Serious Putz

by digby

From today's "why are we listening to you?" file:

Mitchell: Do you agree overall, that we can build up in Afghanisatan and pull down at the rate, the pace[in Iraq] that President Obama is now anticipating?

Michael O'Hanlon: Yeah I think so. Let's also realize that we don't have much of a choice. The Iraqis want us to leave. The Iraqis are in a very middle ground. They want us to keep working with them at the appropriate level, but they want to increasingly run their own affairs and they would prefer to do everything on their own, naturally. They're a proud people and so we're going to have to keep downsizing. That's really not at issue. The only question would be how fast. The thing I like most about President Obama's plan --- really there are really two aspects. One, that we can be fairly gradual this year, a year that's really crucial in Iraq, where there are still some key fragilities in the situation. And then second, even after the quote unquote draw down is complete, we will still have about 50,000 US troops, including five or six new types of brigades that are described as advisory brigades but which also have a lot of combat capabilities, just in case.

So it's a prudent, hedging plan that allows for flexibility in the future. I think that's the right way to think about future Iraq strategy.

Mitchell: To build up if they need to, or rebuild back if they need to.

O'Hanlon: Or slow down the draw down if necessary.

Mitchell: Exactly. Let me ask you about the Senate Intelligence Committee's decision to go ahead and investigate CIA alleged abuses, interrogation techniques and wiretapping, even though according to a CBS New york Times poll most people don't think --- 58% --- don't think that that's necessary, yet the Senate Intelligence Committee is going to proceed. 37% want the hearings, 58% don't want the hearings. CIA obviously doesn't want the hearings. The administration, President Obama has signaled that it's time to move on. Do you think these hearings are a good idea?

O'Hanlon: That's a tough question. I think hearings on this kind of a topic can be useful if they help firm up and document a consensus that's begun to emerge. And that's what I would hope out of this. because I don't think we should re-litigate this problem or essentially punish companies that were following what they thought was the letter of the law at the time. So I take the same position that Obama and Bush and others have.

But, nonetheless, congress has an oversight role. It takes that job seriously. And it needs, perhaps to go through some of these questions one more time and to write a report that future generations can consult. So if it serves that purpose then I think there may be a benefit.


Big of him.

First, this morning all the gasbags are talking about how Obama may not be leaving enough troops in Iraq because there's a good chance he'll need to build back up. One gets the feeling that this is a piece of village conventional wisdom --- that the draw down is a nice idea but that we'll be building back troop levels at some point because we'll "have" to, the reasons for which aren't specified and which hasn't been debated as far as I know.

And why anyone is asking Michael O'Hanlon for his insights into Iraq policy is beyond me. I know he is very, very serious and all, but really, he only muddles the issue. One is tempted to dismiss any idea he has out of hand because he has no credibility.

And as for his opinion on the congressional investigation, well let's just say that if you could hear the condescending sneer in his voice as he opined that congress does have a role to play (not a great as his own of course, because he is very, very serious) you would want to throw your shoe at the television. He is a perfect little villager, expressing contempt for the idea that people of good stock (like high paid corporate lawyers and government officials) could have possibly known that they were breaking the law. And dear me, even if they did it was for our own good.

I find it quite telling that O'Hanlon sees prohibitions against torture and spying on Americans without a warrant as a "consensus that's begun to emerge." I suspect that would come as a surprise to the people who wrote the constitution, but hey, baby steps.

O'Hanlon thinks it's probably fine if the little people (who take their jobs seriously, don't you know) want to write a cute little report for future generations to peer at curiously, but one certainly needn't go any further than that. And I can understand why he would believe this. If you start going down the path of holding people responsible for the things they said and did --- or, worse, what they got wrong --- why, that could spell a lot of trouble for serious people like him. Best not go there.


.