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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Dad speaks out in support of bus driver OSP traffic stop nets more than 30 pounds of drugs Medford looks to improve stretch of Foothill Road Soroptimists' garden tour set for Saturday in Medford, Jacksonville Jackson County man hospitalized after being shot in torso Crime, Courts and Emergency Services OSP traffic stop nets more than 30 pounds of drugs Jackson County man hospitalized after being shot in torso Emergency services Two arrested after pursuit through Jackson County UPDATE: School bus driver killed in crash near Rogue River identified Politics and Elections Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Education Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district Medford School District budget funds new student success programs RCC President Angstadt retires Environment OR-7, mate may be adding to their pack Rogue jet boat tour company eyes TouVelle for permanent home Why is Bear Creek so muddy? Blame Emigrant silt and winter storm Mt. Ashland Ski Area proposes summer adventure center Jackson County declares drought disaster State News Lawmakers seek authority to impeach Government releases wildfire plan to protect struggling bird in West Bill would press Lane County doctors to take Medicaid patients Senate panel passes medical pot rules Oregon wildlife officials eye phased-in hunting, fishing fee increases Nation - World Uh oh .... Apple Watch demand is weak There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Death Notices Barbara Ann Simmons William Odell Emmens Clarence Allen (Al) Swearingen George Frederick Christensen Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories Ducks down Beavers in 11 innings, 3-2 Martin, Raza advance in Open qualifying NFL to change extra-point kicks to longer distance Wu, Challenger boys win state crowns Crater’s Giles shares state title in Class 5A Varsity 541 College Sports Ducks down Beavers in 11 innings, 3-2 Raiders prepare for NAIA national meet Holmes heads SOU recruiting class Golson undecided, could visit other schools Oregon track sweeps at Pac-12s Pro Sports Martin, Raza advance in Open qualifying NFL to change extra-point kicks to longer distance Warriors rally to take Game 1 from Rockets Timberwolves win draft lottery, Lakers No. 2 Marlins fall in Jennings' debut Community Sports Business Latest Stories Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Two Crown Markets planned for Talent Cars We Remember: 1955 and 1956 Plymouth memories Blog: L is For... Blog: Cash deals for homes inches toward normal levels Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house People In Business People in Business Transportation Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Tourism stronger than ever in Southern Oregon Medford airport still flying high with record passenger counts Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Opinion Latest Granlund cartoon: Hillary and the press Landgren cartoon: College loans and graduation Robert DeWitt: WWII veterans are pieces of living history Letters to the Editor, May 20 Our View: Renovating the Capitol is important but costly Editorials Our View: Renovating the Capitol is important but costly Our View: Take it easy on hunting and fishing fees Our View: Kicking state government down the road Other Views: Keeping marijuana away from minors Our view: Legislature should fix both marijuana laws Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 20 Letters to the Editor, May 19 Letters to the Editor, May 18 Letters to the Editor, May 17 Letters to the Editor, May 15 Columns Kathleen Parker: Unswaddling the bab(i)es on campus Michael Gerson: War lessons for the GOP George Barnes: We need to help free Tom Brady Kathleen Parker: Jeb Bush's unfortunate honesty George Will: Santorum — The return of the GOP's runner-up Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Ample water? Think again Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Lifestyle Latest stories Study finds family rules about screen time, eating seem to work Gift of time: Instead of presents, share experiences with kids Reading can keep young minds fresh over summer break Linda Cobb: Time to make a list of spring garden chores Page H. Onorato: Saturday brought treat for supper Food Page H. Onorato: Saturday brought treat for supper Taste of Alba Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can Potluck: A Gooey Butter Cake to cherish Community blog: Pucker up for quick rhubarb-celery-berry pickle Home and Garden Linda Cobb: Time to make a list of spring garden chores Dear Monty: Novice homebuyer’s first attempt disappointing Home Help: Keep a man cave top of mind when choosing a new home Learning to be a water watcher in these dry times Betty Montgomery: Longleaf pines making a comeback Health Donna Knight: How to lessen your risk Community blog: Little Free Libraries Community blog: Fasting out of Cancer Brent St. Germain: Weight loss goes to the dogs Community blog: Don't Fall for This Part 2 Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 15 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Milestones and Achievements Prefontaine-style running trail proposed in south Medford Bukair-Hinkle Wedding: Stephanie Anne Obad and Mark Douglass Schmor Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Drones helping create unique wedding photos Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Sly & Robbie play Historic Ashland Armory Live Music in Local Clubs 5 picks for live entertainment Theater SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' OSF commissioned plays tour throughout country 'Cuckoo's Nest' is a big play, well presented 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time Music Interview: Country mainstay T. Graham Brown reflects on career Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Sly & Robbie play Historic Ashland Armory Live Music in Local Clubs Blues great B.B. King dead at 89 Community Events Third Friday: 'Into the Woods' is a must-see 5 things to see at Art in Bloom Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: