Should U.S. give Iraq a blind eye and focus on the war in Afghanistan only? Afghanistan and Iraq became connected to each other in one way or another despite the 1400 miles that separate us.
The war in Afghanistan didn’t result in capturing Bin Laden or his top aide. It didn’t pacify the country or turn it into a democratic oasis after a long war. What to do next in Afghanistan? That is a question we don’t have the answer for here, but we do know what not to do in Afghanistan.
Do not let Iraqis down. You might then convince Afghanis that you are committed to your promises and their country will not be another failed Iraq.
For all past years I have been against the presence of the U.S. troops in Iraq, and I still am. This war brought nothing but sorrow for families in both countries. But I think the U.S. government and the people of America shouldn’t put Iraq in the dark far corner for good reasons, I believe.
Let the soldiers leave Iraq, let the country restore its national unity. Let it have its problems and solve them internally; let the country find its own way - but don’t let the people down.
Six years after the U.S. led invasion of Iraq, Iraqi civilians are still the biggest casualty of war. Six years after what was supposed to be an easy swift and welcomed liberation, Iraqi civilians and U.S. soldiers are dying because of that invasion.
Some will say: the invasion toppled Saddam’s government which is something that Iraqis dreamed of for decades and Iraqis should be happy and grateful!!
We are happy that we got rid of the terrorist suppressive regime of Saddam. Yes we are. But will any one of you accept, after 8-years long war with Iran, and after 13-years of sanctions and several other wars that resulted in killing more than a million of your own people, to say “kill more hundreds of thousands of civilians to get rid of the ruling regime”?!!!
It is more like a doctor telling a patient that just went through a surgery, that the doctors forced him to take, that a tumor was removed from his body but accidently the kidneys, liver and other vital organs was removed by mistake!!!
But that is done!
Let the foreign military leave Iraq so that the people of other nations will know that you kept your promise to end the occupation.
Don’t give Iraq the blind eye so other nations will see that the United States - as a friend, is better than as a foe.
Giving Iraq the blind eye will help extremists in Afghanistan to convince the people there that you are not there to help them.
Giving Iraq the blind eye will give arguments to dictators all over the world to convince their oppressed nations not to look to a hand from the free world - for the result will be just another Iraq.
Help is not giving contracts for projects to tribal sheiks or to rich people so they will get richer. Help might even be better when you open pharmacies to help the poor or help farmers to buy a cow or even installing a power plant that can give quality to people’s lives. Examples are endless…
I wish to see - one day, that the U.S. government is allocating funds or sending doctors to Baghdad to perform surgeries that are not possible in Baghdad; Iraqis will recognize such support more than sending tens of thousands of dollars to go into the pockets of the corrupt.
The point is: Don’t give Iraq the blind eye so the rest of the world might continue to believe in you when you make promises.
I agree with every aspect of which those above me have written.I am afraid that until every American knows the truth about 911, we will continue on the path of destruction.Every aspect of our lives is being invaded by "the war on terror". It all started with the Patriot Act, which some warned would be a catalyst to invoke more laws detrimental to civil liberties.The warners were right.When will people research 911 for themselves?Just the fact that 50 years of successful FAA protocol regarding hijackings was changed in June of 2001 is suspect.There had been no recent hijackings that would cause a need for new procedures.The new procedures implemented called for a call to Dick Cheney before they could procede with any of the standard protocol actions.On 911, his office could not be reached.Thus,the fighters were sent out over the ocean to await orders.One retired AF general said"Make no mistake, if the government had done nothing on that day, the towers would still be standing, & the people would be alive."
Posted by: April Medley | November 13, 2009 at 03:58 PM
911 was a staged terror attack by criminal elements of the U.S. governemnt and security services, covered up by a criminal legislature and used to start the Afghan and Iraq wars. The american people don't want a war to be liberated any more than the people of Afghanistan or Iraq. These wars are complete scams. The problem is most american voters want foreign wars, it's in all the polls and their voting habits. They keep a criminal legislative incumbency in power so that they can have perpetual war, criminality and bad government. There aren't enough americans who want peace, prosperity and good government. That's why we have a fascist outlaw aggressor state. That has brought so much death, destruction, pain and suffering to so many in the name of forced democratization and american domination. This is coming to an end though. Because the U.S. has over extended itself from to much war and government mismanagement from a failed democratic political system. And that's a good thing for humanity. Because it will mean an end to U.S. wars of aggression and all the pain and suffering they've caused. And it will allow more political freedom for people using different political systems to do a beter job than would under american domination and exploitation. It would be a big help if the Iraq SOFA referendum could be held and defeated. This could help change the course of human history in a positive direction and stop the unnecessary U.S. wars of aggression.
Posted by: Richard | October 06, 2009 at 09:06 AM
I agree with you. Reconstruction dollars seem to have been sucked up by US and Iraqi companies happy to bilk the citizens of both countries out billions.
The needs which we created--first by the years of sanctions (due to which hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children died) and then in the time of invasion and occupation--remain, and so does our responsibility to make repairs. We must never forget that this war was based on lies: it is plain wrong that Iraqis continue to suffer due to the deceit and corruption of the last administration.
Who are we now as a nation? How do we wish to be seen? Will we abandon those we have harmed or have the courage to help mend what we can? Either choice says much about our character.
Thank you for this post Dulaimy.
Posted by: Laura | October 04, 2009 at 06:42 PM