Ignominy in Iraq

Just a few months ago, the President declared victory and an end to major combat operations in Iraq. Yet this week US forces had one of its bloodiest weeks there sustaining 32 casualties. As someone who supported the war and a staunch liberal interventionist, I accept some of the rationale for attacking Iraq (the absolute lack of WMD notwithstanding). However, what I cannot and will not tolerate is this administrations abysmal failure to plan for a post war Iraq.

Whether the Bushies really believed that the Iraqi people would universally welcome us with open arms or that the world community would rush in to Iraq to lend a hand is somewhat irrelevant. Any good planner takes into consideration flaws and potential failures of the primary strategy. All evidence points to a complete absence of alternate planning on the part of this administration. And, if the Bushies had relied on the warm regard of the Iraqi people or the good spiritedness of the world community, they are certainly guilty of more than just a bit of misunderestimation (as the President would say).

How much longer will the American public tolerate the sight of her sons and daughters coming home in flag draped caskets?

This administration has failed to provide the resources necessary to maintain peace in Iraq, which has jeopardized the lives of our servicemen and women. The Bushies have instead tried to change the channel to focus attention on what little positive economic news we have had this week. But as more and more of our soldiers are killed, no amount of economic recovery will erase the picture of a flag draped casket being lowered into the ground and a young widow and her baby crying at the side of the grave. It is an indelible image and one that the American people will carry with them into the voting booths next November.