Cast keeps laughs coming in ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Movie review: ‘Mad Max’ is a fresh, fantastic approach to a classic idea Your A-to-Z guide to the ‘Mad Max’ franchise Movie review: ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ will leave your inner 12-year-old giggling with glee Movie review: ‘Hot Pursuit’ is a hot mess Dining Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can 6 stars of the Rogue Valley food universe Cool down with a cold one (or two, or three) Nguyen Street Food From rustic to elegant: Wine tasting in Southern Oregon Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW OSP traffic stop nets more than 30 pounds of drugs ... Medford looks to improve stretch of Foothill Road ... Jackson County man hospitalized after being shot in torso ... OSP traffic stop nets more than 30 pounds of drugs ... Medford looks to improve stretch of Foothill Road ... Jackson County man hospitalized after being shot in torso ... ANOTHER VIEW Michael Gerson: War lessons for the GOP MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 19, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted May. 19, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> The exhausting, occasionally horrifying experience of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars still makes it difficult for political figures to say obvious things about the past. At the time, almost everyone supported the Afghanistan invasion — as close to a unanimous national decision as we've seen since Pearl Harbor. At the time, based on judgments by the intelligence community about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, a solid, bipartisan majority favored intervention in Iraq — a majority broad enough to include then-Sen. Hillary Clinton. Yet just about no one would have supported the Iraq War if it had been known that Saddam had suspended his WMD programs. It was the prospect of proliferation that elevated Iraq above a containable regional threat. So the proper answer for Republican candidates (no matter who their siblings might be) when asked if they would have invaded Iraq while lacking the main strategic justification to invade Iraq: Of course not. But this historical hypothetical says almost nothing about the foreign policy views of a candidate. A better question: What are the lessons a president should draw from American interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq? President Obama provided one answer. While accepting a central premise of the Bush Doctrine — the pre-emption of emerging terrorist threats — he regarded the task of occupation and reconstruction as a costly distraction. So he would wind down both wars as quickly as possible while avoiding new commitments. The threat of terrorism would be confronted technically, lethally, from afar, with drones and special operations forces, and by urging allies and proxies to step up and play a larger role. The killing of Osama bin Laden and (just days ago) of Abu Sayyaf are models. But this understandable shift was used as an excuse for retrenchment and retreat. In leaving Iraq, Obama kept a political promise but did not secure hard-won gains. After helping change a regime in Libya, he had no adequate plan for the restoration of order. He was essentially a bystander for three years in Syria, while American proxies were liquidated (along with a portion of the civilian population) and while a terrorist homeland was founded. And he has allowed a naive belief in diplomacy to undermine his broader strategy — essentially conceding Iranian control of the direction and pace of events in the Middle East. Obama has accepted a series of what Peter Feaver of Duke University calls "defeats of choice." He has conducted his retrenchment in a manner that conveys weakness. Does this result from some changed, overarching conception of America's role in the world, or some focus on a different region? More likely it is the sum total of risk-aversion, chronic indecision and an emphasis on domestic concerns. There is plenty here for a Republican presidential candidate to criticize. But a Republican nominee will also need to demonstrate that he or she has learned lessons from America's experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is obviously true that occupation and reconstruction proved tragically difficult and unsustainable. And Republican candidates should say this. They should set the bar for intervention high. But they also need to describe how they would return to the strategic offensive within the boundaries of this recognition. For the foreseeable future, America will need to pre-empt threats from afar, by aggressively strengthening allies and proxies, and by employing advantages in air power, special operations, human intelligence gathering, digital surveillance and cyber warfare. This may well require "boots on the ground" to train and to target — but not American divisions in combat. This effort is unavoidably multilateral — requiring America to re-establish its standing as a reliable partner. Returning to the offensive will also involve the aggressive use of non-military elements of national power: economic engagement, development assistance and the offer of a compelling ideological alternative. And America will need to take traditional balance-of-power concerns in Europe and the Middle East more seriously. The Obama administration apparently believes that diplomacy can change circumstances on the ground but it is usually circumstances on the ground that set the limits of diplomacy. While America talks about cooperating with Iran toward a more stabilized Middle East, Iran is busy destabilizing the Middle East and filling a regional vacuum of leadership. So any cooperation will be based on a coalition of forces that favors Iran and enshrines its expanding influence. A serious Republican foreign policy will make this case: The alternative to invasion and occupation is not retreat; it is the determined exercise of power at a distance. Michael Gerson's email address is [email protected]. 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