So here's a question, What is the point of the Iraq War? Why are we there and what is the goal? Give me an opinion, a joke, a cynical rambling run on sentence, whatever, I just don't get the reason.
The purpose of the war is rarely explained or questioned. Here's some words from the Whitehouse website "If We Withdraw Prematurely.. Violent Extremists Would Be Emboldened.. Al Qaeda could gain new recruits and sanctuaries.. Iran would benefit from the chaos and be encouraged in its efforts to gain nuclear weapons and dominate the region. Extremists could control a key part of the global energy supply. Iraq.. could face a humanitarian nightmare, and democracy movements throughout the region would be violently reversed."
All these Whitehouse points can be refuted, here we go... We embolden violent extremists by allowing military contractors to Kill civilians without punishment. Al Qaeda's biggest recruiting and training tool is Iraq, and if we left Al Qaeda would have a diminished purpose, fewer recruits and the Iraqis would kick them out. Iran has been the biggest beneficiary of the Iraq War so far, we got rid of their enemy Saddam, dismissed the UN which might have prevented nuclear activity, and more. The Mideast might control their own oil, ok that's true, but what gives us the right to control someone else's oil? Iraq already faces a humanitarian nightmare 2 million refugees inside Iraq and 2 million in neighboring countries, the whole region faces a humanitarian crisis, and nothing the US has done so far has helped. Democracy movements? Anybody seen any Mideast countries saying "Check out Iraq, I need to get me some of that Democracy!"
The Whitehouse narrative is obviously a bunch of BS, and the American people are skeptical about what they say, but we don't really have an alternative. The press usually treats the government opinion as truth, all other explanations are conspiracy theories.
What's the purpose of this war? I'm asking you, why did we invade, and why are we still there. I just don't get it.
We Americans live in a bubble of official sources, part of the reason is that there aren't many journalists in Iraq, and the ones who are there, are usually embedded with American troops and government officials all day. This media blackout means that the Bush administration can create its own narrative about what's going on in Iraq, and we have very little evidence to contradict them.
In the eyes of the American News Media, the view of the government is the official objective analysis, and should be assumed to be as close to the truth as we can get. Why? The officials in government are self interested. This government in particular, is the most secretive and least transparent in this nations history. They won't let us see what they are doing, but instead they will explain it to us in press briefings. Information Control. (Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia by the way)
I'm rambling a bit. Anyway. Here's my thoughts on the goals and purpose of the Iraq War.
The US strategy is NOT, to find common ground between warring factions and foster a lasting peace. The real theory is Divide and Conquer. We are handing out weapons like they're candy, and loosing thousands more. We're training the Shiite army and police to use our weapons against Sunni insurgents, then we turn around and give weapons to Sunni insurgents to drive out foreigners from Al Qaeda. We are essentially arming two militias that hate each other, we are giving them both guns and teaching them how to kill.
8 officers currently serving in Iraq wrote an op-ed and sent it to the times, they said "Armed Sunni tribes have indeed become effective surrogates, but the enduring question is where their loyalties would lie in Americas absence. The Iraqi government finds itself working at cross purposes with America on this issue because it is justifiably fearful that Sunni militias will turn on the government of Iraq should the Americans leave." I'd encourage you to read the whole thing,
That leads me to my next point, we're not supposed to leave Iraq. The war may be bad for Military families, Iraqis, Taxpayers, America, and just about everyone except defense contractors, but that's OK. We blow things up, pretend to rebuild them, and get rich. Good plan, from that perspective the war is going perfectly. They waste our money, and that's just fine, boosts the economy, or something. $88 billion in contracts for Iraq are being audited for fraud
The thing is, since we've been in Iraq everyone has been laughing at us. Iran Russia, we started an arms race and there's nothing we can do about it because we look like fools in another Vietnam. But let's stay there indefinitely.
