Politics as Usual?

A general mentions troop draw-downs; an ambassador creates a U.S.-Iraqi task force to devise a plan for withdrawing foreign forces from Iraq; a memo outlining conditions for an early 2006 withdrawal written by a British defense minister is leaked.

Why?

Why the sudden noise about withdrawal from an administration that has been adamant about not leaving until our job is done?

Certainly none involved were omniscient enough to know that 45 American troops would have been killed in the last 11 days and certainly all would have been rather chagrined to realize that the U.S. troop death toll now numbers 1,824 and the number of wounded, conservatively, tops 13,500. And some might even have had a moment of doubt if they’d known that some of the wounded are bringing home resistant bacteria that easily infects -- and may kill -- others.

So, back to reality. Why the sudden noise about withdrawal?

Could it be that Congressional elections are coming up? And could it be that some members of Congress are becoming increasingly hearing that their constituents are not happy with the war, its lack of progress and the increasing numbers of American dead? Maybe that is why several Republican members of Congress -- including Walter Jones of North Carolina of “freedom fry” fame -- are putting forth various withdrawal resolutions. Could it be that the Republican administration and Congressional members fear public backlash in the election -- a backlash that could cost them Republican seats? Maybe they’re merely laying down a track record they can use in campaign literature for the next election – and will assume we’ll all forget their once whole-hearted support for the invasion.

And why the stringent, hard-to-imagine-possible conditions for the draw-downs that includes ratification of a constitution not yet completed (and one that currently leans heavily toward a rule of Islamic law with fewer rights for women), December 15th elections, and an Iraqi security force able to take care of the country?

Could it be that the talk of withdrawal is simply a ploy with smoke and mirrors and untruths -- designed to offer hope to some while the killing still continues?

While the news wires buzz about withdrawal plans, President Bush said yesterday that our “timetable depends on our ability to train the Iraqis, to get the Iraqis ready to fight and then our troops will come home with the honor they have earned,” assuming they manage to stay alive that long.

Take that quote along with this statement by General Jack Keane, former vice chief of staff of the Army: “Insurgencies are difficult to counter, requiring ten to twelve years to defeat,” and we’re left feeling that all this withdrawal talk is simply hype... or as Norman Solomon writes, “The White House has launched a new phase of its propaganda siege for the Iraq war.”

--

Written in collaboration with Jennifer Hicks