We left Iraq long before we should have; Iraq has no history of democracy. With our armed forces in the country for another decade or so (like we did in Germany and Japan after WWII) we could turn over most of the fighting to the Iraqis, but we’d be there with both expertise and power. Iraq will certainly return to its old form of government—dictatorship, and most likely be under the control of a nuclear Iran. All our blood shed for nothing.
The same is true in Afghanistan. The war is far from over and their national government is one of the most corrupt in the world. Our troops are doing a great job and local government is working and doing a credible job, but we’re decades away from seeing them able to stand on their own. Now that we’re in cut-n-run mode over there, why would any intelligent Afghan work with us. We’re going to abandon them to the Taliban in a year or so; the Taliban is not nice to those locals who work with us now. What do you think they’ll be like to those folks once we’re gone. While most Afghans understand that what we offer is much better for them (we build schools for their kids; the Taliban blow them up) they also know that we’re leaving and the Taliban is not.
Given that we have an announced cut-n-run policy we simply cannot be successful over there. Their people going nuts over the burning of a already damaged Quran (it had writing in it—notes from one prisoner to another—this is forbidden) is one proof that the people know which side of the bread the butter is on. That one of our troops went out and shot up some Afghans is proof that things are falling apart big time. Our troops now have a higher suicide rate than the civilian population—perhaps because they know they’re being asked to risk being wounded or killed for nothing. The Taliban, thus Iran, is going to win there, and everyone knows it.
It’s time now to get out. Let’s not waste another drop of blood of our brave troops or another dollar on a war we’ve already decided to lose.
