I'd like to offer an intellectual excercise and possibly challenge some of your preconceived notions regarding Iraq. Now that it is clear the time is ready for us to start leaving, I want to take a look back to when things were much worse.
Torture is Unacceptable
How many people remember the images from Abu Ghraib or the hooded shots of Gitmo detainees? How many people can describe what waterboarding is? The context for this essay can be viewed here (warning: graphic images)
This line of thinking isn't built on Iraq 2008 but rather the intense sectarian fighting at the height of the Iraq mess. I am not going to tote the line that we should continue stay in Iraq indefinitely or other delusional thinking. However, I personally think that if anyone rejects the basis of torture on stark terms it is intellectually dishonest to not understand the use of torture by all sides. We reject the use of torture by our own forces and it is imperative that we are offended by our enemies' use against innocent Iraqis.
I was against the war from the beginning and knew it could easily slink into sectarian conflict. When it went to hell and we all became numb to the daily bombings, the mass graves, the horrific killings, the sheer casualty figures I became conflicted. As much as I revered the US servicemen, I still had a deep sympathy towards the Iraqi citizens who were caught in this nightmare. They didn't cause the mess, we did. Our elected leaders did.
"You broke it, you bought it."
Al Qaeda wasn't in Iraq before we invaded. But after we did, jihadists from around the world rode in to wage war. Given the causal relationship between this and our invasion, how much can US policy be blamed for the tactics of the militants? We broke the country and then couldn't stop the atrocities. However, if one accepts the notion that the US at the very least was an indirect enabler to this torture by its strategic actions, what moral responsibility did we as a country have to stop it then afterwards?
If we look at the collective success of Iraq and the US bringing the country back from chaos, we should look back and know we as a country can be absolved somewhat. Not because we left the country in better shape. Not because we "defeated the terrorists" or "spread freedom" either. Rather, we prevented torture.
Again, even if one agrees we shouldn't have been there in the first place, after the full insurgency sprang into motion did America not have a responsibility to stop the worst of the killing?
How many thousands of innocent Iraqis died at the hands of torture in Iraq? How much unspeakable horror did Iraq go through these past 5 years?
Success
The situation in Iraq has improved significantly as of late with the worst of the violence behind us. With al-Sadr clearly focused on fighting our occupation, homegrown Sunnis tired of al Qaeda, and Iraqi troops becoming more capable to fight themselves, we've done all we can do without further political progress. Provincial elections are in October; we sincerely hope they are fair and free of violence. We will continue to offer our help to defend their country from the real terrorists who remain.
Some may still reject the basis of the argument, but suppose our forces withdrew at the height of sectarian violence and civil war. Would Iraq be a better or worse place than it is now? Would there have been more people killed and tortured in the aftermath versus us staying? I don't think anyone knows definitively. Let us embrace the notion that we ultimately served a real purpose in Iraq, even as we fought a self-inflicted problem.
Victory
Let us champion the victories that were acheived in Iraq. This isn't time for Republicans to pat themselves on the back for the "surge" yet ignore the blood and sacrifice of the Iraqi people. Nor should we be too prideful to admit that some calls for leaving Iraq may have been premature despite the invasion's false pretext.
This line of thinking doesn't let the warmongers off the hook for their blunders nor does it concede authority on the issue to them. This speaks to the higher order of our nation's soul. Reject the Republican talking points that we are going to withdraw in defeat. After all, it isn't like Barack Obama is going to withdraw our entire forces his first day in office. He is going to assess the situation on the ground and make troop reductions accordingly.
Now is the right time. The Iraqis are a courageous people and will stand up to the forces that threaten them. We stand behind them and are willing to help. We owe respect to the Iraqi people. They are now asking us to leave but we will not turn our back on their plight. Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia will never again have the free reign to torture and terrorize the Iraqi people that they enjoyed for several years.
"My friends in the Democratic Party...assure us they share the conviction that winning the war against terrorism is our government's most important obligation. I don't doubt their sincerity, they emphasize that military action alone won't protect us." - John McCain
We sincerely remain committed to refocus our attention on Afghanistan and ensure the Taliban and al Qaeda do not regain further strength and/or aquire WMDs.
We sincerely pledge to keep al Qaeda from torturing and terrorizing innocent people.
We sincerely believe in leaving Iraq victoriously because we respect their sovereignty and know we risk making things worse by staying.
We sincerely believe staying in Iraq weakens our ability to win the war on terror.
Do not doubt our sincerity Mr. McCain.
VICTORY IN IRAQ
OBAMA '08