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HOPELESSLY BOTCHED THE EXECUTION. I first saw this expression in an article talking about the Iraq war. Sometimes when I think or read about it, I get terribly discouraged.
The elections are over. The Shitte religious governing bloc has gained a larger than expected number of votes. The Sunnis and the secular Shittes are upset; even the Kurds have jumped in with complaints, and there are allegations of voter fraud. Please!!! Will there ever be a way to get our troops home??? It's Christmas and the Hanukkah season, so I am going to refrain from commenting on the obvious. Happy Holidays!!!
Three really interesting books that have presently hit the market about Iraq are worth noting. At first blush, my thought is "what else in the world" can be said about Iraq. I'm not one of those who hate Bush and want to talk about all the dishonesty that got us into Iraq or even the sincere decisions that led us there.
A buddy of mine recently said that he applauded me because I had been against the war from the beginning-not entirely true. I would have preferred to wait and had strong reservations about the whole "preemption" policy. But, that having been said, I had a strong feeling that we had to get Saddam now or later, just would have preferred later. However, what I totally am sure of is that once Saddam's statue was toppled, we botched it to the max.
COULD NOT HAVE MISMANAGED IT MORE IF WE HAD PLANNED
It is almost like we had a group sitting around some table and saying, "How can we screw this up?" Well, we did, with a carefully worked out plan apparently. Both these books, The Right War and A Matter of Principle tout the war as essentially a positive "noble" experiment as one of my friend's would say. I doubt it. And, if we could fast forward into the future, I doubt that any of those Moms and Dads and loved ones will say the "noble" effort is worth it.
The Right War seems to be in that typical fashion of don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up. Denying that we are in a mess, just to say that it was the right thing to do, won't hack it in my mind. People who want to justify their positions on the war cite things like the WW II casualties or the deaths on the streets of Detroit were greater or something of this inane nature. It is one thing for those who support the war and those who hate Bush to sit around and cognate their navels; however, America's young men are dying and the war wages on with no end in sight.
A REALLY GOOD MAN WHO DIED
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Another book which is almost more sobering and about the war; but ,then again, not about the war is Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace. It is almost a personal profile and I've only read just a few pages.
Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace is about surviving under Saddam, dying in the New Iraq. What makes it so sobering is that because we botched the war, those like Ahmad have not gotten a chance to have a new Iraq. Ahmad Shawkat, who saw his opportunity when Americans gave him liberation, was killed, just like so many in Iraq who had high hopes after Sadam. And, he was killed because we couldn't protect him.
This war was America's noble efforts but we botched it- Not enough troops, no real plan to secure the peace. The result has been the insurgents operating at will. What this book points out is that the insurgents knew exactly what they wanted to do: they located Iraqis like Shawkat and killed them. And, as they did, the greatest hopes of the country faded away. Sad, sad.
NOW WE HAVE HOPE IN THE ELECTIONS. GOD HELP US ALL
Now, the elections are over. Despite who is ahead and the allegations of voter fraud, it is the holiday season and I am hopeful at least until after the New Year anyway. Just kiddin'. Hey, I'm trying.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.
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