THREATS AND RESPONSES: THE WHITE HOUSE; U.S. IS COMPLETING PLAN TO PROMOTE A DEMOCRATIC IRAQ
By DAVID E. SANGER AND JAMES DAO (NYT) 2093 words Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 1 , Column 1
ABSTRACT - Pres Bush's national security team is assembling final plans for administering and democratizing Iraq after expected ouster of Saddam Hussein; plans call for heavy American military presence in country for at least 18 months, military trials of only most senior Iraqi leaders and quick takeover of country's oil fields to pay for reconstruction; proposals amount to most ambitious American effort to administer country since occupations of Japan and Germany at end of World War II; many elements of plans are highly classified, and some are still being debated as Bush's team tries to allay concerns that US will seek to be colonial power in Iraq; broad outlines show enormous complexity of task in months ahead, and point to some of difficulties that would follow even swift and successful removal of Hussein from power
As I've written, I'm sick of the tired complaints about a lack of a plan. We had a plan. It had assumptions that didn't turn out right. So we are adapting. Opponents of the Iraq War had assumptions that didn't turn out right, too. So they are just ignoring that inconvenient fact.
But we were aware of "enormous complexity" of the post-war.
Note, too, the plans for democracy.
