Because Iraq is no longer a lead story does not mean it's no longer an issue. What's a realistic expectation for President Obama regarding Iraq at this juncture?
Most lucid thinking individuals would conclude the few weeks the president has occupied the Oval Office is too soon to reach conclusive suppositions. But Iraq is his war; his offer was accepted on Election Day, it cleared escrow during the transition period, and when the president moved in on January 20 ownership of Iraq came with the house.
While it may be too soon to draw any definitive conclusions, it is not too early to raise questions about the president's approach on issues related to Iraq that are all too reminiscent of the previous administration.
During the president's press conference, CNN Senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry, asked if the president was considering changing the Pentagon policy that bans media coverage of flag-draped coffins coming in to Dover Air Force Base--a policy that then-Senator Joe Biden, back in 2004 referred as the act of deceased soldiers being "snuck back into the country under the cover of night."
The president replied:
"We are in the process of reviewing those policies in conversations with the Department of Defense, so I don't want to give you an answer now before I've evaluated that review and understand all the implications involved."
Why does the president need to discuss this with the Pentagon?
Five years ago, I spoke with then-Senator Biden who was frustrated because in addition to the press ban, the Pentagon policy also denied a sitting U.S. Senator access to meet grieving families at Dover. In our conversation, Biden did not blame the Pentagon; he blamed the president.
If President Obama wants a better understanding, why couldn't he do what I did in 2004, ask Joe Biden?
Another cause for concern is the president's initial budget that he will soon submit to Congress. When the budget arrives it will not have a line item associated with cost for Iraq or Afghanistan. Funding for these efforts will come, as they did with the previous administration, in a supplemental request to Congress for an all or nothing, up or down vote, offering very little opportunity for debate.
Didn't the president run, in part, on improved transparency? What can be more transparent than Americans viewing for themselves the ultimate cost of war?
At least for the foreseeable future, America will be kept somewhat in the dark on the most important costs related to its two major military efforts--the cost to the nation's coffers and to its human capital.
Moreover, while it can be argued by some that the surge was a success militarily, there can be no argument that it failed to accomplish its goals politically. On the latter objective, the surge merely kicked the can down the road. Wars and occupations are solved politically not militarily, leaving Iraq practically vacuous in the area most critical for any satisfactory outcome.
I am glad that Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy is calling for a truth and reconciliation commission. I'm equally pleased the president was asked about it during the press conference.
I've been writing about this since 2007 and I believe a truth and reconciliation commission is the only way by which a well thought-out choice can be made about Iraq, and for that matter Afghanistan.
I also maintain it would not be in the country's interest if a Democratic-led Congress were given exclusive authority of this monumental undertaking. The president must select a bipartisan blue ribbon commission with full subpoena power to oversee its mission.
In 2007, I asked: "Is there such a leader among us, who possesses the courage to seek the uncomfortable truth so that the nation can move forward? Or are we going to naively believe the damage done these past six years will cease the moment we change administrations?"
Time will be the sole indicator if we have truly elected a president bold enough to enact needed change.
Though its early, the clock is ticking; and it doesn't require much time before stay-the-course transforms into the default position of the new administration.