Do we have the guts to do the honorable thing in Iraq?

[GOPFighter]

Now that the Democrats have taken the House and Senate, we finally have a voice in how we change end the war in Iraq. So what is the right thing to do? I've been pondering this for weeks.

We all know Saddam was a tyrant, one of the really bad guys in the world. There was even concern at one time that he was developing weapons of mass destruction, but as the years went by there was little evidence to back that up, and even less evidence that he was a threat to America. The biggest problem with Iraq was that it was in the Middle East, a powder keg of ethnic hatred and religious fundamentalism. Only a fool would go blundering into this region.

Of course that's just what we did. The Bush Administration arrogantly walked up to this hornet's nest and gave it a good swat. After all, aren't humans superior to wasps? As the wasps came storming out of their nest it became painfully obvious (pun intended) that we were not prepared for the wasps nor did we have any plan for retreat.

In retrospect we now know that in going to war and managing it once we were there, the Bush Administration, against all odds, managed to make every mistake imaginable. But not only did they bungle the war, they trampled our Constitution and encouraged our troops to torture Iraqi detainees. All of this was done in front of an incredulous and increasingly irate world population. But why listen to reason when the Republicans in Congress were cheering them on from the sidelines (when they weren't busy passing legislation dictated by their wealthy corporate masters)?

So now we find ourselves in a huge and dangerous mess. Every day more American troops and innocent Iraqis are being killed and maimed. Both are now hunkered down in survival mode. Our troops have a slight advantage - at least they know they will eventually get to leave (hopefully alive). The Iraqi civilians, on the other hand, have almost no hope. On one hand they hate us for what we've done to their country, on the other hand they don't want us to leave because they need what little stability and security we currently give them. A year ago we might have been able to leave without resulting chaos, but I think the situation has deteriorated to the point where all hell would break loose if we packed up and left.

So what should we do? Stay the course and hope for a miracle? Draw down the number of troops, hoping the Iraqi security forces will be forced to step up and stabilize their country? Are we willing to take the chance their security forces can step up? Or just pull out now to save as many American lives as possible, and write the country off?

The answer my mind keeps coming back to was hard to accept at first, but the more I think about it, the more I think this is the only right thing to do.

Iraq is in the mess it is today because our leaders screwed up royally. These leaders are despicable assholes who will be vilified in history books for centuries. But the fact remains, they were acting on our behalf. Every American, whether we supported this administration or not, is responsible for this mess.

And we're all responsible for making it right. As far as I'm concerned this is the only honorable solution:

1. Admit to the world that we screwed up everything about this Iraq war, and we as a nation take full responsibility for it.
2. Apologize to our allies and the world for allowing our leaders to arrogantly ignore and insult them, and for their lying to the world to justify invading Iraq.
3. Immediately begin building up our military forces as quickly as possible, and send enough troops into Iraq to secure the country and protect the civilians.
4. Ask the world for help rebuilding Iraq as quickly as possible. The Iraqis desperately need power, water, schools, and jobs now. If the world is reluctant to help (and who would blame them?), we must do it and pay for it ourselves.
5. In the process we must show no partiality to any one sect or political party. We must scrupulously avoid picking sides. The Iraqis must decide their political fate on their own. We must assure the Iraqis that we are there only to provide security and rebuild what we allowed to get destroyed. Period.
6. We must state clearly what our goals are going in and promise to leave the country when that job is done or when they they ask us to leave, whichever comes first.

This is the only honorable thing to do.

I used to be proud of my country. We used to be a nation of humble, proud, and honorable people who respected the rule of law and did our best to do what was morally right. The world once trusted and respected us as a stabilizing force in the world. We've sometimes abused our responsibility, but the actions of our leaders since 9/11 have turned the world against us, and for good reason. We've become the arrogant bullies that we once hated. The only way to earn that respect back is to admit we were wrong, apologize, and make things right. I think this is what my parent's generation would have done (the generation that survived the Depression and sacrificed so much to defeat Hitler and the Japanese). They are called the Greatest Generation. What will our children call our generation?

I know this will not be a popular solution. I know it will most likely require the draft to be implemented which will disrupt a lot of American lives, and it will mean initially we will see more American deaths. It will also cost us billions and billions of dollars on top of the billions already spent. It will require a hefty tax increase, and it could easily throw our economy into recession, if not a depression. Yet in spite of the costs, thats what we must do. We bungled the invasion with the enthusiastic support of the majority in Congress and the American people. It would be immoral to just turn our backs on Iraq and say, "Whoops, sorry about that!" and go back to our wide screen TVs, our gourmet kitchens, our golf games, and our safe, pleasant lives while the Iraqis are left to suffer poverty, torture, and death because we allowed our leaders to frighten us into letting them get away with playing God with their bungled invasion and refusal to protect the civilians.

