As the American election nears, Wingless takes a closer look at Obama and his plans for Iraq. I’ve split this post up into bite-sized pieces for easier digestion. 
First Part: Obama’s Iraq Plan VS. Recent History
Today:     Examining How Obama’s Plan Neglects American Responsibilities

Obama has reminded us plenty of times that he towed party lines and voted against the invasion of Iraq:

In 2002, as the conventional thinking in Washington lined up with President Bush for war, Obama had the judgment and courage to speak out against going to war, and to warn of “an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences.” He is fully committed to ending the war in Iraq as president.

Mr. Obama says the USA is fighting the wrong war and that they should have never gone to Iraq. “Shoulda, Coulda” however, are realms of the mind, comfortable abstractions that have no place in pragmatic policy decisions. We do not live in a world of “shoulda” , nor as Obama wishes in a world of “coulda”, all of us, right, left, black, white, and green inhabit a world of IS.

America IS in Iraq and it DID oust the nation’s former dictator. For this reason (among others), America does share a degree of responsibility for stabilizing the orgy of blood that has engulfed the nation.

In my last article, I looked at Gaza as an example of what happens to a volatile region when the elements of law & order evacuate; however, we could have also looked at Iraq itself. When Bush Sr. invaded Iraq the populace was encouraged to rise-up against the Hussein Regime. Iraqis that had suffered silently for decades rose at the chance of ousting the architect of their woes. Shia’s & Kurd’s heeded the call and began an uprising. They were 100% convinced that the Americans would back them up but that backup never came.

Without American aid, Saddam’s Republican Guard & Mukabarat were able to easily crush the rebellion. And crush it they did, following the rebellion Saddam sent one of the most brutal messages of his reign. Mukabarat  & Ba’th Party “men” would descend upon “suspect towns” in flat-bed technicals & cube-vans, taking entire families to be executed in dusty fields. Everyone, including the very old & very young were lined up, shot and covered in dirt. Their bones were unearthed after the American invasion, strewn about in mass graves like the ones near al-Mahawil where nearly 3000 Iraqi citizens were murdered.

RESPONSIBILITY TO THE LOCALS

Bush Sr’s decision made his son’s job in Iraq exponentially harder. It was Sr’s failure to protect the rebels (and their families) in the last war that lead the Shias & Kurds to stay home this time. The message was clear and it resonated beyond the borders of Iraq: “beware of America’s call to arms against oppressors, warlords & maniacal dictators”. It told America’s allies, especially grassroots militias integral in the war of terror, that America will sit by idly as their families are slaughtered.

ID Cards of 3 of Saddam’s many victims.

Those that heeded Bush Srs call to arms against Saddam in the first Gulf War had their entire families killed as retribution. Their bones are being uncovered in mass graves across the country

Although it has been 12 years, this message resonates with Iraqis as if it happened yesterday.

Some members of Mohammed al-Esawee’s family heeded Sr’s call to arms. Thus, when Americans withdrew, Saddam exacted his revenge upon the entire family. Men came, took members of the family, and left. Those taken were never heard from again.

“Big Bush helped Saddam stay in power,” said Mohammed
“We blame Big Bush more than Saddam Hussein. Big Bush was able to get rid of Saddam Hussein. Why [didn't he]? We blame him so much!
But the son fixed what the father corrupted. Little Bush is gifted from God to feel about human beings. But if I could I would take his father to a military trial. He and Saddam, Hussein should be kept in the same cell. Little Bush should be crowned. We thank him.”
(pg. 74: Matthew McAllester, Blinded by the Sunlight – Surviving Abu Ghraib and Saddam’s Iraq – highly recommended reading)

If Obama enacts his plan to withdraw it will be the second time America has shirked on its responsibilities to Iraq. Should this decision be implemented there is every indication that the nation will ignite. Age-old grievances & the various wrongs committed during this conflict will be settled through the barrel of an AK-47; there won’t be any al-Mahawil’s because the dead will rot in the streets; And although Shia, Sunni, Kurd will slaughter one another they will all agree that the architect of the circus is the U S of A.

