Saturday, February 28, 2009

Getting Out of Iraq, Really

Candidate Obama called Iraq the wrong war, and a dumb war. He was right. No vital U.S. interests were involved in Iraq, and our intervention has unnecessarily cost thousands of U.S. lives, and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives, not to mention perhaps a trillion dollars, and millions of refugees.

Now, however, President Obama has changed his plans. Only two brigades will return this year, instead of the one each month he promised. This is to try to ensure peaceful elections next Fall. This sounds a lot like Bush's nation-building, and a continuation of folly.

In addition, he now calls for a residual force of 50,000. This guarantees continued U.S. and Iraqi deaths, for no reasonable purpose. The Iraqi people ultimately will have to sort out their future, better done without our interference. Already the debate has begun on whether the U.S. should continue to support Mr. Maliki. Guess what: we have no right to choose the leadership of Iraq. We need to get out sooner, rather than later..

There is no strategic or legal basis for a long-term continued U.S. presence in Iraq. Iraq is no threat to the U.S. Turning Iraq into a staging area for counter-terrorism actions will weaken the Iraqi government, and strengthen those who see us as imperialists.

Don't be a wimp, Mr. President: get us out of Iraq, completely.

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