20,000 Sacrificial Lambs

Today is the day G Dubya Bush is set to announce his new Iraq war strategy which is expected to include 20,000 more troops. I have never on this site explained my beliefs concerning the Iraq war so before I explain my views on the new plan, allow me to briefly summarize my feelings on the collective as it is.

Since the start I was never comfortable with the Iraq war. I remember watching the sympathy of the world concerning 9/11 quickly fade when Iraq was accused of having weapons of mass destruction. The way the world turned on the U.S. frightened me but didn't surprise me, not because I expected so little from the world but because I couldn't blame them. Here was the U.S. fresh off the largest loss of lives by a foreign attack in history and our President was on TV threatening a country in no way related to our troubles. Part of me was so bitter towards people who believed it, the people who simply recycled the B.S. rhetoric instead of stopping and thinking. In the last few years not a single statement by those supporting the war has turned out to be true. Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam and Osama were not connected, the Iraqi people are not better off and Iraq is certainly not a safer place. So what now?

I wish there was a simple plan to move forward with, things would be a lot easier and the world would be a better place if troops didn't go to Iraq in the first place but now that they are there they have to make something out of it. The administrations biggest mistake was not properly outlining their goals and expectations. Instead we've been spoon fed these ambiguous terms like, "we will leave when the job is done", "stay the course" and other such inadequate bumper sticker quotes. It's as if every single time the administration was given the opportunity to head in the right direction they dropped the ball. The lack of defined expectations have put America in an embarrassing quagmire, if they leave they'll be admitting defeat to the deafening sound of cheering extremists and their supporters. Every anti-U.S. entity will be claiming victory, as they did in Somalia and Lebanon and elsewhere except that this loss has the potential to be the greatest ideological loss in the history of the U.S. Losing this big would hurt more than a sledge hammer to the nuts or losing a wining lottery ticket.

On the other hand If the troops stay they will be committing themselves to what appears to be an un-winable situation that will only succeed in consuming more young American lives every single day. This may also prove to be the first military conflict in the history of the U.S. that damaged the economy as opposed to helping it. No matter how you slice it, its a lose/lose situation. So NO I don't have a solution for you, at this point there is no single good option. The only choice now is to look at the situation and say, "yes, the Administration fouled up in every possible category". If you desire change keep that in mind when you go to the voting booths.

20,000 more troops.

For what? You want me to believe that 20,000 more in addition to the 110,000 are going to make a difference? Supposedly the new plan will include more house sweeps performed by the additional troops. In case you are not educated in military warfare I'll explain the effects of such a plan with this simple and easy to understand formula.....

house to house sweeps + deeply embedded guerrilla warfare = A LOT OF DEAD TROOPS.

And who has G Dubya made commander of GROUND warfare in Iraq? Adm. William Fallon of the U.S. NAVY!!!!! A Navy commander in a nearly land locked country, talk about a fish out of water. I know a guy who builds model sail boats in his basement who would be better qualified. If you're not pissed yet let me tell you this, Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno has stated he doesn't expect the U.S. to withdraw troops for another 2-3 years! Let the Vietnam comparisons mount!