Saddam Hussein's statues fell, but the bloodshed hasn't stopped.
The Iraq War turns five: Is victory possible?
Five years ago this week, the United States introduced "shock-and-awe" to Iraq, drove Saddam Hussein from power, and began a years-long occupation and counter-insurgency operation that Pentagon planners did not fully anticipate. Five years on, some 4,000 U.S. troops are dead, tens of thousands more have been injured, millions of Iraqis have been displaced, and the fighting continues.
Yet there has been progress, too. Little by little, in places like Anbar province, Iraqis are beginning to see a normal life without terror or intimidation. And Iraq may yet be a strong U.S. ally in the Middle East.
Was it worth it? Is Iraq a central front in the war on terrorism? And if victory is not at hand, what should victory look like? Above all, when and how should the war end?
Thoughts
The Iraq War
Submitted on March 18th, 2008 by AnonymousToo little has been stated about the economic effects on America brought on by the war's costs and the deficits. Bush cut taxes, especially on the high income segment then declared war without raising taxes. I am 86 years old, founder of a small, successful business. For most of my business life I was personally in a 52% tax bracket, and corporate tax brackets were about 42%.
America cannot police the world without raising taxes while our infrastructse, education and health systems continue to decline.
I was against America entering the Iraq war because anyone who has ever read the history of Iraq, arbritarily cobbled together by the British after WW One, without regard to the aincient animosity of the war-like tribes that inhabited the region. We should end this war by withdrawing the troops in an orderly manner, say over a year to eighteen months and let Iraq stand or fall. They have been given a chance at democracy, and if it is not important enough to them, they simply are not ready for democracy.
Jackson Brooks
Loveland, Colorado
A Never-Ending War
Submitted on March 17th, 2008 by AnonymousIraq is a never ending war that will cost money, lives, and our economy in the end. It was not a worthwhile endeavor!
Iraq debacle
Submitted on March 17th, 2008 by AnonymousI read with interest the editorial today and laughed out loud. The reason for the war, WMD, was an outright lie and now we're to believe that there were nuanced reasons for the war. Bush hasn't had a nuanced thought in his life. I saw Cheney on TV today in Iraq - has to be the first time I've ever seen him with a happy look on his face. I find that very frightening.
Iraq Solution
Submitted on March 17th, 2008 by AnonymousThe purple solution to Iraq is actually very easy: Ask the Iraqis! Simply treat them as we would want to be treated, respect them as equals. Conduct a vote to let them tell us whether they want us to stay or go.
If they vote for us to leave, (and the latest poll show 2/3 of Iraqis favoring a complete withdrawal) we could leave honorably, not waving the white flag, not cutting and running, but respecting the will of a sovereign people.
If they vote for us to stay, we would have leverage where now we have none. We could demand real political progress, a call from all religious, tribal, and political leaders to stop attacks on Americans, maybe even a sectarian militia cease-fire, as a condition of our staying!
Politically, this would bring red and blue America together. If the Iraqis want us to leave, the right couldn't accuse the left of abandoning the Iraqis, or of surrendering to al-Qaeda. If the Iraqis ask us to stay, even the most ardent war critic couldn't deny help to those we have caused to suffer so greatly.
The right believes that if we "don't lose our nerve" i.e. if we just kill enough Iraqis, if we subject them to the horrors of war long enough, if we just continue what the Red Cross describes as a critical humanitarian crisis; eventually the Iraqis will be so grateful they'll welcome us as permanent occupiers and give all their oil to American oil companies. This is the "victory" the right claims is still possible. Such "victory is utterly absurd and impossible. Instead, every day the occupation creates more enemies and weakens our national security.