We all play the movie reel in our heads about withdrawal from Iraq, what it will look like. It’s the one that has pictures of ships being loaded, long convoys headed away from Baghdad, and all the other things involved in that maneuver. We wonder how many will stay behind and for how long. And I ask, just what will the status quo look like in Iraq during these times of imminent withdrawal?
From Just Foreign Policy News, November 19, 2008:
The status of forces of agreement between the US and Iraq is now called the withdrawal agreement, and that's exactly what it is: an ultimate end to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, writes Leila Fadel for McClatchy News. All U.S. combat troops, police trainers and military advisers would have to leave the country by Dec. 31, 2011. Obama's campaign plan to leave a residual force of 30,000 troops would be impossible under the pact. If Iraq wants US forces to leave earlier, it could terminate the agreement with one year's notice. The US can do the same.
Withdrawal agreement. Let that soak in for a moment. Remember the ramp-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2002? President Bush was on the stump for the midterms in Air Force One plopping down all over the place, Ohio, Kentucky, everywhere there was a seat in Congress up for grabs. (Those stump speeches are public property and you can access them at www.whitehouse.gov.) His real agenda though, and it was about as subtle as a train wreck, was to beat the drum for war against this imminent danger called Sadam Hussein who had brought death and destruction to our shores on 9/11. Lies and deception.
Admiral Mike Mullen is insisting that the withdrawal be "conditions based" (An excuse worn to tatters). But when pressed by reporters asking if the pact that was signed by the US Ambassador in Baghdad and Iraq's Foreign Minister yesterday called for and passed by the Iraqi Cabinet require all US troops to leave Iraq by the end of 2011, regardless of conditions on the ground, Mullen simply said "Yes".
Being a peace advocate I am happy about the road this is on, but I’m anxiously waiting for the pull-out to begin. But first, the Iraqi Parliament must approve the pact. Just think, if we could carry this peace talk momentum to Afghanistan and have Mullah Omar and President Kharzai actually meet to talk maybe there can be some hope for peace there, too. So much death and horror was prolonged and blessed by a warmonger president.
After Afghanistan, who knows what could happen, maybe even a lasting peace. A world-wide peace that no one wants to envision or talk about right now. We could even downsize the Pentagon while relying on stepped up police actions to combat residual terrorist activity. Downsizing the military would save us tons of money, lives, and the threat of more war. A smaller, much smaller, and faster rapid response type of military would match up much far better with the globalization of the economy. (sigh) Well, not today, and world peace is not just around the corner but we are on the right track and the ensuing calm that follows will be the needed medication for our bruised souls.