Max Boot: Where's the Real National Leadership America Needs?

Max Boot's latest in the LA Times is certainly not inspiring great national leadership. Subject is whether a surge of only 21,500 more troops will "work." Money quote (at the end):

No better idea, by Max Boot

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If everything goes right, large swathes of Baghdad could gradually be brought under control. Then American and Iraqi units could pursue a "spreading inkblot" strategy — another classic counterinsurgency concept — to increase the pacified zone outward.

Of course that's a big if. It may be that we still don't have enough troops to successfully carry out this strategy. It may be that we don't have the will to see it through. It may be that we don't have enough reliable Iraqi partners. But considering the massive investment we have already made in Iraq, and the lack of good alternatives, it seems worth one final effort to see if we can salvage something from this dire situation.

Max Boot, the two sentences in bold are really one: Without serious national leadership to create genuine national will, we will never have enough volunteers (healthy heterosexuals 41 and under, every one) for military service. Including yourself, if you're eligible.

Neither you nor President Bush has ever even bothered to encourage real Americans to consider serving at this time, even if they plan other careers later in life. Not even once. That doesn't look like a "Surge" to me. If America is really serious about winning the GWOT, 21,500 additional troops is nothing.

Hat tip to Country Joy Crafts.