Richard Armitage’s observations on Iraq

For an hour on Charlie Rose, the former undersecretary of state made interesting points.

On when should the US leave Iraq: rent my house

We don’t have unlimited amoung of time. I think as long as the president be frank and level with the American people we got remarkable patient because there’s a general understanding that no matter how one feels about getting into Iraq, that to cut and run now would only give rejoicing to the enemy and that would really, really causes us long-term problems–and our friends and allies in the region, particularly, long-term problems.

On Gitmo and the damages it don’t to the US’s image abroad:

I think they are terrible…I would close Guantanamo tomorrow. Abu Ghraib was another blood on our character–says terrible things about us and I am ashame of it. Are we harmed all time by it? No we’re not. WE got to correct these abberations that don’t speak our national values.

The Pentagon has been cirticized numerous times for not having enough troops on the ground. Armitage:

I think going with the Powell’s doctrine–that was overwhelming force–that would have been much more sensible.

What about going to war int he first place? Armitage:

Secretary [of State Colin] Powell and I tried hard to avoid war. Were not against the war but we tried hard to avoid wars.

The biggest mistake made in Iraq? Armitage:

We were depending on the diaspora of Iraqis to carry the flag of democracy. If we learned the lessons of Germany and Japan, we’d realize that people who were suffering during the war were the ones who could credibly the mantle of democracy.