Chan Lowe | Sun-Sentinel Blogs

The talking heads use various metaphors: "It's going to be a hard road ahead."
"We're only entering the fourth quarter."

Well, we're giving the Iraqis back their country, for better or worse. Mostly worse. We've already been over how misbegotten this whole foray was, how it was the wrong war for the wrong reasons, all the blood and treasure lost in the sand.

The hard line rear guard Bush administration apologists claim that, regardless of all the bloodshed, the Iraqi people are better off now than they were under Saddam.

I wouldn't know, since I'm not there on the ground. I have a feeling they don't either. As we stand back and observe the inevitable sectarian score-settling, favoritism, corruption, and the other symptoms of a failing state as the Iraqis--who never thought of themselves as a "people," but a collection of tribes--jockey for power, we'll probably see a strong man emerge.

A populace grown weary of undending violence will turn to him for stability, and gladly trade in whatever trappings of "democracy" we bequeathed upon them at the point of the gun.

The new strong man, after all is said and done, will remind us a lot of Saddam Hussein. Maybe he won't look as ridiculous in a fedora. He'll probably deal with us on oil, because he'll need the money...which was what the whole thing was about in the first place.

Comments

this will be an invitation for iran to move in..while the are at war with israel..and our president wont do anything..then you will see gas go to 5.00 a gallon...but that wont seem expensive if his cap and trade bill passes...he would not visit the wounded troops because he couldnt use it as a photo op...what does that tell you.

Posted by: LOU | July 1, 2009 3:30 PM

Have you noticed how peaceful Iraq is now that Obama is in office? We don't hear about anyone dying or even getting hurt now. Obama must be the reason. I'm sure if there was still any violence going on the media would be glad to report it.

If we were to have taken the Obama path in the past France and all of Europe and probably the US would be speaking German. But that would probably be fine with most of Chan's readers as long as everything is given to them by taxing the rich, and that's the only way they will be able to get it because when it's all given to them why work?

I'm not in a lot of places but I know they need and want our help. But because I can't see it from my house why should I care? Let them suffer.

Is it too soon to start chanting "Four more years!"

Posted by: Pointman870 | July 1, 2009 4:00 PM

Another 'spot on' rendering and comments, Chan! As some of us noted way back in 2001/2002 when the drums of war were started by Bush/Cheney, this is all about the oil in the ground there...and a little personal revenge for GW. Wasn't that oil supposed to PAY for the war? And weren't our soldiers supposed to be greeted with flowers? Thank god Obama has lived up to his promises and to the demands of most of the voters in this country (he WON the election in 2008 handily, remember?) and is finally getting our troops out of there. And to you 'wrongy-righties out there who have been so woefully mislead by your lunatic leaders, you'd better wake up and realize that our military is going to need those troops who've been tied down in Iraq for some potentially more serious conflicts with Iran, Afghanistan/Pakistan and North Korea...and maybe elsewhere.

Posted by: Georg | July 3, 2009 8:49 AM