The Urge to Surge

Retired General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Commander of NATO, and a senior fellow at UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations has a rational comment or two on the likely upcoming announcement of a troop surge in Iraq. He’s hardly the only one expressing these views, nor are these views emanating from fringe elements of the populace. On the contrary, they seem to be mostly proffered by the leaders of the military, past and present. Somehow, you’d think their opinions would carry some weight with the Decider-in-Chief. But that seems increasingly unlikely. It’s looking more and more as if the showdown is ultimately going to be between Congress and the President. While the Democrats have their 100 days of fury momentum, it would be a stretch for that deliberative body to take a potent stand against the Executive branch. Doubtless encouraging if they do, but I won’t be holding my breath.