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 Whatever Happened to Ending the War?Posted on Mar 20, 2008By Marie Cocco WASHINGTON—I do not recall precisely when I created a file folder with this tab: “Iraq endgame.” Many of the newspaper clippings, interview notes and copies of speeches that are stuffed in the folder date to 2006—a year in which it seemed the American misadventure had metastasized into such a nightmare that our political leadership might begin to grope toward a resolution. At one point, I created another file with this tab: “John Warner.” It was a hopeful act. The senior Republican senator from Virginia, then the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, returned from a trip to Iraq in October 2006 and shook the Bush White House to its foundation when he declared that the U.S. efforts there were “drifting sideways.” If things didn’t improve in two or three months, Warner warned, a “change of course” might be necessary. At that point in time, the Iraq Study Group—the sort of bipartisan committee of wise old hands to which Washington loves to throw its nastiest curveballs—was looked to as the panel that would give the White House and Congress sufficient political cover to begin a troop drawdown. Here is what the Iraq Study Group recommended in December 2006—a month after Democrats won control of both houses of Congress in an election that turned in large part on public disgust with the war: “By the first quarter of 2008, subject to unexpected developments in the security situation on the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq.” The study group urged that no additional troops be sent because “sustained increases in U.S. troop levels would not solve the fundamental cause of violence in Iraq, which is the absence of national reconciliation.” Now we near the end of the first quarter of 2008. Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of a spectacularly foolish war that was waged on false premises. In the two years since the Iraq Study Group offered a road map out of Iraq—an American military drawdown coupled with an intense diplomatic effort among all the players in the region—the Bush administration and most of the Republican Party have rallied instead to support the surge in American troop strength there. President Bush, in his speech at the Pentagon marking the five-year anniversary, sounded the same tired themes that have brought us to this pass. Any withdrawal would be a “retreat” that would signal “weakness and a lack of resolve” to our enemies, he said. He even resurrected the discredited link between Iraq and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, suggesting that a withdrawal from Iraq would make another terrorist assault on the U.S. more likely. I have been struck, reading the media accounts prepared for this anniversary, at how many of them look back—to the initial decision to invade, to the disbanding of the Iraqi army—rather than ahead. The question Americans should be asking themselves isn’t what went wrong. We already know those infuriating answers. The question is, what now? This is why the sniping in the Democratic primary campaign over Hillary Clinton’s 2002 vote authorizing the use of force in Iraq—a choice Barack Obama did not have to make, since he was not yet in Washington—is irrelevant. The truth is that in the fall of 2002, some Democratic leaders, knowing Bush would use national security arguments against them in their campaigns, were intent on getting the war vote out of the way so that they could return the spotlight to the economy, which they believed favored their party. Among those who voted for the war resolution were former Sen. Tom Daschle, who was the Democratic leader and is now one of key Washington insiders backing Obama, and Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee and also an Obama backer.
The 2002 war vote is history. It is utterly without meaning for the next president, who will neither be able to take the vote back nor preen about having opposed the war from the start. A more relevant history is to be found in the pages of the Iraq Study Group report, which still offers a sober and sane assessment of the options for extricating ourselves from Iraq and beginning to mend the breaches, at home and abroad, that were opened with this monumental blunder.
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By Shenonymous, March 25 at 3:13 am #
Want to try 1.3 million Iraqis dead? Another 2 million displaced. Let’s hope for a better spring.
How many more American soldiers will die before the Bush War ends?
Report thisBy Blueboy1938, March 25 at 2:27 am #
4000 of America’s finest have given their lives in five years of Bush’s vendetta.
That’s two a day for 1,825 days.
It was nine for Viet Nam, so I guess that makes it OK.
Oh, yeah, there have also been 29,314 wounded. Still OK?
And over 100,000 Iraqis killed. That doesn’t count, right?
Real reason for the Iraq invasion: “After all, this was the guy that tried to kill my dad!”
Report thisG. W. Bush, September 27, 2002, Houston, Texas
By getoverit, March 22 at 6:50 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
We need to send a clear message to other politicians who compete for offices, Nancy Pelosi’s political career is over when she lied to be elected.
Report thisBy Marshall, March 22 at 11:20 am #
Thanks Lucid, for pointing out the author’s willful omission. That pretty much blows her credibility to hell.
