
Since you seem to have stepped out of the debbil's advocate
auto-position, I'll try to put aside also, that normal homo-sap reaction to gehabt, Kindern. You're pretty much outnumbered here but you're valuable in that regard, since you're only dense on purpose. ;-)
[be nice to Dubya mode {ugh} on]
Obv nobody here has an inkling of a 'solution', even (also) stepping aside from recriminations and outrage felt. Several have parsed the next options. And whatever you, I or anyone personally feels re the bizarre details of How we got to today - I can only conclude with the others, equally bereft of any (even not-so-nice) 'solution':
There just may not be one. Just forks promising different forms, classes of pain.
We have barely begun reading the tea leaves re what the religio-mix in Iraq - should they become unmoored, unfettered, free to choose sides and tangle: might do to each other, let alone their 'consensus' re the US. Sunnis, Shias, Wahabs.. Kurds - all with ancient agenda, all held on a tight leash via the dictatorship. 'Til lately.
All the political maneuvering, lies (real or just imputed), disaffections of a large slice of the populations worldwide - never mind for this moment, blame-fixing: *these* are essential ingredients in forming some next idea of How!? TF to proceed.
And every aspect is, will remain debatable and politicized and intricate. (Our culture doesn't debate well or often)
I cannot imagine how Shrub/Rove could possibly galvanize that much sought other-nations' support; it's barely imaginable even with new blood as POTUS ... which then only just- might- barely assuage the now parboiling cauldron [??]
Every day: New dead Iraqis from the insurgents, clearly organizing better and better (who are: some Iraqi / some imports. Borders wide open in places). Cities/enclaves that are now extraterrritorial to either US or our surrogate Iraqi forces.
"Stay the Course" is -most unfortunately- a typical Bushspeak platitude, which ruins its perspicacity. At some point, any sane inheritor of this cauldron Has to consider leaving. Period.
And yes *everyone* realizes that if that is precipitate: even worse for our already irreparable reputation; the only question is.. can we repair it in a few years? (If we leave stupidly - make that a generation, at least.)
We've been snookered. Way I see it is - every person in "public life" is already in CYA mode; this egotism shall complicate the already intricate trade-offs, especially given the present Admin's utter obsession with reducing every problem it encounters down to its LCD:'political leverage' to retain Power (forever, if that can be arranged)
All I can see is (still struggling to think-neutrally-about This Admin) - if Shrub remains CIEIO, it will be quite worse for the awfulness of the penalties to US, than if Kerry [Anyone not-Bush] is the one with the Bagman at his side.
We've brought the whole planet into real-close proximity with our colorful celebrity-bafflegab election style; Very Few IMhO "Love this Man" -- and only a little love (as, say JFK could muster even amidst the USSR folk, it turned out) could ameliorate the next Awful Choices.
ie I haven't the foggiest IF there is a 'solution'. But there will be action, events and some result, day by day. (I would distrust-more.. any politician who, if he thought/said he had "a solution" -- proceeded to blurt it out in typ didactic Murican electioneering style. Next matters simply cannot benefit from or be run by some stupid fucking public poll - even if that's what we think we call an "election". Catch 22.)
The Peepul would have to advance a bit of that 'faith'-based restraint, mostly on intangibles (not some silly 'Plan.pdf' offered for dissection) IMO. Hah..
[be nice to Dubya mode off]
We haven't even talked about other consequences of the election: the fate of habeas and of citizenship rights, lots more just on the Fatherland front. I don't care how "sincerely" Bush believes his slogans, nor how many join him in them. He lives in a bubble. (A now pop-phrase, I note - but still apt.)
What a Mess.
Luck to us all - the whole planet.