[Grovenet] As the spin churns . . .

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

"Declare a victory and get out. "

And that's not just an empty statement in the eyes of many. 

I think there are four broad beliefs about the Iraqi war. Obviously some
people ascribe to some combination of all four, others focus on just one. 

1) The USA has shown that it can "kick a$$ anywhere and any time we want!"
For those folks it is a victory. We did it. We destroyed a government and a
nation, defeating its army. We won. Now we can go home and leave the country
to the thugs and vandals who are jockeying for control. It's of no
consequence to us. 

2) The USA protected itself from an imminent attack with Saddam's WMD. It
doesn't really matter that they weren't found. They *could* have been there.
They *could* have been moved. So it was enough that we invaded to ensure the
attack against us would not occur.  

3) Iraq was somehow responsible for the 9/11 attack, and it is right and
proper for people to seek vengeance against our attackers. (Usually cloaked
in the nice phrase: bring them to 'justice'). 

4) We should not have attacked at all. Our military should only be used to
defend us after we've been attacked. As tragic as a surprise attack like we
experienced at Pearl Harbor in 1941, we should never launch a preemptive
attack on another nation. 

We have satisfied three of the four of these. The fourth, those who said we
should not launch preemptive attacks, have been shouted down again and again
over the years. Iraq was no exception. 

Notice that missing here is anything about "bringing democracy to Iraq" or
any acknowledgement of a responsibility to leave Iraq a better place to live
than it was under Saddam. As Joy pointed out, the President did not
specifically say we'd do those things. There's no legal contract people like
me can enforce. It appears that relatively few Americans care or feel any
sense of responsibility. 

So, I think you're right Alan. We'll leave and we'll smugly declare it a
victory. After all, in time the region that is Iraq may again be a
prosperous and beautiful place. But that wouldn't be the result of hard work
in the part of those "rag heads". Obviously it is our gift to them by
deposing Saddam. And if it doesn't happen, obviously it was because those
"rag heads" squandered the opportunity we gave them. 

Clearly it's a "win-win" for America.

Ron D'Eau Claire 


-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Allen Warren
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:43 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: [Grovenet] As the spin churns . . .


With the British announcement today they're starting the process of reducing
troops in Iraq, It looks like the Bush Administration is explaining the
impending British troop reductions by taking the opportunity to use the
advice of the late Senator George Aiken to both Presidents Johnson and Nixon
(R-Vt) during the Vietnam era: Declare a victory and get out.  

Vice President Cheney, in an interview in Tokyo said Britain's plans to
withdraw about 1,600 troops from Iraq - while the United States adds more
troops - was a positive step. "I look at it and see it is actually an
affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty
well," the vice president said.

As for Cheney's assertion that the partial British pullout is a sign that
things are going well in Iraq, Speaker Pelosi said: "If it's going so well,
we'd like to withdraw our troops as well."

I'm sure Cheney will probably answer back that things in the South where the
British are stationed are going very, very well but of course where our
American troops are stationed things aren't nearly as positive.

Allen Warren


 
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