Stop Calling It War!
Copyright © 2008 Bob Persons
August 28, 2008
Iraq's insistence on the withdrawal of American troops:
- If it's to provide 'fire-fight' support for Iraqi troops under fire,
this is not war.
- If it's to be 'peace keepers', this is not war.
- Most of our allies (the so-called 'coalition of the willing') have
left, without declaring 'victory' or 'defeat.' Only some in America
insist on these terms.
- Iraq doesn't appear to be defining the course of events based on
notions of 'victory' or 'defeat.' Why should we?
If this is not war, then John McCain's insistence on 'victory' is
meaningless.
'Withdrawal' does not have to mean zero American troops in Iraq. It can
mean no combat role for American troops. This is not 'defeat'. It is
recognizing the reality that our original mission is over:
- Find and destroy Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. (There were
none.)
- Cut Saddam's ties to al Qaida. (There were none.)
- Capture Saddam. (Done, 5 yrs ago).
That 'war' ended 5 years ago, with 'victory'. What is left is not war.
It's an occupation intended to force Iraq into a mold of our making.
Everything becomes much clearer if we stop calling it war.
- Lone Coyote Calls
