Plan B

The Bush administration criticizes it's opponents for not presenting a Plan B and believes that we should do more of what we have been doing. It's inane to do more of what hasn't worked which is what Bush is negotiating for.

End Iraq War Now.org proposes the following Plan B:
1. Bush needs to admit he was dead wrong on every aspect of this war and work with Congress and the American people to end it. Now. Today. Immediately. Not someday after he leaves office. We don't want this war and will not stand for it for one more day. If he wants to fight in Iraq Mr. Bush and his "war cabinet" can go over there and risk their lives for the cause. We highly doubt they will choose this option.

2. We need to implement an immediate plan to draw down our troop commitment in a staged manner that is coordinated with Iraq taking full responsibility for it's own security. This needs to be completed within a twelve (12) month timeframe. We will leave a small reaction force of fewer than 10,000 in the local region to assist the Iraq government with air support. This force should be based outside Iraqi territory.

3. We need to invite regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, and Syria to form a coalition that will aid Iraq's government. As we draw down our forces it will become increasingly important for these countries to take an active role in order to maintain regional stability which is in their interest.

4. Our leaders and citizens need to learn every Lesson possible from this war so as to avoid similar situations in the future. Leaders need to carefully think through the consequences of their actions and consider whether the benefits of any military engagement outweigh the costs. We as a people need to elect better men for office rather than incompetent elites. We need men with honesty, intelligence, and foresight to avoid messes like the Iraq war and Vietnam. It's pathetic that the richest country in the world in the history of the world has chosen to waste it's surplus resources abroad rather than investing them wisely for the future of it's population and the benefit of the world.

5. End Iraq War Now.org suggests Presidential candidates be offered optional military training to improve their knowledge and decision-making ability. It's challenging for someone with no military knowledge, experience, or training to effectively be commander in chief of the United States military. The experience of Iraq shows this can lead to poor decisions with poor results.

End Iraq War Now.org proposes that the military war colleges devise a one year course on war history, execution, and management that all candidates for president are requested to take as an optional pre-qualification credential for running for office. This could be taught on a part-time basis similar to an executive MBA program. It should include hands-on field experience. Our leaders need to learn the lessons of war: reasons, mistakes, what works, and what doesn't. The ultimate ends of this training should be to help them avoid bringing us into war unless absolutely necessary to defend our interests as a nation and to fight extremely efficient and effective wars if the benefits outweigh the costs.