Swamppundit

Dear Salam,

Our Congress debated resolutions regarding Iraq recently. Please don’t believe 90% of what you hear. While the debate of our politicians is free and uncensored, it is rarely wise, and rarely accurate.

While nearly everything about Iraq is debatable, and ever changing, there are some core truths that almost all Americans could agree on except for the fact that many in this country are refusing to agree on anything with our current President.

The first mission, the removal of Saddam Hussein from power, was achieved brilliantly. It happened more quickly, with less cost in lives or treasure, than anyone expected.

The second mission, the elimination of Iraqi WMD, was also achieved, but reasonable minds, in hindsight, differ as to whether the mission was required.

The third mission, the formation of a freely elected, democratic government in Iraq, has also been achieved. It took far longer than anticipated, and whether the new government will survive is still an open question. This mission has claimed hundreds of billions of dollars and the deaths of over 2,500 American Soldiers. In 2006, many argue 2,500 is a price too high. In 2003, before the first bomb dropped, most would have agreed 2,500 was an overly optimistic figure.

The fourth mission, the elimination of extreme Islamic terrorists from Iraq, has not yet been accomplished. (Although, if you defined this mission as the removal of Iraqi WMD from the hands of Islamic terrorists, it has been accomplished.) And, in fact, it is fairly clear that this mission is beyond our grasp absent improved cooperation in this task with all segments of Iraqi society. Which brings us to …

The fifth mission, the creation of a peaceful, free, democratic Iraq, has not yet been accomplished. This mission is different from the third mission. It is possible to elect and form a government even in wartime. The fifth mission is to create an environment where all Iraqi citizens agree to live in peace under the new government.

Frankly, the fifth mission may not be achievable. Maybe it is Iraq’s destiny to break apart and suffer a horrendous civil war. The thing about civil wars is that outside forces cannot start them or stop them. Only the citizens of a country can decide if their internal disputes are worth committing national suicide over.

Now that an Iraqi Government has been formed, the only remaining mission of the U.S. military is to assist the Iraqi government in its efforts to achieve the fourth and fifth missions. We are now an instrument at their disposal – within limits. The instrument cannot be used to favor one segment of Iraqi society over another.

It is now clear: should the unified government stand, should there be no civil war, then the fourth and fifth missions will ultimately be achieved at a price that later historians will applaud. Should the government break apart, should there be a civil war, then the fourth and fifth missions will not be achieved.

Because I am an optimist, I will believe the government will stand right up to the day that it doesn’t. Therefore, I will believe that the fourth and fifth missions will be achieved right up to the day that it becomes clear that they won’t be achieved.

U.S. military and civilian leaders may have made grave mistakes over the last three years, or maybe not. The rate of death in Iraq may go up in the future, or it may go down. On any given question regarding Iraq I am prepared to concede that I do not know the answer. But, on the one question being debated by Congress – when should our troops come home? – I do know the answer. Our troops should come home when the freely elected government of Iraq asks our troops to leave, or when the freely elected government of Iraq ceases to exist, whichever occurs first. To leave a single day before that time would be dishonorable, shameful, and stupid. To stay a single day beyond that time would be stubborn, overreaching, and vain.

That day may come in 3 months, it may come in 3 years, it may come in 30 years. I do not know.

Bye for now,
Clarence