A Different Strategy
Bush’s surge has done nothing to resolve the fundamental differences in Iraq. The Iraqi government has had opportunities to make fundamental political decisions that don’t relate to security. An oil revenue law does not take security to be passed. It takes political will. The Iraqi government hasn’t shown the political will to change the fundamental equation and create leverage in our relationship.
Our occupation is making us weaker in the war on terror. It’s emboldened Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah. America has lost leverage in the region and we need a better policy. Iran and al Qaeda love our being bogged down in Iraq.
A better policy would make it clear to the Iraqis that we are leaving over a period of one year. A majority of the Senate has voted to withdraw our troops over that period of time, but Senate Republicans are obstructing the ability of the Senate to change the policy on the war. Bush says a year from now we’re going to have 130,000 troops in Iraq, that is not putting pressure on the Iraqis.
Democrats are not talking about abandoning Iraq. There’re talking about adjusting the mission so that combat troops are withdrawn, within a year. Unfortunately, Democrats plan to continue to provide the basic support necessary to finish the training, so they stand up on their own.
General Petraeus admitted that there were no al Qaeda in Iraq, before we invaded. We’re expending our troops while Iraqi politicians use us as cover for their own games. When, Bush says: “We’ll stay as long as it takes,” America has no leverage. We have to tell them that they must take responsibility for security over the course of the next year.
No Americans ought to give their life or be grievously wounded so Iraqi politicians can delay making fundamental decisions that they haven’t made over four and a half years.
The Shiites and the Kurds will never allow al Qaeda to take over Iraq. That’s at least 80 percent of the country. Recently, the Sunni in Anbar have decided they don’t want al Qaeda in Iraq.
Our own National Intelligence Estimate said that we’re attracting more terrorists because we’re in Iraq. We need to get out of Iraq in order to be stronger to deal with Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. If we announce that we’re leaving, the Iraqis themselves will drive out al Qaeda and prevent Iran from coming into the country.
Our occupation is making us weaker in the war on terror. It’s emboldened Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah. America has lost leverage in the region and we need a better policy. Iran and al Qaeda love our being bogged down in Iraq.
A better policy would make it clear to the Iraqis that we are leaving over a period of one year. A majority of the Senate has voted to withdraw our troops over that period of time, but Senate Republicans are obstructing the ability of the Senate to change the policy on the war. Bush says a year from now we’re going to have 130,000 troops in Iraq, that is not putting pressure on the Iraqis.
Democrats are not talking about abandoning Iraq. There’re talking about adjusting the mission so that combat troops are withdrawn, within a year. Unfortunately, Democrats plan to continue to provide the basic support necessary to finish the training, so they stand up on their own.
General Petraeus admitted that there were no al Qaeda in Iraq, before we invaded. We’re expending our troops while Iraqi politicians use us as cover for their own games. When, Bush says: “We’ll stay as long as it takes,” America has no leverage. We have to tell them that they must take responsibility for security over the course of the next year.
No Americans ought to give their life or be grievously wounded so Iraqi politicians can delay making fundamental decisions that they haven’t made over four and a half years.
The Shiites and the Kurds will never allow al Qaeda to take over Iraq. That’s at least 80 percent of the country. Recently, the Sunni in Anbar have decided they don’t want al Qaeda in Iraq.
Our own National Intelligence Estimate said that we’re attracting more terrorists because we’re in Iraq. We need to get out of Iraq in order to be stronger to deal with Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. If we announce that we’re leaving, the Iraqis themselves will drive out al Qaeda and prevent Iran from coming into the country.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home