Get The Troops Out Of Iraq, And Fast

(The Nation)  This column is an editorial that appears in The Nation

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With Iraq descending ever further into chaos and civil war, the first order of business of the new Democratic Congress when it convenes in January must be to pass a resolution establishing a clear and expeditious timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Such a resolution would not only reflect the will of the American people; it would offer the only reasonable course of action. The inescapable truth is that the Bush Administration — first with its illegal and unjustified invasion and then with its divide-and-rule occupation — has produced in Iraq a strategic and human catastrophe of untold proportions. There is nothing we can responsibly do except withdraw U.S. troops and work with other nations to keep the civil war and chaos from spreading to neighboring countries while providing humanitarian relief to Iraq's victims.

Some members of Congress, however — including some in the Democratic Party —continue to resist setting a clear timetable for withdrawal. Others say they prefer to wait and see the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group (ISG), which according to preliminary reports will offer a range of familiar policy ideas for stabilizing Iraq, including reining in the militias, training more Iraqi troops and pressuring the Shiite-dominated government to include more Sunnis.

Yet the monstrous events of November put an end to the illusion that U.S. forces can somehow stabilize Iraq before they leave. The bloody civil war, brutal revenge killings and escalating sectarian violence claimed more than 200 Iraqi lives over the Thanksgiving weekend alone, promising to make November an even deadlier month than October, which according to a United Nations report saw 3,709 Iraqi civilians killed. The 140,000 American troops in Iraq were unable to prevent this violence, just as they have been unable to stop the ethnic cleansing that has taken place over the past year. According to the UN, 365,000 Iraqis have fled their homes and communities since the bombing of the mosque in Samarra in February, and more than 50,000 are fleeing their homes every month.

These statistics do not fully capture the gruesome horror that much of Iraq has become. Nor do they capture how helpless U.S. forces are to establish security. As journalist Nir Rosen reported earlier this year, "The Americans are just one more militia lost in the anarchy." Indeed, the Iraqi government has no authority outside the Green Zone, nor any control over the proliferating Shiite and Sunni militias.

The notion that the Iraq Study Group can offer new ideas for stabilizing Iraq is just the latest imperial illusion preventing Washington from facing reality. If it is honest, the Baker-Hamilton commission will acknowledge that the only feasible option for America is to leave — as quickly as possible.

The recommendations that the ISG is reportedly considering have all been attempted, without success, in one guise or another over the past two years. The Administration has tried training the Iraqi army and police and has only empowered and supplied more militias, who have used the police and now the army as cover for their death squads. It has pushed the Maliki government to dismantle the Shiite militias, only to be told that both the Mahdi Army and the Badr Organization are either off-limits because they're aligned with the government or beyond its control.

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[wny14127]

FeelFree1,
It was not my intent to blame the Iraqis for the civil war, just a statement that it will unfortunately happen when we leave. The religious conflict will continue.

To the Moderator- how many times are we to see the same post from 'bushrocks1'? No one else has posted the same comments throughout this discussion.

[swingalong]

It's crystal clear. As The Nation says, "there is nothing we can now accomplish that would make right the catastrophe the Administration created with its unprovoked and unlawful invasion of Iraq."

Let no one forget whose reckless actions caused this holocaust. George W. Bush should be held accountable for this, though he seems as happy as a lark; Bush is going around cracking happy jokes and merrily taking five-week vacations (in time of "war"). He shows absolutely no evidence that he cares in the slightest about the suffering of others -- but let no harm befall a stem cell! Any thought that he will ever listen to anyone or change in any way is just silly. He will remain the most incredibly destructive foul-up and wrecking ball American history has seen.

Nothing good can come from this mess, and nothing good will ever come from this ignorant, unprincipled, undisciplined and conscienceless goof-up.

