Former "drug czar" Gen. Barry McCaffrey (now a member of Fleishman-Hillard's international advisory board and an ex-Pentagon shill who was part of its military analyst program) must be a tad jealous of Kerlikowski's rapid success. What exactly where you doing during those five years as drug czar, Barry?
Kerlikowske told the National Journal :“We should stop comparing this to a war and be much smarter about how we are dealing with it—and in a much more comprehensive way. I’ve ended the 'war on drugs."'
Bully for Gil, the ex-Seattle police chief. America can use a dose of his can-do spirit.
We also could use Gil in Baghdad, declaring that "war is over.” After a day or so adjusting to the Baghdad heat, Gil undoubtedly would order U.S. troops to pack their gear, and then say "see ya" to the Iraqis.
If Kerlikowske is needed more on the home front, President Obama should follow up on Plan B. Call your buddy, Nicholas Sarkozy.
The French apparently are tired of being taunted as cheese-eating, chocolate-loving, wine-swilling wimps. That’s why Sarko has just opened France’s first permanent military base in the Persian Gulf. The Abu Dhabi facility is the first fort that the French have built in 50 years. More importantly it's the first-ever French military complex constructed outside France or one of its former colonies. Sarko wants to show us and the Brits that France is itching to regain a measure of its former military “glory” (e.g., Waterloo, 1815).
There is a tremendous ego-stroking opportunity for the U.S. We have a ton of bases in the Middle East. Who needs 'em? Let Sarko have his pick.
We got some serious business in Afghanistan and Pakistan to tend to.