Sunday, November 14, 2010

Who is in Charge in Iraq--8 Months After Elections and Nearly 8 Years After Invasion?

According to an article in the Christian Science Monitor, the Iraqi Parliament meeting behind closed doors elected a speaker and President. This allows Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a coalition government.

8 months ago, the electorate gave" former Prime Minister Ayad Al-lawi secular Iraqiya coalition two more seats than al-Maliki's Shiite bloc."

"But neither won nearly enough seats to from a majority, prompting ballot recounts, accusations of fraud, and months in which political leaders flew off to other countries, but did not meet among themselves."

And, of course, will the Sunni minority be given any and/or adequate representation in the government, as well?

Does this sound like chaos?

Do we still hear about weekly car bombings, more civilian deaths and more unrest?

Do terrorists still strike at will?

Has our government correctly determined that the center of Al-Queda activity has now shifted to Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Do we not have close to 200,000 American personnel in Afghanistan including 100,000 troops, independent special operations forces and hundreds of civilian teams of American security contractors equal to the number of troops?

Did not Bush II declare that confirmed reports of Weapons of Mass Destruction was behind his pre-emptive strike to topple Sadaam Hussein and our invasion of his country on March 19, 2003?

Did not Bush announce two months later on May 1, 2003- aboard the U.S. Abraham Lincoln outside San Diego- that our 'mission is accomplished?'

Did he not say in that speech that "men and women in every culture need liberty like they need food and water. Everywhere that freedom arrives, humanity rejoices?"

What small comfort have we given the Iraqi nation-- 7 years later, yes 7 full years later-- that still has no stabilizing government?

What small comfort have we given Iraq when she sees the US forces--which assured some degree of stability and freedom from terror--abandon her to fight the war for freedom in neighboring Afghanistan?

The Point may be: did Bush Junior make the right Decision as we remember over 4,400 men and women who have sacrificed their lives in Iraq?

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