LEFT OF THE RIGHT: Four Years Of War And White House Wants More

The latest polls indicate approval for the war in Iraq is at an all time low. Despite this, President Bush insisted in his speech, commemorating the fourth anniversary of the war, that congress send him a “without strings” war spending bill. It truly stretches the imagination to think this president, after all that has transpired, still believes “he” is right and the rest of us are stupid.

It didn’t take a genius to predict that Tony Snow would come out with his obligatory rant that any move to withdraw troops or limit funding amounts to “providing victory to the enemy.” But Democrats are determined to fulfill their promise to bring our troops home from a war the vast majority of Americans do not want.

So what has Bush accomplished in this four year nightmare? This is a very difficult thing to quantify in that the original motivations and goals for the war changed so often. WMD’s weren’t found so that had to be scratched off as a possible accomplishment. Connections to the terrorists responsible for the 911 attacks proved to be non existent. And the idea we were going to restore Iraq to a peaceful existence was a snow job (pardon the pun) from the beginning. Iraq has never been peaceful. For hundreds of years and more that region of the Middle East has been a world of tribal warfare. Violent domination has been their way for generations stretching back beyond memory. I am not without sympathy for the thinking people in that region who want something better. But I believe it’s up to them to change things. The United States cannot become the world’s savior through military conquest and occupation.

To be fair, a murderous, evil dictator was deposed, tried and executed. But this was not news to us. We knew what Suddam Hussein was a long time ago. And the world has no shortage of evil dictators deserving of the same thing Hussein got. So why Hussein and why now? The White House has a much practiced response to that question, but their story has changed so many times, only the party faithful continue to blindly believe it. It is for that reason; the true motives behind this war will be debated for generations. Anything the people who are the insiders of this administration are saying or will ever say will forever be suspect.

As far as this correspondent is concerned, nothing that could be measured as an accomplishment of the war in Iraq could ever justify 3,200+ dead and 24,000+ wounded Americans. I spent my childhood watching Walter Cronkite read the daily casualty reports from Viet Nam. I am astonished it’s happening again!

So what do we do now? This is a tough one because I’ve been so opposed to this war from the beginning that it’s hard for me not to want to scream, “We shouldn’t have been there in the first place.” But the fact remains that we are there and now we somehow have to figure out a way to bring it to an end. And no one is advocating “cut and run.” I wish Republican’s could frame an argument without insinuating their opponents objection amounts to a character flaw.

Here is what I think we should do. First we need to initiate an emergency mission to rush “appropriate” equipment and supplies to our troops in Iraq. Right now our people are being asked to be sitting ducks in a shooting gallery. And I’m talking about a World War II style gearing up of our efforts. Hum V’s should be replaced with the blast resistant vehicles called Cougars. Development and deployment of all possible devices and robots that would take humans out of harms way should be pursued, expense be damned. And any other efforts to increase the safety and survivability of our troops be given the highest priority.

Second, the training of Iraqi security officers should be taken out of country and should include intensive deprogramming. And we should supply these forces with the same armor and equipment. Thirdly, reconstruction efforts should be stepped up and turned over to the Iraqi government. Foreign contractors and workers should be eliminated from the equation. It does not do any good to pump money into the Iraqi economy, only to have it end up in the pockets of foreigners. And I think a vote of confidence like that would be quite a shot in the arm for the Iraqi people.

Finally, all interested parties (including Iran and Syria) be invited to begin peace talks between the warring factions within Iraq. I’m not sure how a resolution would be achieved, but I think partitioning should be on the table. And it should be a Middle Eastern resolution. I think we need to learn the lesson that pushing western ideas is arrogant and that’s how we come off.

This war is “THE” example of how the United States should NOT conduct foreign policy. This administration has demonstrated a sad lack of respect and reverence for just what war is. It is the LAST resort. War is not a foreign policy tool. Right now I think this great nation should put every effort it is capable of into bringing this fiasco to a reasonable end. And I think those responsible for dragging our country into this nightmare should be held criminally responsible.

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Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent

Devin’s column, “Left Of The Right” published every Tuesday and Thursday to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.

Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.

You can find all of Devin’s columns at http://gather.com/leftoftheright

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