March 21, 2007

Four Years on and Running out of Patience

Here we are again, waist deep in the Big Muddy  on the Tigris and sinking still deeper. Four years its been, since the US began the quixotic and deadly task of attempting to impose Western-style democracy upon an area of the world where it is not understood or wanted. Four years now, and what do we have to show for our efforts?

1. A weak native government, a US puppet really, with no real power to do anything without US assistance and approval. 
2. Over 3200 US soldiers KIA, and thousands more wounded, some severely. 

3. Over 50,000  Iraqi men, women and children,  killed either by US forces or by other Iraqis in the on-going civil war.

So, has Mr Bush learned anything from the carnage of the last four years?

No.  In his speech the other day, he showed that he continues to buy into that foolish dream of  Neocon intellectuals who think that  you can ignore a thousand years of Iraq’s history if only you have  enough US troops. 

Apparently the president really believes that while there were a few problems in Iraq, things are getting better. But wait.  That's the same kind of rhetoric we’ve been hearing from his administration  for the last four years.  Reality-ignoring rhetoric.

We've have been told for the  last four years, that things were are getting better. They weren't.  Now we are being told in addition,  that things will get even better now that there was something called a “surge” going on. All that's needed for complete success, he says,  is a little more patience from the American people and a little more time.   Which translates into an open-ended commitment by US troops for an indefinite time.

But the American people have run out of  patience.  All they see now,  is another Vietnam.  Troops levels now will increase to 160, 000 men in a few months and who's to say more troops will not be asked for.  By the end of 2008 troop levels could be up to 200,000.     

And things are not getting better. Even as Mr Bush spoke, bombs were being wired, suicide bombers were suiting up, snipers were taking positions and roadside bombs were being built and buried.
 

This conflict is unwinnable.  It's time to accept that fact and get US troops out of Iraq and get the US out of the business of democracy–building in the Middle East.

We're not good at it.
 

Posted  10:30 AM  PST

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