Report thisBy Marshall, March 22 at 11:15 am #
...what would you have us do in Iraq now? Given that the violence subsided dramatically after we added troops, how many troops are required for force protection? If you can answer this, then you’ve got a constructive article. If not, you’re just complaining.
Report thisBy Purple Girl, March 22 at 4:15 am #
What a disgusting realization tha twe have been had by our own Party. But it is perhaps time to put away archiac perceptions- regardless of Red Or Blue they are all wearing LOGO’s beneath their Left Breast Pocket. Shall we now consider our Selves slaves who reside in America Inc? A subsidiary of World Inc? It’s taken them nearly a century, but they have succeed on dragging US to the Auction block- gagged and shackled. This is not Patriotism, nor AmericaN. WE have been Deceived. ‘The Great Experiment’ is in It’s Last throes (I beleive that was what Dick was referring to)
Report thisBy msgmi, March 21 at 4:24 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
ACCORDING TO THE ADMINISTRATION THE IRAQ CONFLICT IS OVER, HAS BEEN OVER SINCE THE GW CEASE FIRE AD-LIB, AND NOW THE SURGE CLEAN-UP IS COMING TO AN END...THE OCCUPATION WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE IRAQ IS FILTHY RICH WITH OIL RESERVES WHICH MEANS THAT THE OILCONS HAVE THE ALMOGHTY’S RIGHT TO PROFITEER.... WHEN CONDI (EX-CONOCO HUNCHO) BECOMES THE IRAQI OIL MINISTER, THAT IS WHEN THE TROOPS COME HOME.
Report thisBy RyanHartman, March 21 at 9:21 am #
I believe that looking forward is the best thing we can do, but we should also not forget the past. Hillary Clinton voted for the war and I don’t really care what her reasons were. I was a 23 year old, non-influential kid in Jersey and I knew (along with a few million other people) that it was not a smart thing to do. For someone who wants to be our president not to come to the same realization is quite scary and forces me to never vote for her.
Report thisBy Shenonymous, March 21 at 5:55 am #
What ever happened to ending the war? Inasmuch as the media controls what the apathetic and malleable minded public knows and obviously understands, and feels the pain, what happened to ending the war is a question that ended when the media stopped asking the question of when it would end? A public that is over the edge and past the verge of action is when politicians do anything. The axiom is, “What you hear from the news media, is what you think about.”
Report thisBy ApprxAm, March 20 at 10:19 pm #
Watching Fredrick Kagen and Richard Perle on Charlie Rose tonight was positively sickening. No matter the blood spilled or money wasted; good after bad is the order of the day, the destruction of the soldier’s lives, bodies, families and trust is behind disgust, but not to these two. The villainy is astounding and knows no bounds.
Kegan preps you into the doldrums with his “I didn’t support they way Bush’s administration handled the peace, or how “ too little troops wasn’t the cause but the symptom” of not perceiving the nature of the enemy. Kristol, Brooks and all of the other Neo-con:men constantly does this over and over again. Kristol, with that stupid smirk he inserts after proclaiming his willful ignorance to the art and execution of all things military is par for the course and has been the neo-con’s universal talking point for the last three years. Playbook denial!
That said, it’s Perle who makes you wonder if you should burp or throw-up first after you hear the duplicitous garbage that trundles out of his lying mouth. Nearly every word has no meaning at all. Where to begin: He claims the report regarding Sadaam’s connection to Al Qaeda to be merely interpolated by the press and not a true reflection of the “ great intellectual effort” made by those of who authored the report. Rose asked if there was a connection, any what-so-ever to tie “Al Qaeda” with Sadaam. He says that there wasn’t, but that there were loose connections between Sadaam, other terrorist organizations and by default, or definition or six degrees of separation, there was proof that Sadaam was, almost or tangentially--I say imagined--involved with this specific group, even though he didn’t, or hadn’t or wasn’t. Just believe it to be and it shall be so.
McCain can’t tell the difference form Iraq and Iran, Clinton can’t remember if she’s for or against the war and Obama’s narrow Chicago School policy wonks and mildly articulated position leaves open the door for these cowardly, draft dodging, weak men at the AEI and Heritage Foundation to continue to unduly influence the direction of foreign and military policy at the detriment of soldiers lives, public dollars and national salubrity.
