Over the last month things have gotten bad in Iraq. Specifically in Falluja and to a lesser degree Najaf. It can be discussed until we are blue in the face what should be done there. To me what has become apparent is that we, meaning our military presence, are the problem in Iraq and that we need to leave. A US or UN imposed democracy is not going to work. Eventually we are going to have to leave and let an Iraqi government with native legitimacy arise. That is if we are serious about a democracy there. The other alternative is, like we did in Japan and Germany, to stay for the next half century or more.

I was born in 1967 so what happened in Vietnam I have only been able to learn through reading, listening and watching the history of that war. But I do see some parallels between Iraq and Vietnam. In both cases there seems to have been an underestimation of the indigenous peoples will to fight for what they want. What they do not want is another government imposed upon them by a foreign country. Don't kid yourself that is what we are trying to do. Put in place an Iraqi government friendly to us. In both cases there was an underestimation of how tough the war/struggle would be. And with Vietnam now in Iraq there is a realization that we need more troops, firepower and resolve to take out the enemy. We are also in a foreign land where our soldiers cannot tell friend form foe in many cases and therefore many civilians are dying.

So in the last month things have gone bad in Falluja, Remember Falluja. Over the last couple of days I have seen reporting, especially on CNN, about the differences in coverage this is getting in the US press as opposed to the Arab press. The video and pictures as well as the stories in the Arab press are very different -- which is evident if you read the previous article -- from what we are getting here in America. Then yesterday UN Secretary General Annan warns against violence in Iraq. With all of this coming to a head today I see this, US force 'to pull out of Falluja' and this, Bush's numbers heading south. It becomes apparent that our President is doing two things. Bowing to political pressure and governing by what the polls say. It is hard to believe that our war President is doing this, isn't it?
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:19 AM