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Obama Declares Bush's "Dumb War" Over
In his second address to the nation from the Oval Office, President Obama said last night, "I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended." After more than 7 years, over 4,400 US dead, more than 32,000 American wounded and a cost so far of $740 billion, the nation responded with a yawn. Americans are more worried about their economic prospects than the second longest war in their history. "Support the troops, but where are the jobs?" seems to be the motto.
Last night was somewhat historical as Mr. Obama said,
Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country. This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq's security forces and support its government and people. That is what we have done. We have removed nearly 100,000 US troops from Iraq. We have closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq.
The Iraq-Namese went to the polls months ago, and their politicians have yet to form a government. The leaders of the various factions may now have to actually try governing, as they can no longer fight to the last American. One doubts that they shall succeed over the long term. The Saddamite regime kept the country together by force and fear. The current not-quite-government can muster neither. The Kurds will take as much autonomy as they can, the Sunni will struggle to retain their rights, and the Shi'ites will eventually fall under the sway of Moqtada a-Sadr and the Iranians. All of this was perfectly obvious 6 years ago, and it remains the most likely path. Iran won the war.
Mr. Obama said in October 2002:
I don't oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war . . . A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.
He has extricated all but 50,000 advisors from combat in Iraq-Nam. By this time next year, most of them are supposed to have left. The war, contrary to claims by the neo-cons, did not pay for itself. Iraq-Nam is not a shining beacon of a secular democracy in the Middle East, America 's allies in the region are not more secure, and the troops are coming home to a country less sure of itself and less prepared for the future than it has been in years. He has cut America's losses in Mesopotamia. Americans will vote heavily against the Democrats in November because the economy isn't rebounding quickly enough. Yet, they should recall that it was the previous administration that wrecked the country, including spending close to $1 trillion on a war that achieved none of its aims. And a prediction: The vets of Iraq-Nam and Afghanistan will be treated no better than those who came back from Korea or Vietnam, and for that, the country should justly feel ashamed.
© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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