[feelfree1]

bmsbms29,

Perhaps the Bush League can use elements of your comment as a defense at their war-crimes tribunals.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War II? Or Vietnam? Maybe you would distinguish those conflicts and whether you would send your son to fight in them. But that question is misdirected in a very important way: I can't command my son to go to war. He has to make that choice. So the better question would be: would I volunteer to fight in Iraq, WW II, Vietnam? Would I volunteer to fight in any war? Respond if drafted? I don%u2019t know. I'm not equivocating, only addressing that it is a hypothetical. To a hypothetical, I can answer, sure I'd fight. But I have nightmares of battle (from my past life as a Jacobite). So how do I feel toward those who do volunteer? Impressed and maturely knowing that many things go into their decision. But I do strongly believe that a country that can't find those men is doomed. The fact that we can find them is one reason why I say there is no failure in Iraq. Objectively, I also believe it for other reasons. An attempt to establish democracy in the Middle East is a bold, brilliant, noble effort, facing a high chance of failure. That's why I greatly respect and admire those who have made the attempt--the Bush administration. They have been resolute, something I have not seen in my lifetime. They may not succeed, for reasons outside their control or fault: traitors on the home front being a big one. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[bmsbms29]

It's true. Noone likes war, noone likes death but without war & death, the United States would not be a country. Had we not gone to Iraq, Saddam Hussein would still be in power killing innocents & harboring terroists. Had we not gone to Iraq, we would probably be fighting terroists here in the U.S. There is not just division between the Iraq religious groups, there is also a lot of problems caused by terroists... The terroists want us to leave and I'm afraid they will try to take over or at least have a safe haven in Iraq to plan future attacks on the U.S. A lot of people seem to be against President Bush but years from now I believe he will be honored for trying to protect us AND not changing his beliefs just because ignorant people wanted him to. Too many people are more interested in the mighty dollar than they are morals AND I am very worried that so many liberals are now in control of the house & senate. May God forgive us!

[catt42701]

First: Publication of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations.
Second: See if Bush will at least pay some attention to them.
Third: Bush said we would leave when they wanted us to leave. Oviously the population wants us to leave.
Forth: Again back to food for oil.
Fifth: Assist with rebuilding the infrastructure on an international level, including other Middle Eastern countries.
Sixth: Can't think of one.

[feelfree1]

wny14127,

Re: "let the Iraqis kill each other in their civil war"

It is disappointing to see people try to blame the Iraqi people for the U.S. created catastrophe in Iraq. The huge U.S. debt to the people of Iraq has yet to be payed.

I enjoyed the remainder of your comment.

[wny14127]

Why is it when we question the idiocy that exists in DC regarding this war we are labeled as fools and traitors?
I am neither and I do support our troops, I do not support the war or its supposed objectives of democracy in Iraq.
The war was started on false pretenses by leaders who failed to plan and planned to fail. They refused to take advice or listen when opinions that ran counter to their own were offered.
All that we have accomplished is thousands of US troops dead, many wounded, billions spent in vain and we have increased hatred of us in the middle east.
It's time to call it quits, bring the heroes home and let the Iraqis kill each other in their civil war.
George, it's time to move on and thankfully it's time for you to go in 2008! Your contribution to history is one of bloodshed, lies and wasted effort.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War II? Or Vietnam? Maybe you would distinguish those conflicts and whether you would send your son to fight in them. But that question is misdirected in a very important way: I can't command my son to go to war. He has to make that choice. So the better question would be: would I volunteer to fight in Iraq, WW II, Vietnam? Would I volunteer to fight in any war? Respond if drafted? I don%u2019t know. I'm not equivocating, only addressing that it is a hypothetical. To a hypothetical, I can answer, sure I'd fight. But I have nightmares of battle (from my past life as a Jacobite). So how do I feel toward those who do volunteer? Impressed and maturely knowing that many things go into their decision. But I do strongly believe that a country that can't find those men is doomed. The fact that we can find them is one reason why I say there is no failure in Iraq. Objectively, I also believe it for other reasons. An attempt to establish democracy in the Middle East is a bold, brilliant, noble effort, facing a high chance of failure. That's why I greatly respect and admire those who have made the attempt--the Bush administration. They have been resolute, something I have not seen in my lifetime. They may not succeed, for reasons outside their control or fault: traitors on the home front being a big one. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[feelfree1]

jn122736,

Re: "To the credit of all those challenging dogsoul, there were no retaliatory sarcastic or angry remarks, (FeelFree1 as one good example)"

Thank you. That is a nice compliment.