Yes, I stole the label from Rush Limbaugh and it is perfect.  This is just the confirmation the Democrats were seeking to allow them to cut and run from Iraq.  The results of this study were inevitable and predictable.  No surprise for me.  Once again, the media will be using this as the Gospel for a surrender and retreat from Iraq.  The media and Democrats never wanted the Military to win and they now have cover from a “bi-partison” group. 

On November 19th I said that increasing troop strength would be useless unless there was a change in the Rules of Engagement.  I’m not going to hold my breath that the incoming Sec Def Gates will promote this path considering he is one of the Iraq Study Surrender Group.

Iraq Rules of Engagement

Marc Shulman from American Future has some interesting things to say about the evolving ROE in Iraq since the initial invasion.  It has been quite evident the opportunity lost in not killing the cleric Al Sadr back in 2004 has cost the US significantly not only in the loss of US Troop lives but also has emboldened the militias who have murdered a multitude of Iraqi civilians.  Increasing the number of American Troops isn’t going to solve this problem unless there is a change with the Rules of Engagement.

The rules of engagement we’ve followed in Iraq raise an issue than couldn’t be more fundamental. If our twenty-first century conflicts are going to pit us (or, I might add, Israel) against extremist groups whose tactics know no bounds and we allow our conduct to be constrained by the dictates of international law, as defined by such multilateral institutions as the UN, we are condemning ourselves to fighting protracted conflicts that erode American willpower, as has happened with Iraq. If we give precedence to conforming to international norms over winning, it won’t escape the notice of militants, who will use every opportunity to weaken us.

Blackfive has something to say:

A Modest Proposal From the Froggy Study Group

Group Studies Iraq- Fails to find clue bag

The Captain’s Journal has also been talking about ROE:

Politically Correct Rules of Engagement Endanger Troops

I followed on to predict that charges of civilian casualties and inappropriate rules of engagement would become a staple of enemy propaganda, that rules of engagement would be modified, and that U.S. troops would become increasingly hesitant to fire on the enemy.  Every one of these predictions has come true.

As discussed in Newsweek’s expose on Marine Captain Rob Secher, Captain Secher wrote home that “any time an American fires a weapon there has to be an investigation into why there was an escalation of force.”

In my article Unleash the Snipers!, I noted that Marines in Ramadi have noted the hindrance the rules of engagement have become to their missison:

So, considering the group for surrender never mentioned a change regarding ROE, nor did the incoming Sec Def, it looks to me like our polticians are indeed going to pull a Vietnam, deserting our military and condeming them to losing in Iraq.  Looks like the constant harping that Iraq was Vietnam turned out to be a self fulfilling prophesy for the dominent media and politicians.  Oh, and I also am not excusing President Bush in trying to run a politically correct war.  What a great Christmas message they have just sent to our troops.  Nice going!