Democrats Hold Baghdad

21 June 2006



Iraqi Government’s Timetable Has Yanks Out by 2008

While the US Congress was blathering on about not setting “arbitrary” deadlines for getting out of Iraq, the government of Iraq has come up with a non-arbitrary deadline that looks like what the American Democratic Party wants. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s new Minister for National Security, says the US troops in his country should be fewer than 100,000 by year-end, and at roughly zero by the end of 2007. Has anyone told Mr. Bush?

Mr. Rubaie, writing in the Washington Post, explained that Iraq’s 18 “governorates” (apparently the word “province” isn’t used) will take over security responsibilities as they become ready to do so. According to Mr. Rubaie, who should know better than anyone in Washington, “four of the 18 provinces are ready for the transfer of power -- two in the north (Irbil and Sulaymaniyah) and two in the south (Maysan and Muthanna). Nine more provinces are nearly ready.”

Then, he made himself an honorary member of the Democratic Party, “With the governors of each province meeting these strict objectives, Iraq's ambition is to have full control of the country by the end of 2008. In practice this will mean a significant foreign troop reduction. We envisage the U.S. troop presence by year's end to be under 100,000, with most of the remaining troops to return home by the end of 2007.”

This journal cannot improve on his final paragraph: “While Iraq is trying to gain its independence from the United States and the coalition, in terms of taking greater responsibility for its actions, particularly in terms of security, there are still some influential foreign figures trying to spoon-feed our government and take a very proactive role in many key decisions. Though this may provide some benefits in the short term, in the long run it will only serve to make the Iraqi government a weaker one and eventually lead to a culture of dependency. Iraq has to grow out of the shadow of the United States and the coalition, take responsibility for its own decisions, learn from its own mistakes, and find Iraqi solutions to Iraqi problems, with the knowledge that our friends and allies are standing by with support and help should we need it.”

The civil war in Iraq will continue, whether the US stays or goes. However, with the occupation ended, it becomes a clear fight between the Green Zone government of Baghdad and those who want something different. As things stand, the occupation only confuses the matter and helps enhance the chaos. The Bush White House may oppose a timetable for US troop withdrawals, but one wonders what will happen when the Green Zone government says it’s time for them to go.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.


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