Evolution on Iraq

Like most Americans (and many, if not most, Democrats, including a large portion of the Democrats in Congress), I was a supporter of the American invasion of Iraq.

If you had asked me about a year and a half ago, I would have told you that the American military force in Iraq should remain.

For the last year though, I've been convinced that we should not continue our current mission in Iraq and should cease to engage in counterinsurgency and security activities therein.

What changed my mind?  More importantly, does what changed my mind have the possibility of changing other minds?

The things that changed my mind on Iraq were:

We have accomplished our main objectives in invading Iraq. We wanted to eliminate Saddam Hussein and his government.  Hussein is dead, many of the senior members of his government have been captured or killed and however Iraq develops, rule by the Baath Party is pretty unlikely.  Mission accomplished.

We wanted to ensure that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.  It's pretty clear at this point that Iraq had no WMD when we invaded. Its equally clear that Iraq isn't about to develop any in the near future.  Mission accomplished.

We wanted to install a democratic government in Iraq.  It's there.  A constitution was written, elections have been held and a government put in place.  It doesn't seem likely to be overthrown at this point by any external force. Mission accomplished.

When you've accomplished your objectives then it is time in the words of Senator Aiken (R-VT) to "declare victory and go home.

As a corollary, we have no clear objective for staying in Iraq. I don't see any goal we have in Iraq that our troop's continuing their mission would further.  It is one thing to spend a great deal of money and suffer casualties to further America's national interests.  It is another to waste our tax dollars and the lives of our soldiers to no purpose.  The only rationale I've heard for maintaining troops in Iraq - as some kind of counterterrorist effort - is absurd on its face.  Most of our efforts are expended fighting people who really wouldn't care about the United States in the least, if we were elsewhere.  As a counterterrorist effort it is inefficient at best and counterproductive at worst.

Ultimately, if the President can't articulate a clear objective for a major American commitment, that commitment should not be made.  (I believe something similar to this was once part of something called the "Powell Doctrine".)

An ultimate resolution of the Iraqi situation is primarily political, not military and primarily up to the Iraqis. The military itself has acknowledged this.  There has been no progress on the political front for quite some time and it seems reasonably clear that the presence of our military isn't facilitating any.  

Given all of the foregoing why should we remain in Iraq?  More importantly, after hearing the foregoing, why would even a Republican believe we should remain?

•  Tip Jar

  I would hope that these arguments would be persuasive to those still supporting our actions in Iraq.

  by Justanothernyer on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 07:21:01 PM PDT

•  minds have changed

  its congress that needs to change, and impeach the crooks. Then end it as smartly as possible, now it'll be ended as stupidly as possible.  

  by anna shane on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 07:28:51 PM PDT

•  Actually, I've been thinking along similar lines

  Maybe we've already won, especially if the Sunni in Anbar have decided to reject the presence of al Qaeda.

  Game over. Victory.

  Okay, come home now.

  = = =

  Of course, what the wingers want is permanent bases to project force against Iran and Syria and Andy McCarthy at the NRO Corner recently said so, quite explicitly.

  by Bill White on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 07:40:34 PM PDT

  •  Well if that is what you want

    you can get it more cheaply and easily by basing troops in Kurdistan or some Iraqi desert.  As a bonus this won't tie up a significant fraction of our military thus enhancing ability to project such force.

    Even from the winger perspective what we are doing makes no sense.

    by Justanothernyer on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 07:51:44 PM PDT

    •  I never said it made sense

      It seems to me that if we intend to bomb the crap out of Iran, our 160,000 troops are more like targets than anything else.

      But somehow it seems to give the wingers comfort.

      by Bill White on Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 07:55:47 PM PDT