[AZBlue]

1. Well said! I happen to completely agree.

And have been flamed a lot here on DU for it. But I don't see how we can just walk away from the mess that we made. And, I like your plan. It accepts responsibility and takes action to make things right. Hopefully there won't be too many more deaths if we do see international assistance soon. And, as for taxes, well, I think the first increases should be for the rich (a.k.a, Bush's buddies) and the corporations (also Bush's buddies).

[LynnTheDem]

2. The "right" and "honorable" thing to do is what the IRAQIS want us to do.

Whether we like it or not.

ANd that is GET OUT OF THEIR COUNTRY.

[GOPFighter]

3. The polls show that the majority want us to leave, but...

the polls have never included the plan of action I propose. I would like to see what the Iraqis would do if we offered to send 200,000-250,000 more troops to secure the country and start rebuilding it right. Would they still reject it? Maybe they don't trust us to actually do what we say (we don't have a good track record do we?).

But even if they turned us down, I still think we, as a nation, need to apologize to the world and take full responsibility for screwing up Iraq. At some point in time we owe the Iraqi people (not their government) some kind of restitution, I don't know what form it should be in though - maybe free health clinics and hospitals?

[LynnTheDem]

4. Since 6 out of 10 Iraqis feel US soldiers are legit targets to kill...

I'd guess that would give them lots more targets.

How would YOU feel, if someone broke into your house, killed your pet, raped your daughter/mother/sist4r, killed your dad and brother, burned your house down...then refused to leave, saying he had to "fix" what he'd done to you?

HELLO.

[GOPFighter]

5. Like I said....

...if we make the proposal and the Iraqis turn us down and tell us to leave, we should leave. But, remember, while the polls show the Iraqi people want us to go, their elected government hasn't. I think it is up to the government to ask us to leave (as long as it legitimately represents the people). Polls can be manipulted (I'm not saying they have been, I'm saying polls do not make government policy).

[eridani]

6. The Iraqis are completely capable of repairing their own infrastructure

They did it in less than 2 years after the first Gulf War. All we have to do is give them the money and let them do it. They have already asked us to leave. I know that you mean well, but you can only break a set of dishes if your only tool is a hammer. It is flat out not possible to use a hammer (military force) to manufacture a new set.

One very important symbolic thing we could do is to turn our new embassy over to them.

[Clarkie1]

7. There's a lot here in your post...your intentions are honorable. However...

There is no military solution to the Iraq crises. The Iraq crises is a polticial crises, and the military can only be used for what Clark calls "leverage." The military cannot solve the problem, and reinstating the draft and sending more troops now will not help solve the problem. The time when more troops would have been of benefit was before this point had been reached, not now.

What is most critical is that there be real dialogue in the region. Most people still do not undertstand that the problem is not simply Iraq: It is Iraq, Iran, and Syria. All these powers must be brought to the table to negotiate a political solution. We need to do more to help rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure we have destroyed...and no more no-bid contracts for Halliburton.

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Well said! The only correction is humility and service for all Iraqis.

And then to apply the same principles to those in need in the States.

[dbt]

9. K & R! But I don't think the Regime bungled anything.

I do believe that every move "we" have made there has been with the view toward chewing up more fungible items--like guns and bombs and aircraft and troops--so the Military Industrial Complex can grow even more obscenely rich from selling "replacement parts."

Other than that, your analysis and plan are DEAD ON IT. If we still ARE the country that our parents fought for in WWII, we need to do just what you have outlined above.

There is much Common Sense in your post; I am SO not surprised that it has received a paltry two recommendations!

:patriot:
dbt
Remember New Orleans

[GOPFighter]

10. Thanks for your support.

I understand people are just tired of the war and want out NOW. I also realize it would take at least a year to implement a draft and train enough troops to make a difference to to the security of Iraq, and we probably don't have that much time before things go Boom over there.

That being said, I think we have an obligation to take responsibilty as a nation for what we did to Iraq. Saddam was a tyrant but Iraq was a functioning country before we arrogantly rushed in and ruined their infrastructure and economy.