the iraq war isn't over

It's amazing how low-profile the war in Iraq has been in recent months, on our screens and in our newspapers. Even today's news hasn't been treated as truly momentous. But, of course, that doesn't mean everything is, or is going to be, just fine from now on. Far from it. Iraq may yet defeat two presidents.

Thomas Ricks, author of a couple of the most authoritative books on the Iraq war, is pessimistic:

I hope I am wrong, and that Iraq really is embarking on a new course this week. But I don't think so. So I think the real question now is: How fast will the unraveling occur?

Ricks is always pessimistic. Although he's that doesn't mean he's not right. He doesn't see a good outcome whatever we do. Here, he takes his blogging colleague (former Bush adviser Professor Peter Feaver) to task for suggesting that Obama's withdrawal of troops is putting 'victory' at risk - but ultimately agrees that the withdrawal may be premature:

Repeat after me: There is not going to be any victory, no matter how long we stay or how soon we leave. Iraq is probably going to be violent for many years to come, and likely will be a closer ally of Iran than of the United States - nice job, W! For President Obama, the question from day one has been how can the U.S. government best mitigate the damage done in Iraq over the last eight years by the Bush-Cheney administration? The original mistake was invading a country pre-emptively on false premises. Everything we do is tainted by that sin. Even so, Professor Feaver, I wind up on your side, not for your reasons, but because I think the best way to undo the Bush-era damage might not be to bug out quickly.

Comments

[Rosa]

Even if the US doesn't get a "Win" out of the Iraq War, it isn't a complete lose either. Over the past couple of years, according to a quote from The Guardian, "What we’re seeing, though, is something we didn’t see throughout the dark years of 2005 -2007 and that’s the police force, in particular, that the public can trust." http://www.newsy.com/videos/u_s_troops_in_iraq_gone_for_good Also, in the same video clip. It talks about the high unemployment rate in Iraq. Part of the problem is that people will throw a hand grenade at the US troops for $50 bucks because that's the only way for them to eat.