Thursday, January 20, 2005
YOU HAVE JUST GOT TO LEARN WHEN TO PULL OUT
It Is Time To Come Home
The National Discussion on Iraq has now entered a new phase. When are we going to pull out? This is a question that should not be decided by the American Government in a unilateral way. We have the safety and the wishes of the Iraqi people to consider. I contend however that with the upcoming elections about to take place it may be time for us to consider packing up and heading home if the reasons we gave, sans WMD, are truthful.
We wanted to eliminate the Sadam Hussein government. We took care of that. We wanted to capture or eliminate Sadam and his sons. We did that as well. We wanted to insure that there was the opportunity for the people to have elections. That is in the works and the first of these elections will be held, as of this writing at the end of January 2005.
After these elections take place it is time for us start giving the country back to whoever won these elections and head for home, because we have provided the Iraqi People with the basics of self-government and that is self-determination. We cannot dictate who or what their government will be.
Self-determination is the gift that we helped them have the ability to exercise. Self-determination is the one basic freedom that once it is secured it is then up to the population that has it to actually uses it for their own benefit. This again does not mean to their own benefit as long as the United States approves of what is decided, but what the majority of the people that inhabit that country want it to be and that takes work and an effort to have understanding of your opposing fellow countryman. The basic lesson that has to be learned is that just because the man next to you does not totally believe in what you do is no reason to kill him. This is one of the few hard lessons we have learned in this country.
No one in their right mind thinks that after the elections in Iraq the losing party will shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, if the majority really wants it, I guess I am wrong and I will let it go and do my best to support the duly elected government.” This just isn’t in the cards for this round. This is the election that will set off in all probability a Civil War in Iraq between the Shiite and the Sunni Factions no matter what peaceful avenues are pursued. With all our faults that the world sees in us there is one thing that can not be denied and we have tried to get other nations to this point. We have taught the world and that is that we can have a change a government in this country with a minimum of gunfire.
Civil War is probably the most horrific type of war there is. When fought by the actual principles and not supported and pushed ahead by outside influences, funding, and intervention, though they can be of the shortest and most effective on outlining a path for a nation to follow. There is something that puts a finality to the argument although one has to wonder out loud as to the wisdom of our species that we cannot seem to learn from lessons learned and avoid this type of conflict.
After this election it will be time to begin our withdrawal and let the people of that country have their self-determination as they see it, not as we would like to see it.
The National Discussion on Iraq has now entered a new phase. When are we going to pull out? This is a question that should not be decided by the American Government in a unilateral way. We have the safety and the wishes of the Iraqi people to consider. I contend however that with the upcoming elections about to take place it may be time for us to consider packing up and heading home if the reasons we gave, sans WMD, are truthful.
We wanted to eliminate the Sadam Hussein government. We took care of that. We wanted to capture or eliminate Sadam and his sons. We did that as well. We wanted to insure that there was the opportunity for the people to have elections. That is in the works and the first of these elections will be held, as of this writing at the end of January 2005.
After these elections take place it is time for us start giving the country back to whoever won these elections and head for home, because we have provided the Iraqi People with the basics of self-government and that is self-determination. We cannot dictate who or what their government will be.
Self-determination is the gift that we helped them have the ability to exercise. Self-determination is the one basic freedom that once it is secured it is then up to the population that has it to actually uses it for their own benefit. This again does not mean to their own benefit as long as the United States approves of what is decided, but what the majority of the people that inhabit that country want it to be and that takes work and an effort to have understanding of your opposing fellow countryman. The basic lesson that has to be learned is that just because the man next to you does not totally believe in what you do is no reason to kill him. This is one of the few hard lessons we have learned in this country.
No one in their right mind thinks that after the elections in Iraq the losing party will shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, if the majority really wants it, I guess I am wrong and I will let it go and do my best to support the duly elected government.” This just isn’t in the cards for this round. This is the election that will set off in all probability a Civil War in Iraq between the Shiite and the Sunni Factions no matter what peaceful avenues are pursued. With all our faults that the world sees in us there is one thing that can not be denied and we have tried to get other nations to this point. We have taught the world and that is that we can have a change a government in this country with a minimum of gunfire.
Civil War is probably the most horrific type of war there is. When fought by the actual principles and not supported and pushed ahead by outside influences, funding, and intervention, though they can be of the shortest and most effective on outlining a path for a nation to follow. There is something that puts a finality to the argument although one has to wonder out loud as to the wisdom of our species that we cannot seem to learn from lessons learned and avoid this type of conflict.
After this election it will be time to begin our withdrawal and let the people of that country have their self-determination as they see it, not as we would like to see it.
