Team Obama happens to be one of the most inept administrations ever to cross the threshold of the White House. KGS
“In his speech announcing that he would remove all U.S. troops from Iraq before the end of this year, President Obama did not mention President George W. Bush.”
Bolton’s final statement in that video segment: “everything our brave forces fought and died for can come unstuck here.”
That statement pains me, as it was our government which tied the hands of our military behind their back, plugged their ears from reason, and blinded them from reality on the ground, preventing our troops from sustainable achievements. Muqtada al Sadr, Ali al-Sistani and Ammar al-Hakim remain as powerful shia influences inside of Iraq . . .unscathed. Of course civil war is inevitable. Why should fault about the inevitability of civil war in Iraq rest at the feet of the US military? Friction between factions (shia, sunni, kurd etc) existed long before the US entered Iraq.
JihadWatch.org’s one time VP, Hugh Fitzgerald discussed at length the folly of US blood and treasure spent to stave off sectarian civil war in Iraq once Saddam was removed. I agree with Fitzgerald, the West must become familiar and come to terms with historic reality.
If Iraq falls into Civil War upon the exit of U.S. Troops, it will be on the Iraqi (Talk about a fake country!) people. After 8 years of massive U.S. aid, if the Iraqis can’t make their nation work, it’s not going to happen.
Remember! It was the conscious decision of the Bush Administration to AVOID a long term military occupation. In the 19th Century, America would have colonized and settled the place. That’s not exactly a 21st century solution, but the Bush Administration could have pushed for a more friendly cooperative government.
I always said, the long term solution to Iraq was to allow a Civil War while our troops were still close by and mop up after all sides had been depleted of fighting resources and manpower. It’s a bit late to do something like that now. Then, maybe not.
Let’s see how Iraq’s neighbors react to future events. The Turks invaded northern Iraq last week with little publicity.
Regards,
There is NO Santa Claus (aka TINSC)
Though a patriotic supporter of the US, I have concluded islamic countries can’t “get” what we tried to do for them. Democracy is alien to islam and the best at this point is to get out and let them go after each other. Our blood and treasure should not be wasted any longer. Better for the US to let muslims continue to blatantly show themselves as they really are.