So we’ve all heard about the Iraq Study Group,the supposedly simple how-to manual for our president to get our troops out of Iraq and to stop this pointless war from prolonging into the next decade. The report, which was released Dec. 6, was written by 10 bipartisan Washington elders and is comprised of 79 recommendations for the president to consider.
Not surprisingly, the book is not only popular among politicians – it’s on the top 20 list of best selling books on Amazon.com. What does that say about the new, democratically inclined America? It says we want to know what’s going on within our government and we’re not going to give in without a fight.
According to an article in the Dec. 10 issue of the New York Times, the Study Group begins by stating the obvious: “The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating.” The only person who doesn’t seem to recognize this is our president, who in late October boasted that, “Absolutely, we’re winning.”
What planet is this man living on? In what way, shape or form are we winning this war? Sometimes you have to wonder why Bush continues his infuriatingly stubborn streak of lies. Even his newly appointed secretary of defense knows the truth when he sees it, agreeing with his Senate questioners that “We’re not winning in Iraq.” Thank you, Robert Gates. Finally, it’s somewhat shocking to hear the truth after being blatantly lied to for so many years.
The Study Group goes on to recommend many wise ideas on how to end our disastrous invasion of Iraq. It recommends that U.S. troops end combat operations in Iraq and train Iraqi troops. Unfortunately, the report does not endorse a complete removal of troops from Iraq by any given date.
The report deals with different areas of U.S. policy. It discusses domestic issues such as budget funding and economic processes. It tackles military issues, such as when to begin bringing U.S. troops out of Iraq and integrating more of them into Iraqi army units. It also delves into the foreign political issues of nurturing an effective and unified Iraqi government, and diplomatic issues including calling for direct discussions with Iran and Syria.
OK, so it all sounds great, but will any of this actually be effective? Will our president actually listen to these people and finally do what’s right for our country? The answer is: No. At a news conference with his lapdog, Tony Blair, our president finally admitted that “a new approach” is indeed needed in Iraq and that the task ahead was “daunting.”
Well, Mr. President, maybe you weren’t quite cut out for this job after all. Even if this situation (which, by the way, you put yourself in) is “daunting,” you’re responsible for this country, and already hundreds of thousands of people have died under your watch. So get it together.
Bush went on to say that he would not accept every recommendation by the ISG panel but promised that he would take the report seriously. Well, he also promised us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and look what happened there. We shouldn’t trust this man anymore with his promises. The president will wait for three other studies from the Pentagon, the U.S. State Department and the National Security Council before determining a new course in Iraq. Meanwhile, young American soldiers die daily. Think about that, Mr. President.
The Study Group is an honorable idea created by decent and intelligent Americans, trying to find a way out of a sticky situation, and we should applaud them for the time and effort. But it doesn’t matter what they say. What Bush says, goes. We should just be thankful there’s no such thing as a third term.
