Tatters

A Democratically controlled Congress has attached a rather tame rider to the most recent Iraq spending bill. The US must inform Iraq that we are pulling out at what appears more than a reasonable date given the Iraqi governments failure to control political and sectarian violence in the country. This is consistent with the 2006 Congressional elections when a majority of the public expressed their desire for troop withdrawal, sooner rather than later. The President promises to veto the bill.

This is a good thing. This forces everyone in Congress to state his or her views on Iraq. That will be useful information in 2008. Let’s see who plans to get elected on an open ended proposal to continue military operations in Iraq. Let’s see who wants to thwart the will of the citizens.

Each day events in Iraq refute attempts by supporters of the Iraq Occupation to give a clear statement of the mission in Iraq or show any substantive progress. Many supporters of the occupation fall back on the old standby that this is merely Bush bashing and left wing media manipulation. They have not fooled anyone with the ruse. Those who oppose further occupation, from across the political spectrum, may have many different reasons for pulling out, but the call for withdrawal grows louder each day because the reasons for doing so grow each day.

The rationale the Bush Administration continues to use is that leaving will create a safe haven for attacks against the US. Yet staying in Iraq creates a recruiting and training ground for those who would attack the US. The mission sustains itself: create the situation you attempt to eliminate. The move is either irrational or designed to be self-sustaining.

The Conservative movement that lobbied vociferously for the invasion and occupation lies in tatters. The camp supporting President can no longer call their selves Conservatives, for they are the remnants of the group who blindly idolize President Bush no matter what he does.

The Conservative movement, always a coalition adept at banding together to promote disparate causes, has now split apart. One searches for a coherent policy coming from the Bush Administration. One finds a policy designed to invest President Bush with unprecedented power and reward business, political, and right thinking religious cronies. Power and cronyism rule.

Meanwhile, violence and destruction reign in Iraq. The assault against prudent governance, basic rights and freedoms, and democracy continue at home.

Iraq is a country headed for third world status despite sitting atop one of greatest pools of oil wealth in the world. Yet some don’t care about that, for they have to prove they were right either through convoluted logic or force of arms.