More of More of the Same

Many alternate news articles are describing the situation that appears to be arising with the announcement of a "new" Iraq policy in January.

Most are convinced that Bush will call for a "surge" in troop levels. This is based on the announcements and preachments of those remaining neo-cons who call the American Enterprise Institute, home.

End of the neo-con dream

The size and frequency of the "surge" is unclear. Neo-con worshipper Kristol states that the "surge" will continue on in Iraq for the long haul. This means that the extra 20,000 to 50,000 troops will remain for a long time, not just for a few months.

The main reasoning for the troop "surge" is to attempt to bring stability to Baghdad. Exactly who the troops will fight and exactly how they will go about the process of finding them once they decide who they will fight, still seems rather unclear. Will they fight Shiites, and attempt to bring the Sunnis back into power? But isn't this who was in control of Iraq when the US arrived in a shock and awe death rain party? Or will the Sunnis be the enemy? With Baghdad divided up into tiny sectarian enclaves, how exactly does one pick it apart?

Considering the results of the US occupation up to this point in time, why exactly would this micro surgical warring surge effort work? What major planning achievement has occurred that says, well up to now we didn't do so well but now we're really going to make democratic peace through war bigtime. Apparently most Americans agree, it won't work, with only 12% of the American people wanting more troops in Iraq. The vast majority of Americans want them out within a year, and I suspect most want them out now.

There is one point in all of this that I can't help but repeat to anyone I know. The majority of people that are killed in modern wars are innocent civilians. The estimate is that 85% of those killed in modern wars are innocent people, women, children, old people. Hear me out now. If terrorism is the killing of innocent civilians then using this same definition, all modern war is terrorism. Its pretty simple. Doesn't take a whole lot of leaps of imagination to make the connection. War is terrorism. So, on the most basic level what the hell are we doing in Iraq anyhow?

With the number of troops killed in Iraq now surpassing the number of people killed in the attacks of 9-11, why is the US in Iraq?

My thanks to James Brown, the man who figured out the funk.