It's a Civil War, Stupid
Former CIA Director John McClone once said that "Sometimes there is only one answer and you thank God when it's so clear."
There is only one answer when it comes to what to do in Iraq. I used to think there were two. But I believe that Operation Overlord Part II (aka Bombing the shit out of them and overpowering the insurgents) is no longer realistic. So that just leaves one: Leave.
I know, I know, I want to "Cut and Run," right? Idiots love to label. But "Staying the Course" could be, and will likely be proved in the history books, to be one of the dumbest ideas in our country's history. In the past week alone, I bet that 50,000 Americans slapped their foreheads and whispered something along the lines of "Damn, what the fuck are we doing there?"
And it's a good question for regular Americans to ask. Why are we there? I understand that Iraq-supporters have a hundred dumb reasons. I understand that profiteering is occuring. But after so much death, and so little to show for it except some ink-stained index fingers, no intelligent American can really believe that staying there is good, right?
(continued on Comments)
posted by The Democrat at Tuesday, October 31, 2006
1 Comments:
The premise of selling the invasion was a good idea. Saddam=Bad; we should bring Democracy to the ME; inhale the "Mushroom Clouds," etc. And look what we've accomplished: Hell, we toppled Saddam in less time than a menstrual cycle; the Iraqis finger-printed a few ballots; and the Republican Guard never let off any WMDs.
We even decided to stay on and rebuild the country. That's how cool the US is. Remember that future Trivial Pursuit answer, L. Paul Bremmer? I do.
L. Paul Bremmer was sent to Iraq to help rebuild the government, the infastructure, the entire way of running things. And he wasn't going to come back until it was over -- or at least until that June 30th deadline. Now maybe he wasn't given enough time, but he still handed over control of the country. In my book, that is no longer our country to look out for. Not anymore.
Now despite the US having no formal allegiance whatsoever to Iraq anymore, Bush and the US government agreed to leave as many troops as necessary to train Iraqi troops and help secure the country. But since Bremmer left, the Iraqi people have formed dozens of militias that hate the US. And those militias (led by al Sadr) make up a huge chunk of the current Iraqi Army that we train. And those who aren't part of the militias, generally sympathize with them.
Now these militants aren't going to start an all-out war with our troops. They remember what happened to the Republican Guard. But what they will do is recruit who they can. And believe me, there are plenty of Iraqis who hate the US (mostly Sunnis, but still Sunnis and Shias alike). And they are going to continue to kill our troops and Iraqi civillians on a daily basis (the average daily toll is about 3 or 4 American soldiers killed, a dozen or so wounded, and about 40 to 50 civillians killed). And those numbers aren't going down.
So what were to happen to these militant groups if the US military were to pull out? Would they take over the country right away?
I would say No. First, they aren't that organized. And second, I said that "huge chunk" of the Iraqi Army was against the establishment of the current Iraqi government, not the entire Army. The pro-Iraq part of the Army is strong and well-trained. They also have the benefit of advanced technology and weapons. And not only that, I still think they can have help from the US Army.
I heavily applaud the Murtha notion of pulling out our troops from the streets of terrorism into a secure, yet heavily strategic location. Hell, we liberated the country, they owe us a few huge bases. We can provide intelligence, air raids, even back-up troops to help the government we set in place. Our military is second to none at organizing plans to defeat the enemy. We just suck at being policemen. We can still be a force without actually being "there."
Iraq has no other fate than going to war with itself. There is abolutely nothing the US can do to help that. An Iraqi constitution and a few blue fingers aren't going to mold a country. Even if it did, it wouldn't last. The US's own history proves it. Sure we were one nation on paper after the conclusion of the American Revolution (and later at the signing of the Constitution). But it wasn't until our Civil War that it actually meant something concrete.
Iraq is going to fight a Civil War. The best we can do is pick one side to help...and get the hell out of the middle.
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