Iraq Surge or Withdrawal?

Iraq Surge or Withdrawal?

In light of the recent anti-war protest, we have decided to take a look at the war in Iraq and what should be done.

Right World View


As you read this, multiple wars are being fought. The one most muddled in controversy can easily be said to be Iraq. At the time of its start, it seemed necessary. Regardless of the reality of the situation then, this perception led to hostilities. Right or wrong, we cannot go back in time and change what happened and we must make the best of the current situation. So, what is to be done now?

Some say we should drop everything and leave now. This is probably the worst thing we can do. It would show the world that Americans are unwilling to take casualties. As our enemies have said, give the Americans a bloody nose and they will withdraw. Proving them right will only invite further attacks. Don't get me wrong, every American casualty (or that of an innocent bystander) is a tragedy, but they are also virtually unavoidable. Don't think for one second that if we left today the violence would end tomorrow. Leaving before the country is stabilized will ensure continuing conflict with the strong possibility of frequent massacres.

Maintaining the status quo does not seem like a good solution either. Although in the scheme of things, losing a few soldiers a day doesn't jeopardize our national security, that does not mean that it is something that should just be accepted. Everything possible must be done to reduce our long term projection of casualties that, at the same time, won't plunge a vitally important region into massive chaos.

Some things are worth fighting for. The prospect of losses must not deter people from accomplishing what must be done. As mentioned before, casualties are bad, but are also sometime necessary. The "good fight" must be fought.

An increase in troop levels holds the potential to bring this conflict to a favorable resolution. Our overall strategy has to be one of empowering the Iraqis to defend themselves. Before we leave, Iraq must be able to defend itself from without (from Iran in particular) and from within (the insurgents). We should not let Iraq revert to its former state. Stability at the price of freedom is not worth paying. The chaos of freedom is preferable to the stability of mass graves.

As for the war protester, they have a right to protest. It is a right that virtually all Americans cherish even if they elect not to protest themselves. There is something to be said about decency, though. It was reported that some protesters were spitting on a wounded Iraqi war veteran who was counter protesting. That kind of behavior crosses the line. Despite the actions of (hopefully) only a few protesters who crossed that line, protesting itself is generally a healthy form of voicing your opinion. When the conflict does come to an end, protesting is a freedom that Iraqis will hopefully be able to enjoy without fearing a suicide bomber will disrupt their gathering.



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