Iraq War after Fifteen Months

June 19, 2004

The Iraq war has killed over 830 U.S. soldiers and wounded thousands. The number of Iraqis killed is probably tens of thousands, with most innocents just caught up in the war.

The war has cost Bush and his administration politically because it has emphasized the lies they told to start the war and those to keep the war going. This is the real disgrace of the Iraq War and disgrace of the Bush Administration. 

It is not that Americans are already tired of loosing more than 800 and want out but that the war was based on falsehoods. Given this reality, citizens are rightly tired of it all. Tired of the politics and senseless rhetoric from Congress, the White House and their supporters. 

It is a shame. History will judge the Iraq War cheerleaders very harshly.

The transfer of sovereignty planned of the end of June.  The reality will be the same old Iraq and the same old problems. Americans will die and come home wounded while our politicians will avoid looking too deeply at the reasons for the mess.

The reasons were founded ignorance and arrogance. The failures are big and indefensible.

Let’s not forget the failures so far which are:

1. The United States is an occupying country and should have had a plan to deal with it from the start.

You can spin it to say we were "liberators" but once you have been there as long as we have, it is occupation. Even Bush called America an occupier.  With this in mind, why did we not realize that the Iraqis would see us as occupiers and resent our presence?  Every occupying army has been resented, we are no different.

2. Iraqi politics is different than American politics and is  some ways equally brutal. However in Iraq the Islam and tribal associations are extremely important. We should have known this and been prepared for it.

Our failure to understand Iraqi politics has lead to resistance fighters and outlaw tribal leaders all wanting power.

Further, we were not prepared for an influx of outside groups such al Qaeda which now uses Iraq as a training ground for their militants and butchers.  

3.  We were not prepared for the long haul in materials or manpower. 

Because we conquered the country in weeks did not mean it was subdued and peaceful. Many generals warned of this and worried about urban warfare but the Administration did not. The result has been more US dead, more destroyed resources like Humvees, helicopters. The number of troops had to increase above what was expected by creating a silent draft, in which soldiers already in Iraq will have to stay many more months past the year they were told to stay.

A draft means you are called and must serve. The volunteer Army is being told the same by extending tours of duty by many months.

4.  Security in Iraq is no where near what is needed.

The Iraq army is well below its manpower needs to provide meaningful protection and response. Consequently the US must help. There is also an honest concern that Iraqi security in whatever form will not defend themselves let alone US forces when needed.

5.  The magnitude of what was needed for economic change was not anticipated.

The costs were supposed to be partly repaid by Iraqi oil but this will not happen. Iraq oil money is deposited into an Iraqi bank account where Iraqi politicians known for corruption will take a significant share of the money.

Allies have been unwilling to provide cash for repairs. This is expected after the bitched diplomacy leading up to the war in 2003.

Iraq was and still is in dire need of repair. Saddam spent money on himself and his  friends and not for Iraqi citizens. Much of the critical infrastructure is poor. Further, the US goal to privatize industries has been abandoned.

Certainly much has been done such as rebuilding schools, buying books,  repairing water and power lines, immunizing children and allowing small vendors to sell their ware unencumbered on city streets but it is “a drop in the bucket”. Americans cannot afford the total costs to rebuilding which could easily top several trillion dollars.

6.  Lastly, the international relationships we had before the war are strained at best.  

Most of our allies are no longer with us or standing aside watching.  This administration did not pursue diplomacy except to get nations to agree to the war. They did not understand that winning the ground battle is just one step in the process.

Now the United States and its few remaining allies must complete the process alone.

Again the American citizen must pay the bill in lives and money. Where is our leadership in Congress or the White House?  

Is it any surprise that tens of millions of Americans are tired of the war and want out?