RESPONSIBILITY TO IRAN’S POTENTIAL REFORMERS

Iranian students risking their lives protesting against the regime. They remember how Bush Sr left Iraqi Shias to die for rebelling against Saddam; they will surely notice if the USA does this a second time.

Such betrayals do nothing to lend support on America’s other fronts. The oft touted Iranian Street who we are told are young, educated & Westernized will notice if America does not live up to its responsibility in Iraq. These Persian Shias, encouraged by the West to rise up, need only look to Mahawil, were the bones of Iraqi Shias that heeded Americas calls now lie. Staying in Iraq long enough to give it a real chance is the best way to secure the allegiance of the young Iranians. If Obama gets his way then any misgivings they have of America as a “user & betrayer of people” will be realized. Such first-hand experiences form permanent recollections; in allowing such a disaster Obama will do more to harm American Interests in the region than all of Ahmadinijads hateful spewing combined.

But Obama, we are told, has a plan. He has vowed to engage Iran & Syria in:
“aggressive diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive compact on the stability of Iraq and the region.”  The suggestion would be laughable if it’s repercussions were not so grave. Such a meet would end all hopes of overturning the repressive regime from within. Under Obama the ‘Iranian Street’ will witness the second betrayal of Iraq’s Shias, they will witness the chaos & genocide perpetrated by and against their brethren, and to top it all off, they will watch Obama shake the hand of Mahmoud Ahmadinijad, the symbol of everything that is wrong with their nation; a leader in a regime the American’s have encouraged them to defy & bring down for decades.

RESPONSIBILITY TO WORLD

Obama’s “diplomatic” component is further invalidated by the fact that Iran already faces tough sanctions from a variety of world bodies. So far, the diplomatic front has achieved nothing. Iran remains defiant, even increasing their threatening activities & rhetoric in the region.

These demonstrations of hate filled dribble have become the hallmark of Mahmoud Ahmadinijad. We can chuckle at his audacity; however, such ravings are deadly serious. As the leader of a nation his calls for Israel’s destruction could be construed as an act of war. These outbursts have put the entire world on alert. They affect everyone, from generals in Tel-Aviv, to soccer moms in Kansas who now struggle with higher fuel costs as a result of Middle-East worries. Adding to the seriousness of Ahmadinijad’s threats & “denial conferences” is the fact that Iran is the world’s greatest supporter of terror. They train, fund and command Hezbollah, a group that has killed hundreds of Americans and continues to rearm & posture for the next war with Israel, an American ally. They also arm and likely train the insurgents killing Americans in Iraq. What does it say when the leader of the free world embraces the leader of one of the world’s largest and most effective terror organizations?

PICTURE IT: As Marines die in the war of terror,
Commander-in-Chief Obama sips tea with an arch-terrorist

RESPONSIBILITY TO REGION

We know that Iran is aiding terrorists & insurgents today. They do this despite the floating carriers along their coast that are capable of turning their nation into a parking lot overnight; they do this despite the 200,000 battle-hardened soldiers (& contractors) that can deploy within Tehran on a few hours notice. If this is how Iran behaves with the world’s most powerful army next door, how does Obama expect them to operate without that deterrent? Furthermore, if that deterrent is not sufficient, exactly what type of diplomatic magic does Obama believe he can achieve?

Without American control, Iran will increase it’s meddling in Iraq and without American security the Shias will further embrace the weapons, funds & training offered by the Iranians.

