Our vision is dangerously stuck in Iraq trying to avoid a catastrophic failure.

Submitted by MelM (United States), Dec 13, 2006 at 01:12

The U.S. has its military, its money, its concern, and its vision stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan: a pathetic altruistic "War on Terror". Wider concerns about Islamic totalitarianism receive little attention and it's now over 5 years since 9/11. And, world jihad looks stronger today than it did on 9/11. So, nothing much has been achieved and we've got 3000 dead soldiers to show for it. In addition, we've put ouselves at a huge risk for another attack.

Some speculation:

Bush knows that he's got a potential massively catastrophic failure on his hands and the only solution he has is "stay and pray"; he believes that Iraq and the region won't implode so long as the U.S. is providing the "stability". He may realize that U.S. forces are the only stability to be had.

But, milestone after milestone in Iraq have been passed and things have gotten worse instead of better as expected. Instead of being a small factor in Iraq, radical Isalm is huge and Iraqis are not interested in freedom at all. I don't think most Americans give a rat's behind about Iraq stability. Why should they when a majority of Iraqis (according to a poll several months ago) think it's ok to kill Americans? In addition, it turned out that Saddam had put his WMD toys away (I think until the heat was off) and Iraq was not an actual priority after all. So, the American people want a resolution to this war and made their view clear in the last election. So, now Bush has a choice of tweaking "stay and pray" or wraping up the war then "praying" that Iraq and the region won't implode as soon as we leave or shortly thereafter or maybe even before we leave. I think these are the choices no matter how many suggestions are invented.

If we get out of Iraq, then we'd better be ready to fight WOT-II or we'll really be in for trouble. Enough said.

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