Report thisThe weak proclaim patriotism the loudest because it’s hard to be heard from the back row. (Posted elsewhere)
By ForeignAffairs, March 20 at 2:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Ms. Cocco asks:
<<The question Americans should be asking themselves isn’t what went wrong. We already know those infuriating answers. The question is, what now?>>
We need to EDUCATE, REPUDIATE, and INNOVATE:
EDUCATE
Voters, Congress, Media, and Candidates;
This war is very costly.
It’s making us more hated, spawning more enemies.
It’s making us more strategically vulnerable.
It will make us more dependent on foreign oil (instead of alternatives.)
It’s not all about fighting terrorism.
It’s not all about building democracy in Iraq.
It’s a colonial adventure to seize control of Iraqi Oil.
We have to refocus the debate on macro issues of oil dependence vs energy independence, and illegal colonial occupation vs restoring Iraqi sovereignty—instead of letting the President lead us into tail-chasing debates over tactical minutiae such as troop levels and withdrawal dates.
Focus on debating the tactical details completely misses the point of how do we get back to a law-abiding Iraq policy, a more sustainable energy policy, and more effective counter-terror policy.
REPUDIATE
This illegal colonial adventure in Iraq;
We must build a new Iraq policy based on respect for international and domestic law and Iraqi sovereignty.
We, the people, have at least four tools to rein in the elites who want this war:
1. Power of the purse
2. Revise the Authorization for Use of Force
3. Outlaw continuation of this war
4. Impeach the President and Vice President
We are the workers, the voters, the taxpayers, and the cannon fodder. If enough of us dig in our heels, we can help to steer a wiser course.
INNOVATE
With respect to our energy policy and technology;
We must steer a new course toward energy independence instead of locking in long-term dependence on foreign oil.
A more enlightened energy policy should embrace both simple and complex sustainable solutions such as: Conservation, Insulation, Co-generation, Telecommuting, Wind, Hydrogen, Solar, Smaller cars, Biofuels, etc.
Kudos to everyone who helps find peaceful lawful ways to help make this happen.
Report thisBy Purple Girl, March 20 at 1:59 pm #
They’ve always been there- but we mistakenly though they were isolated in the Repug Party. But alas we ahve learned they have infiltrated an dcontaminated the Dems too.
Report thisWe can Not discount the initial act of Dereliciton of Duty- referred to as the Iraq vote. I’m no Einstien nor a psychic and I Knew that was the stupidest idea behind putting boots down in Afghanistan! What person has been so comatose as to not realize such an invasion would equal poking a Hornets nest? Franklyif you could not see the emminent Cluster F*ck that would result form such low brow thinking You should never hold a Public Servants office- You are mentally deficit! How long has the phrase ‘peace in th eMiddle East ‘ been around? Decades. What provked the taking of our Hostages in the ‘70’s, the same acts and Entities that provoked 9/11-Unethical Business Practices in accordance withMiddle Eastern Oppressive Regimes and their ‘royal ‘ families. We should hav eimmediately disavowed and held legally repsonisble th eInc’s who have collaborated with these ME elites to not only enslave the people of that Region but continued to place our citizens in harms way- RECKELESS ENDANGERMENT . Not to mention the demand we made on these Corps to find Alternative energy sources so that we would NOT be subject to the Grudge matches which dominate the ME History. These Inc’s have Wrapped themselves in Our flag, pilferred our Resources, dragged our Reputation through the mud and spilt not only our blood but many others in the name of Profit Margins and World Market Shares.Treason is the least of the charges that should be levied agaisnt them (past & present)- War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. After 9/11 we should hav efocused on who’s actions brought this event to our shore- lest we forget the Targets that were hit, World Trade Ctr (Money) Pentagon (military) White House (Foreign Policy)...Truman summed it up nicely for US about 60 yrs ago.. the Military Industrial Complex. As far a Binny and ASSociates are concerned the people of the region should take note as to WHO is responsible for rolling out the Red Carpet for these Vile Inc’s- their own ‘leaders’ and ‘royal ‘ families (the bin Ladens are as Guilty as Cheney & halliburton et al) Let them seek Justice from their own , in their own way and methods.
By cyrena, March 20 at 1:33 pm #
Actually,
Richard B. Cheney happened...Here’s an excerpt from the excellent piece by Mr. Pitt.
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Columnist
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Politics is the art of controlling your environment.
- Hunter S. Thompson
“ Why?
Mainly, because the motivations behind the invasion and occupation of Iraq came down to power, payback and greed, which makes this entire calamity just another ghastly page within the oldest book in humanity’s bloody history.
