Herein lies the problem. Going in to Iraq was wrong (I have been on the record
as against it from before we actually invaded). However, we are there now and
must deal with the mess we have created. We cannot just pull and say hey good
luck. We removed Sadam the rest is up to you. We would be leaving Iraq worse
off than it was before we invaded. Sadam was no saint (a corrupt, murdering,
criminal isn't far from accurate), and life may not have been great in Iraq
while he was in power. However, people could go to the market without fear of
a suicide bomber. Children could go to school and there was an infrastructure
in place, lights, water, communications etc...
We destroyed their infrastructure, sure with good intent, but it is destroyed
none the less. We have been busting our hump to get it back in place, however
we have not succeeded in getting the infrastructure back in place and what we
have repaired some lunatic suicide bomber blows up. Yet we cannot blame the
suicide bomber or the Iraqi government. We are in charge of security for Iraq.
Hence we are failing.
mr. bush's you are with us or against mentality isn't very hospitable.
Therefore we are unlikely to get any additional international support. Without
greater international support civil war is likely (maybe already here). We
need other countries to get involved in the rebuilding of Iraq. We need to
move our emphisis away from military operations to more supportive roles.
Yes the military is still required. However, let's work with other countries to
rebuild Iraq. Support the existing government and provide incentives for the
Iraqi people to join the coalition trying to rebuild rather than the insurgents
trying to destroy. It is a small percentage of people who do not want jobs,
economic prosperity or for their children to be safe.
Religion is secondary to a good life for the vast majority of people. Do not
dictate how I can worship and provide a safe environment with economic
opportunity satisfys most people.
Get this Iraqi government to stand up and point out that it is the insurgents
who are the problem. It is the insurgents who are killing our children, and
destroying our economic viability. If you want your children to be safe and
have a future we must work together to stop the insurgency. Anything short of
unity is will result in failure. A shite lead country will have Sunni
insurgents. A Sunni lead country will have Shite insurgents etc.. Unity,
respecting differences, working together, anything less will fail.
While the Iraqi government works together, Sunni, Shite, Kurd, etc.. hand in
hand to get that message out, the rest of the world needs to provide financial
assistance in rebuilding the country and providing opportunity. If the Iraqi
people (government) is unwilling to work together and publicly lambast the
destruction of the insurgents Iraq will deteriorate into open civil war and we
will pull out with our tail between our legs a demoralized US public and
military (VietNam) See Bush's recent comments about the "straining American
Psyche".
Our military role needs to be relagated to the U.N. (could the U.N. really do
any worse than we are?) The U.N. is viewed as more neutral. Take down the
Stars and Stripes and put up that big blue and white flag. This is far more
palitable for those who are against the US occupation of Iraq. Because as of
right now, it looks like a US occupation of Iraq, imperialism. This will
reduce the effectiveness of the insurgency propoganda. It is not a US
operation (we are too polar), it is now a U.N. operation and moving towards
still greater Iraqi self reliance.
additionally the international community needs to hold neighboring and regional
countries accountable. If the Egyptians, Saudis, Pakistanis and others want
peace in the area then they need to get involved. They need to take a stance
and openly support the Iraqi government not just in words but in deeds. They
need to support UN intervention as the next step in Iraqi freedom. Likewise,
they need to secure their borders and stop allowing support for the insurgence
to slip across the border.
The U.N. needs to secure the borders with Iran and any other sieve like border
coutributing to the insurgency. If France, Thailand, China or anyone else
doesn't want their troops in danger zone of the cities then use those troops to
secure the borders.
The bottom line is we cannot do it alone. That for the most part is what we
have been doing for the past 4+ years. It is failing by a greater margin each
and every day. This administrations arogance and unwillingness to work with
others must stop if we want to get out of Iraq with any sense of accomplishment
other than having initiated a civil war.
that is not a plan. that is a consultant's guide on project management. what
would the actual plan consist of?
>
>set up goals- what goals?
>set up timetables- what timetables?
>measure progress- how?
>make tweaks- what tweaks?
>
>i just want someone, somewhere to propose an actual alternative to what we
>are doing now that does not sound like Monty Python and the Holy Grail ("Run
>away! Run away some more!")
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