So much ink has been spilled over the reasons to go to war since March, 2003, that I wonder if our nation hasn't lost sight of the reality of the current situation. Before I get into that, a caveat.
Right or wrong, I'll always side with my country.
The Reasons for War:
The whole WMD thing was blown so far out of proportion, both as a justification for war and later a reason to be opposed to it, that the fundamental strategy behind the invasion has become obscured. As I see it, the Saudis played a major role in forcing the issue. They wanted us gone out of their territory, but we could not continue to support OSW (Operation Southern Watch) without the bases in Saudi Arabia. We could not remove our military's footprint in Saudi Arabia with Iraq still a regional threat. We'd been dealing with a hostile, defiant and dangerous Saddam Hussein since the attacks on Kuwaiti oil tankers in the late 1980's. Removing the American military presence on Iraq's southern border, which the Saudis looked to be demanding after 9-11, would have removed the largest puzzle-piece in our effort to contain Saddam's aggression toward his neighbors. In the end, removing Saddam was an attempt to remove a regional threat that due to politics we would not be able to contain much longer.
Current Situation and the Future:
Whether or not any of this was justified doesn't matter now. Right now, because of all the blood spilled on both sides and capital expended, the United States has shouldered a huge burdern: the moral obligation to save the people of Iraq from a religious-based civil war. Until the Iraqi people do not face a catastrophic destabilization from an American withdrawal, we must stay in country and help the people there rebuild a governmental structure that can successfully protect its citizens while at the same time giving them a voice in the future. This is no easy task, but thanks to the change in strategy and tactics in 2007, the turning point was reached. It can still go against us, especially if we lose the national will to remain in Iraq, but these past twenty-four months have seen huge gains made. The last major hurdle will be facing, disarming or destroying the Shia militias, including the Mahdi Army. The peace with them is at best a stay of execution for the young Iraqi republic. Whenever it suits Moqtada Al Sadr, he will unleash his street army again. Power and control, domination and religious persecution will be Iraq's future if Al Sadr is not soon neutralized.
Those who declared defeat in 2005 or 2006 were close to correct. Our efforts in Iraq were failing. The country was coming unglued under the constant strain of suicide attacks, the presence of an occupying army, and a weak central government that had no ability to enforce its will on the street.
What was the solution then? Most who declared defeat simply wanted us to pull out to avoid further American losses and financial costs. Such a position always struck me as supremely racist. By leaving Iraq in '06, we would have ripped the backbone out of the country. The only thing that held Iraq together in '06 was the U.S. military. With it out of the picture, the Sunni and Shia conflict would escalated into a Middle East Rawanda. If we had run, the blood of hundreds of thousands of human beings--Muslim Iraqis--would have been on our nation's hands. Those wanting to pull out simply didn't care that mass murder would have been a consequence of that decision.
President Bush, for all his faults, made the correct decision in '06. Instead of giving in to those who declared defeat and wanted to withdraw, the President resolved to stay in Iraq but change tactics and strategies. It is fortunate he found the right men for the job at the 11th hour, but better late than never. General Petraeous and his staff developed, then executed a new strategy that total
ly recast the situation in Iraq. In years to come, 2007 will be seen as a major turning point, not just in the Iraq War, but in the history of the Middle East.
What's left now? The Iraqis are rapidly developing the capabilities they need to protect its citizens and its government entities. They're not there yet, though, and they still need our help. But we are much closer today to being able to leave Iraq without fear that it will fall apart once our last boots leave the ground. IF we stand firm now, we will have achieved something unique--the creation of a Muslim republic in the Middle East. That alone can be a force for change in the future. For now, though, it is vital that we maintain our position so Iraq doesn't slide back into the chaos of sectarian warfare of 2006.
