for Lebanon: Her idea — the U.S. idea
— is "to flow the authority of the Lebanese government and Lebanese
forces with the help of international forces" into Hezbollah-controlled
areas. Just keep smiling, and never mind that all too much of the Lebanese
government, the Lebanese forces, not to mention the Lebanese people are
rootin'-tootin' Hezbollah boosters.
But wait, what's that voice in my head? "Given the Free World's stake in
the destruction of Hezbollah's terrorist forces," my dream secretary is
saying, "the president will be calling on our friends in the international
community to offer Israel our shared gratitude and unified support for
taking on this common enemy."
Poof again.