The Trouble with Iraq

I'll make a deal with you. I will put right here in writing what I think the future holds in Iraq, and if I'm wrong, you write back with all the "I told you so's" you want to. Of course, it's not as if I haven't been saying this exact thing for three years, anyway.

It is not a question of if, only when, America's involvement in Iraq ends very similarly to America's involvement in Vietnam. We will, at some point, after many thousands of more deaths and many more billions of American dollars spent, declare victory and get out. In short order, Iraq will revert to its lowest common denominator, which is being controlled by an iron-fisted dictator struggling to hold together an artifically-drawn country comprised of forever-fighting factions. It doesn't matter whether this is a dictator we put in office ourselves or he's of the home-grown variety, he will be a tyrant. We will have lost much and gained nothing.

Consider the words of one of the most un-American and evil "leaders" this country has ever had, Dick Cheney, regarding terrorists: "It doesn't matter where we go. This is a global conflict. We've seen them attack in London and Madrid and Casablanca and Istanbul and Mombasa and East Africa. They've been, on a global basis, involved in this conflict. (Read the full interview transcript)
"And it will continue -- whether we complete the job or not in Iraq -- only it'll get worse. Iraq will become a safe haven for terrorists. They'll use it in order to launch attacks against our friends and allies in that part of the world."

Now, ask yourself, especially you Republicans who voted for this administration: was Iraq a threat to the US before we invaded it? As the UN said, the Bush administration knew, and events have proved repeatedly, "NO." Is it now? "YES." Was Iraq a safe haven for terrorists before we invaded it? "NO." And using Cheney's own words, if terrorists continue to attack around the world despite the illegal invasion of Iraq, then what did invading Iraq gain this country? Nothing.

Please, if you can explain to me in a logical fashion how our country gained something, other than profits for defense contractors, by invading Iraq, do so.

The invasion of Iraq was one of the worst blunders this country has made in its history, certainly in the top five. It will take at least a couple of generations to recover from it, and that's if we get out now.