The democratically elected Iraqi government has demanded the infamous Blackwater company’s private mercenaries get out of Iraq. Has Bush given any consideration to what he will do if (or more likely when) the current or future Iraqi government at some point suddenly demands our “official” troops also leave? Remember, polls and other evidence shows pretty clearly that the overwhelming majority of Iraqi voters want us out. They seem particularly incensed with the unchecked arrogance of the Blackwater employed armed body guards who operate with no legal, ethical or apparently even legal constraints. However, they are only marginally more tolerant of our regular army troops who tend to be culturally illiterate and seldom even reprimanded for overt prisoner abuse, let alone civilian deaths and destruction euphemistically disguised as “collateral damage.”
Has Bush considered the fiasco that would result from us having to effect a hasty total pullout ala Vietnam? To be forced into a precipitous retreat not of our choosing would be to abandon billions, maybe trillions, in valuable assets. On the other hand, to stay in defiance would certainly put the lie to any justification that we were actually there to preserve “democracy” or Iraq “freedom.” It would be akin to Saddam’s demanding to stay in Kuwait after his invasion. It might even give an excuse valid under international for Iran, maybe even the UN, to come into Iraq to help them enforce the decision. Wouldn’t that be a truly ignominious howdy do?
All the presidential candidates had better start considering that possibility or probability in their campaign rhetoric since that debacle would surely be even worse than the one Bush has already enmeshed us. And, since Bush seems incapable of considering alternatives he doesn’t like and is apparently too arrogant to consider risks, it will end up the responsibility and blame of the next President if it happens.
Lucky us.
[More irreverance at resistence-is-possible.blogspot.com]
