A couple of weeks ago, President Obama was all set to release some previously unseen photos of prisoner abuse by the United States in Iraq. Not only had the president promised he would release the photos, but there was a court order requiring the release. Then at the last minute, he changed his mind and said he would not release the photoes -- but would fight the release in court.
Of course, most of us bloggers on the left went bonkers. What happened? Had Obama been suddenly infected by some kind of virus left behind by George Bush? The president acted like the torture and abuse was some kind of secret that the world didn't already know about, and if the "secret" was suddenly revealed, it might put our soldiers in danger.
That sounds like a Bush excuse doesn't it? Like our soldiers weren't already being attacked and killed on a daily basis in Iraq. We thought that excuse sounded weak at the time, and now the real reason has been revealed. According to McClatchy News, the president flip-flopped because Iraqi President Maliki threw a hissy fit when he learned the photos were to be released.
U.S. officials said Maliki (pictured above) "went pale in the face" and said, "Baghdad will burn". They said Maliki then threatened that:
"The public outrage and increase in violence could lead Iraqis to demand a referendum on the security agreement and refuse to permit U.S. forces to stay until the end of 2011...Iraq is scheduled to hold a referendum by July 30 on the accord, which calls for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops by the end of 2011. If the accord were rejected, the U.S. would have to withdraw from Iraq within a year of the vote or by the summer of 2010."
Now, I'm really confused! First, Baghdad has already burned. Is there anything left to burn? Second, shouldn't leaving Iraq as soon as humanly possible be our policy? How can being forced to bring our soldiers home to their families eighteen months early be a bad thing?
Why must we occupy Iraq for another two and a half years anyway? Staying until the end of 2011 is not going to save the Maliki government. We could stay another 10 years, and that puppet government would still fall the minute we leave!
Personally, I think we should already be in the process of withdrawing all of our troops right now -- every single one of them. If releasing the abuse photos will speed that process up, then copies should be made for every newspaper and magazine! An endless loop should be made of them and given to every TV station! Put them on YouTube!
During the presidential campaign, didn't candidate Obama tell us the troops would be out in 18 months after he took office (summer of 2010)? How did that get stretched to three years anyway (end of 2011)? Did the military talk Obama into believing we could actually solve Iraq's political problems for them? Has Obama become that naive since assuming office?
Only the Iraqis can solve Iraq's problems. End the occupation! Bring our troops home now!
"Now, I'm really confused! First, Baghdad has already burned. Is there anything left to burn?"
ReplyDeleteTake a look at these recent photos and tell me that causing the Bush Administration further embarassment is more important to you than maintaining the fragile peace the Iraqis are finally enjoying after years of devastation.
What's important to me is getting our soldiers out of Iraq immediately.
ReplyDeleteWhat's important to our soldiers is that they leave behind a stable Iraq so they won't have to go back.
ReplyDeleteI know from personal experience (20 years in the U.S.Army). My son-in-law spent his first tour in Ramadi during the height of violence and just finished his second tour, this time in Bhagdad. I don't pretend to speak for him, but my guess is he'd rather not have to go back into the kind of hell hole that Ramadi once was - and will be again if we leave too soon.
If you're pessimistic about any country returning to peace after the kind of violence that Iraq has been through, perhaps you should read a post of mine from almost 3 years ago entitled Sectarian Violence.
There will be violence when we leave, whether that's now or 10 years from now. They are going to have to settle this themselves. We can't do it for them. All we are doing is delaying the inevitable and costing more American casualities.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your concern about casualties among our service members overseas. That being said, I'm a little surprised at your apparent lack of concern for soldiers stationed here in the States.
ReplyDeleteYou have yet to post anything about the murder of Private William Long at the hands of a home grown jihadist, who admitted to the shootings because "he was mad at the U.S. military because of what they had done to Muslims in the past."
I know you're not a soothsayer (neither am I), but do you think the release of additional photos will 1) increase; 2) decrease or 3) not change the odds of this type of attack happening again?
I agree that the murder of Pvt. Long was a terrible tragedy, and I hope the murderer gets the harshest punishment available.
ReplyDeleteAnd I pick #3.