For years, many lamented that the U.S. decision to invade Iraq detracted from our focus on Afghanistan and made Operation Enduring Freedom America's forgotten war. Now, with a false declaration that combat operations are over in Iraq, what is now Operation New Dawn has ironically become a forgotten war.
Yet, we need no further reminder than the spike in violence and American deaths in Iraq to remind us that we are still very much at war in Iraq. Fifteen Americans died in Iraq in June, making it the deadliest period there for American troops in two years. Still very much lost in the back pages of America's newspapers is news that American forces might stay in Iraq well past our agreed upon deadline of the end of this year. That is about to change.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- the president's top ally in the Senate -- came out forcefully today against a continued American presence in Iraq, which most observers believe President Obama is for. Senator Reid said, according to the Associated Press, "As Iraq becomes increasingly capable, it is time for our own troops to return home by the end of the year and for these precious resources to be directed elsewhere. There is no question that the United States must continue to provide support for the Iraqis as they progress, but now is the time for our military mission to come to a close."
The effect of Senator Reid's statement on the debate cannot be understated. What had seemed to be a non-issue to many is now a debate with the leader of the president's own party in the Senate issuing the president a strong warning. Reid's words open the door for other Democrats to come out against our troops staying in Iraq past our Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) deadline.
What has become abundantly clear is that as long as Americans are in Iraq, they will be a target. Should we stay in Iraq past our deadline, there is no reason to believe that violent attacks won't further increase, leading to more American deaths. The United States will then be forced to either endure the attacks or send in more troops to protect our forces. There is simply no outcome from staying past the SOFA deadline that is acceptable or desirable.
Senator Harry Reid has just done our nation and our troops a service by forcing a debate on the length of American presence in Iraq. Thus far, there has been little to no discussion regarding US policy in Iraq should Prime Minister Maliki request that American forces stay past the current deadline set by the Status of Forces Agreement. We must have this debate now so that we can strategically decide American policy based on our long term objectives and allow military leaders sufficient time to plan. Our troops and citizens deserve this debate.
Isn't it amazing that Republicans are the ones saying we need to get out of Afghanistan NOW?
couldn't agree more with you
Bring the troops home!
This was very wise ... and for reasons that, many generations later, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower would not only point out to us all, but would name.
As things stand now, "War, Inc." is a hugely profitable business. It feeds upon conflict, but never to end conflict; only to further enrich itself. It never wants war to be declared, always wants another war to begin. Always wants to further increase its share of the public trough...
... and, paradoxically, in so doing, further exposes the country to danger, both military and otherwise.
The architects of our country were, like "Ike," students of history. They had watched, or read about, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Egypt, Rome. Always the same self-destructive spiral, always with the same professed motivations, always with the same unspoken ends. Many of the terse features of our founding document were crafted based on that understanding.
And let the record show that EVERY war that we have not declared, including these, we have LOST.
YES. This would be a BIG PLUS for the Democrats if they can make it happen. THANK YOU, Harry Reid.
Thank you--I rarely hear the truth spoken in such a plain, unvarnished manner. The war in Iraq is still going strong, and tens of thousands of U.S. combat troops are still there. Why are people so terrified of admitting that? Nothing's going to change as long as we tiptoe around reality, fearful of breaching some strange etiquette that exists only in the incestuous world of the Beltway.
Good words. The Neo Cons are quite busy in the background trying to come up support for keeping us in Iraq past the end of the year.
Not to mention that Israel will be very unhappy to see 50,000 U.S. (probably 100,000 with mercenaries) troops leave the Middle East. Not happy at all....
And Israel tends to get what it wants out of the U.S.
DK