Its time to face up to reality. Its time to stop pretending there's hope. Time acknowledge our choices.
From the Chicago Tribune:
Since March 2003, an almost unquestioned consensus has dominated the debate on Iraq: Toppling Saddam Hussein without building a new, stable Iraq would harm the welfare of Iraqis and undermine America's foreign policy interests.
The time has come, however, to embrace an unpleasant alternative: the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq as soon as possible after the Jan. 30 elections. Concrete withdrawal plans would send a clear signal to Iraqis that the United States is not a colonial power, and withdrawal would stem the occupation's growing hemorrhage of lives and dollars. Most important, it would allow the United States to rededicate its assets to the fight against the global terrorist network rather than continuing to expend them on the struggle against insurgents in Iraq.
Critics will protest that such a policy would leave behind a civil war in Iraq, create a safe haven for terrorists and damage U.S. credibility. But sectarian violence is already prevalent in Iraq, and Sunni insurgents are working hard to fan the flames of sectarianism. It may be only a matter of time until the U.S. is enmeshed in an Iraqi civil war, and there is little reason to think that persisting with the status quo will improve the situation.
A post-withdrawal Iraq mired in chaos is obviously not good news for the war on America's terrorist foes, but the occupation has undermined that more crucial project's prospects for success. It has diverted resources from operations against Al Qaeda, distracted American policymakers and intelligence officials, and given birth to legions of additional "jihadists" both within and outside Iraq.
The damage to U.S. credibility abroad has already been done. The American promise of delivering liberal democracy to Iraq expired long ago. The administration's continued assertions that Iraq is a marvelous, if somewhat troubled, success undermines American credibility far more than would withdrawal. In comparison, a firm commitment to a timely withdrawal would admit failure but at the same time begin to restore others' faith in America's foreign policy leadership.
After the war began, I was conviced that even though we had made an incredibly stupid decision going in, we would have to stay there to make things right--first, because I felt it was right, and second, because I believed it was smart. Screwing up and than failing to pick up the pieces would go even further toward destroying our already tarnished image in the world, which, as I've talked about elsewhere, is our most important asset and/or liability in seeking National Security.
Now, I don't believe its either right or smart.
I finally have to admit that its time to pull out. I don't believe we'll ever be helping ourselves out again by staying there in Iraq. We're wasting resources--especially human resources--that definitely could be put to better use.
Our presence there is probably only inciting more violence, and the more civilians die there, the more terrorists we create. Above all, we're getting nowhere, and each month the casualty rate rises. We have to get out. At this point its the only constructive option.
I hate to say it, but its time to cut and run, for everyone's sake.
Call me a defeatist if you want--I won't deny it. But at least my defeatism will be saving some of my former comrads-in-arms lives, and probably in the longrun a lot of Iraqi lives, too.
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