Vice President Dick Cheney is, by far and away, the most powerful man in the present administration. He is still bitter from watching the slow annihilation of Richard Nixon, his first boss in Washington, at the hands of a Democrat-dominated US Congress fueled by broad and vocal support from an outraged public. Nixon was Cheney’s archetype, the Unitary Executive version 1.0, who tried to raze the separation of powers doctrine to the ground by brazenly declaring the Presidency to be beyond any legal limitations, beyond any meddling intruders sniffing for secrets in the name of oversight, and thus vested with the same absolute authority once claimed by the Stuart kings of old.
Yet that Nixonian leviathan collapsed and came to grief before the Legislature, the Judiciary, and the rule of constitutional law. Cheney was a man thwarted, and so he would brood on that defeat for many long years, and would bide his time. Few people, not even his closest Republican colleagues, were aware of the stone-fisted authoritarian lurking behind that bland conservative facade.
One passage from a Washington Post analysis of Cheney’s long career in government and business stands out: “Cheney’s muscular views on presidential power, then and now, offer one answer to the question raised often by former colleagues in recent years: What happened to the careful, mainstream conservative they once thought they understood?”
What happened? Opportunity happened, at long last, George W. Bush and 9/11 and a manufactured state of permanent war happened. Over these last five years, virtually every invocation of the ever-expanding powers laid claim by Executive privilege, every ignored Congressional subpoena, every assertion of confidentiality or national security to block even meager attempts to scrutinize White House activities, every summary termination of a US attorney who refused administration orders to cripple offending Democrats with baseless abuses of prosecutorial discretion, every refusal to obey black-letter laws requiring the release of administration documents even to the harmless librarians at the National Archives, every signing statement that eviscerates another duly-passed bill from Congress, every attempt to stack the Justice Department and the federal court system with devoted yes-men whose only qualification is their total loyalty to and complete Judicial protection of the administration, with neither heed nor concern paid to whatever laws or freedoms or principles are rubbished by the process, every one of these lethal attacks upon America’s constitutional infrastructure have been committed under the ill-defined and therefore limitless legal prerogatives afforded to American presidents “during a time of war.”
Full story at the link
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031908R.shtml
Report thisBy Lucid, March 20 at 1:32 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Page 50 of the Baker Hamilton Report states:
“We could, however, support a short-term redeployment or surge of American combat forces to stabilize Baghdad, or to speed up the training and equipping mission, if the U.S. commander in Iraq determines that such steps would be effective.”
Report thisBy dick, March 20 at 12:35 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
The power elite want, and get, continous war. Read Mills’ books to see who they are. Hint: they run this country- Congress, Admin, Lobbys, ceos, media moguls,special interests, pacs, wealthy individuals, military/industrial establishment, etc. The masses do not count or matter.
Report thisBy zeitgeist, March 20 at 12:33 pm #
The same thing that happened to Impeaching of the most notorious gang of thugs there ever was; the Bush neocon oil crusading warriors.
If mad-bomber Johnny or Loose Miss Hillary manages to steal the throne, we can expect a several magnitude increase to this mindlessness of mindless carnage.
Peace, Best Wishes and Hope
Report thisBy DennisD, March 20 at 6:47 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Marie - The real question should be “Whatever happened to politicians who actually give a sh*t about their country.”
By privatizing the wars (volunteer military, Blackwater etc.) Bu$h has kept potential draftees from being anti-war protesters. Most people are working two jobs to stay even with inflation in our free falling economy.
Iraq & Afghanistan - another year old and deeper in death & debt.
Report thisBy Vash the Stampede, March 20 at 6:08 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I forget Kerry voted for the authorization and after watching Winter Soldier clips I have to wonder what happened to him over the years that would cause him to forget everything he learned in Vietnam.
I also have to wonder why people started to act surprised when all the shit hit the fan in respect to killings and torture. The same exact stuff happens again and again and it’s all pretty wasteful and disgusting.
Also in response to the new Winter Soldier hearings I have to channel George Carlin and say F*CK the troops. If they would grow some balls (and brains) and stay home instead of being unquestioning killers we might not be in this predicament now.
But I guess it’s hard to refuse that couple of grand for a signing bonus…
Report thisBy jackpine savage, March 20 at 3:17 am #
I’ll tell you what happened, the Iraq Study Group was dominated by foreign policy realists...this administration has no need for realism.
Report this