# Will the Decider show any contrition today? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 8, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-decider-show-any-contrition-today/379562 "2006-11-08T15:43:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-decider-show-any-contrition-today/379562/61 "2006-11-09T03:06:50Z")
Well, no, the first guy to ask “What’s the plan?” doesn’t win. My point is that it does the Dems little good to win control of the House (and possibly the Senate) if they don’t have an exit strategy. Never mind whether it can be achieved. If there’re no strategy, there’s no question. So far, no one (including you) has identified an exit strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-decider-show-any-contrition-today/379562/62 "2006-11-09T03:29:52Z")
[QUOTE=PBear42] Well, no, the first guy to ask “What’s the plan?” doesn’t win. My point is that it does the Dems little good to win control of the House (and possibly the Senate) if they don’t have an exit strategy. [/QUOTE] But having won control, they _should_ soon get details on the [current Iraq crisis](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061109/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_061104222860) > [@](#): > > In the final days before Tuesday’s midterm election, > President Bush dispatched two top officials to Iraq in a bid to pressure al-Maliki to quickly disband Shiite militia groups and death squads that have killed thousands of Sunni Muslims. > > National Intelligence Director John Negroponte was rebuffed by al-Maliki, however, when he demanded the Iraqi leader disband militias and wipe out death squads this year. > > A top aide to al-Maliki aide, who refused to allow use of his name because of the sensitive nature of the information, told The Associated Press the prime minister flatly refused and said the task could not be taken up until next year. > … > Sunni lawmaker Salim Abdullah said the Iraqi Accordance Front bloc had sent messages to other political groups warning that if there is no balance and the militias are not dissolved “we will withdraw from the government.” Obviously this sort of unhelpfullness from Maliki requires a response, but it’s impossible to decide what it should be without a great deal more information about what the political situation actually is in Iraq. Until today, the dems haven’t been privy to that. Now they have the power to _force_ the informaion loose. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-decider-show-any-contrition-today/379562/63 "2006-11-09T04:16:57Z")
[QUOTE=PBear42] Well, no, the first guy to ask “What’s the plan?” doesn’t win. My point is that it does the Dems little good to win control of the House (and possibly the Senate) if they don’t have an exit strategy. Never mind whether it can be achieved. If there’re no strategy, there’s no question. So far, no one (including you) has identified an exit strategy. [/QUOTE] This is the most secretive administration for a loooong time. No one but them really knows a lot about the true state of affairs with the Iraq government. The only thing for sure is that the deaths, maimings and turmoil continue. The Republican in congress are satisfied to work two days a week (according to Jack Murtha) and let the executive do it all without any questions. The Democrats are shut out. How can they have a plan ready at hand for you the day after the election when they are operating in the dark, and GW has no plan either? In fact, his plan seems to be to wait and see what the Baker/Hamilton Iraq Study Group recommends. It took a long time to dig this hole and it’s going to take some time to get out. But first we really need to know the size and depth of the hole. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-decider-show-any-contrition-today/379562.md?page=3)