Iranian Weapons found in East Baghdad – February 15th, 2008. 155 Mortar Rounds & 36 Rockets, 8 Rocket & Mortar Launchers, 80 Grenades, 13 RPGs, plenty of small arms (assault rifles)

Such a move would allow Iran to realize the Shia Crescent (Iran, Iraq, Lebanon). Iran already has a foothold on the upper-part of this crescent. The Iranian proxy force, Hezbollah, has recently achieved a mini-coup in Lebanon. The terror group that murdered hundreds of Marines and the #1 killer of Americans before 9/11 is now a legitimate power within Lebanon. The Iranian occupier of Lebanon was recently handed veto power by corrupt Lebanese lawmakers.

Even before their “political” victory however, Hezbollah was a force of instability and violence in the region. Even though Israel had not stepped foot in Lebanon for nearly a decade, Hezbollah chose to invade the tiny nation, killing several soldiers and holding the bodies of 2 for ransom. The unprovoked attack lead to a conflict that caused casualties & severe damage on both sides.

Iran is already “in Iraq”, they are already arming insurgents & likely funding the Imam’s that preach their brand of vitriol. For now, they are being contained & controlled by the largest army in the world. If you take away that army then it is logical to assume those problems will grow.

Iranian Rockets, Mortars and the nortious EFPs responsible for killing & wounding many Iraqis & Coalition forces were found in Jabelle & South East of Hillah, mid-March 2008

If Obama leaves Iraq to the whims of the Iranians then you can almost guarantee that Hezbollah or Hezbollah like partnerships will erode the nation, making it just another perpetual flame in a MidEast that is always on the verge of exploding. That is an issue that goes beyond regional responsibility as ongoing MidEast instability could cripple America.

RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DEAD & WOUNDED

Many brave American’s & innocent Iraqis have laid down their lives in Iraq. They leave behind sons, daughters & widows. Some young soldiers have returned home with their lives, but have left arms, legs & lifelong aspirations on the battlefield. Most of these soldiers and those that still serve overseas believe that this is a cause worth fighting for. These soldiers believed this before the surge and since the addition of troops, are convinced Iraq can be won.

Far from chest thumping bravado, or a win-at-all-costs attitude these Marines have interacted with Iraqis; they want for them what is waiting for them at home, that old American cliché of life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. They also want Iraq to succeed for pragmatic reasons. American GIs do not want to be forced out, only to have to go back in when Iraq descends into chaos, making their job 1000x times more difficult.

Obviously, there are times when the sacrifices of soldiers are in vain. Sometimes nations must quell hostilities before final objectives are met but this is not one of them. Although mistakes were made going in, most of those have been remedied. There are now clear objectives; the body-count, albeit painful, is relatively modest; most importantly there is a clear and defined improvement in the situation.

CONCLUSION

Barak Obama didn’t want America to go to Iraq and he does not want America inside Iraq today… Nevertheless, America IS in Iraq. In democracy leaders often inherit situations they do not necessarily agree with. They inherit problems neglected or compounded by past administrations. Reagan inherited the Cold War; Bush Jr. inherited an emboldened, entrenched and highly popular Al-Qaeda. The ultimate test of a good leader is how he chooses to deal with such problems. A leader can opt to play blame games or even ignore inherited issues. However, a good leader chooses to address all pressing matters, regardless of origin.

Although leaving Iraq may be popular, it would definitely not be right, ethical nor practical. A withdrawal right now would make Obama guilty of the same short-sighted knee jerk decisions he accused the current administration of (making). Right now the American army is the glue that holds Iraq together. Take away that glue and the nation will unravel into violent anarchy the likes of which the modern Middle East has never known. Similarly, if Obama removes the greatest deterrent to Persian belligerency he should not expect things to improve on that front either. At a time when oil prices are already hurting economies worldwide, such a destabilizing move would be disastrous.

A withdrawal at this point will only benefit Iran, Al Qaeda & the various forces of terror worldwide; ironic considering the USA is supposed to be fighting a worldwide war AGAINST terror. History will remember how America retreated, leaving a nation in a state of total anarchy, facilitating regional deterioration & hurting their own War on Terror. If this is the “change” and “change of image” Obama speaks of, I say: thanks…but no thanks.

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