Kagan and the "Surge" Protection
|
(Conspiracy Nation, 12/25/06)
-- This is the guy, Fred Kagan (image, left), who, with ruffled hair,
dreamed up the "surge" concept. "Ah, yes," comment some Americans, "we
all know how surge protection can be a good thing, to prevent
electronic problems." What a sly move, to call increased troop
deployments to Iraq "surge protection." Who can be against "surge
protection"?
Just what really is this "surge protection" that Kagan has
devised? And who is Fred
Kagan anyway?
Already, there are semantic arguments, as in the previous Iraq
"civil war" thumb wrestling.
|
"On The Media," described as "America's only national radio program
devoted to media criticism and analysis," invited "Mr. Surge
Protection" to appear on their show, broadcast here (Champaign,
Illinois) yesterday. Discussion focused on precise definition of the
"surge" idea. Kagan claimed the media has not been getting his concept
quite right. (http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2006/12/22/01)
Kagan works for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). According
to the Wikipedia reference, "More than two dozen AEI alumni have served
either in a Bush administration policy post or on one of the
government's many panels and commissions." Kagan also reportedly is a
"signatory of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC)". ("Fred
Kagan Explains 'The Surge'", http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/12/17/8473/9725)
The PNAC, in one of their papers, famously yearned for a "new Pearl
Harbor," to whit, "the process of transformation, even if it brings
revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some
catastrophic and catalyzing event — like a new Pearl Harbor." (qtd. in
"Project for the New American Century," Wikipedia reference, Dec. 25,
2006)
To get Kagan's "surge protection" concept quite right, Conspiracy Nation found an
"executive summary" at the American Enterprise Institute's web site.
("A Plan for Success in Iraq," by Frederick W. Kagan. http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25292/pub_detail.asp)
"Iraq has reached a critical point. The strategy of relying on a
political process to eliminate the insurgency has failed. Rising
sectarian violence threatens to break America’s will to fight. This
violence will destroy the Iraqi government, armed forces, and people if
it is not rapidly controlled." (Kagan, op. cit.)
From there, suggests Kagan, a domino situation would occur, with
failure of the Iraq domino setting loose a line of other dominoes
(Mideast
nations). To prevent this, Kagan proposes a "surge of seven Army
brigades and Marine regiments" in early 2007, and that "ground forces
must
accept longer tours for several years. National Guard units will have
to accept increased deployments during this period." (Kagan, op. cit.)
Surprisingly, most Americans have grasped that Kagan's "surge
protection" plan is not about defending home electronics against
electric surges. A poll conducted in mid-December showed only 11
percent of respondents supported his "surge protection" plan. ("Troop
'surge' plan for Iraq meets growing opposition in US," AFP.)
In this regard, however, George W. Bush is expected to ask Congress
for new budget
appropriations after it reconvenes in January. "Surge protection" costs
money, despite Paul Wolfowitz's 2003 claim that the Iraq War would pay
for itself. (For background, see "Wolfowitz's 'Free' Freedom," http://www.shout.net/~bigred/Wolfowitz.html)
Wolfowitz now heads the World Bank. (Depositors might want to
consider a different bank). Wolfowitz also is a "present or former
member" of the Project for the New American Century, along with Richard
Armitage, Jeb Bush, Dick Cheney, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Richard Perle,
and Donald Rumsfeld. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century)
And, as mentioned, Fred Kagan, "Mr. Surge Protection," also is part
of this PNAC club.
Things at this point don't look so well for the misleadingly named
"surge protection" plan. But suppose there were a "catastrophic
and catalyzing event" — like an even newer
"new Pearl Harbor"? "There
are reports of an audacious plan by Islamic terrorists to cause
European carnage over the holiday period, targeting the Channel
Tunnel." ("Report: Channel Tunnel A Terror Target," CBS/AP, Dec. 23,
2006)
-------
Conspiracy Nation
http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html