Here's Tom Friedman after he got back from Iraq on what he saw, "Peace in Iraq has to be built on a Shiite-Sunni consensus, not a constant balancing act by America. So far, the surge has created nothing that is self-sustaining. That is, pull us out and this whole place still blows in 10 minutes."
Iraq is part of a Mideast strategy, which is stupid, evil, and harmful to America. Need proof? "Under the guise of promoting a 'security dialogue' in the Persian Gulf, the Bush Administration has proposed $63 billion in arms transfers to the Middle East over the next ten years... $20 billion worth of high-tech arms to Saudi Arabia and the other oil-producing states in the Gulf." Great Plan, makes me feel real safe.
Divide and conquer, establish permanent bases from which to demand power, and make Americans comfortable with permanent war. Why? I can't figure it out. Power for the sake of power? just for the sake of staying on top in the world, as PNAC stated?
Are the Neo-Conservatives really that evil? Can it all be about Oil?
I don't know, it just doesn't make sense. Why stay in Iraq when it helps Al Qaeda and hurts America? Why trash international law in favor of the bomb, when it just proves we are selfish, destroys our alliances, and creates enemies? Why create Mercenary armies, send 180,000 contractors to Iraq, and blow billions of dollars on nothing? Why create so many enemies? Why destroy so many families?
Are we just trying to save face? the best way to do that would be to impeach Bush, no really, I'm serious.
I'm linking to this article again, because it is one of the few perspectives from inside Iraq, from the 8 soldiers in the NY times
Here's Bill Moyers talking about them. video
2 videos inside Iraq, I posted these before but they're a rare and recent glimpse inside Iraq.
Thanks
I promise, non political entries soon! woo hoo! those might not take 2.5 hours to write!
I hope your govt wakes up. :(
Jason, both of your comments are great, the first one had me rolling. Thanks for pointing out the nuke issue, and the fact that the former prime minister is barricaded in her house by the military. Her house arrest is a perfect example of why the prime minister and the military should be separate.
The other thing you reminded me of was the elections, Musharraf "compromised" and promised elections on February 15. What happens until then? 4 months of Millitary rule with no independent media? come on.
On the bright side, he said he would give up his position in the military before starting his next term and he just released Bhutto...
But seriously, I don't know why we are buddy buddy with Pakistan when Iran is more democratic. It is just amusing when rhetoric and action don't match up.
A couple more points, if you will indulge me. I read the articles you've given to me. Normally, I am really apprehensive of HP, but that article is really fantastic, and is really persuasive - it details why the relationship with Musharraf has been a bad deal. He's right - instead of going after the extremists, he appeases them, and goes after the moderates.
And, I have to say it again, Biden is the only Democratic that makes any sense at all. He isn't a partisan bloviator, and he isn't gratuitous and cheap in how he talks about Bush (normally Congress absolves themselves of sins they themselves have commited, being the hypocrites they are, and people eat it up like Marzipan).
Biden understands exactly why we cannot just get all emotional and do something that will make the situation worse, and Eteraz also touches on this. There just cannot be a power vacuum. The extremist element must absolutely not get their hands on those nukes. There has to be a realistic plan in place to get those elections moving, and to protect the vast majority of people who just want to live and work from being intimidated or killed.
Of course, reading the comments below Biden's article, you have a mix of reasonable comments from Dems who agree with me about Biden's strengths, and utter irrelevant tripe from far-left softheads who probably should be medicated. I mean, really, this Bush Crime Family, impeachment, jail time, that shit has nothing to do with the situation and anyway it is opinion that has already been relgated to nothingness by the rest of America, including most of the left. I just don't see the point.
Oh, one other thing you didn't touch on - Bhutto has been placed under house arrest. Got razor wire and men around her house. She can't leave. It's getting worse. Bush has to re-iterate his demands, and Congress (who actually control the purse strings, not Bush) have to be willing to do the right thing too. Elections have to happen ASAP, and I think (as does Biden) that we can do a lot to help.
Sorry about the novella
I agree. Congress should yank the funding right this second. If they don't, I'll kick them in the balls, if they have any.