War In Iraq... One Year Later

Abel Tamez The War on Iraq… One Year Later It has been a year since the war on Iraq and we have now captured Saddam Hussein, but we still have not found any WMDs and we are now in a gorilla war with the Iraqi resistance who are kidnapping and sniping the opposition. The approval rating for the war, which was high in the beginning, is now at a 47% approval rating thanks to Senator Kerry. We lose marines every day to control the country just so Iraq can have a democratic free nation. If that isn’t enough, in the middle of a major troop rotation, there is a last ditch fight in Fallujah with the Shiite Militiamen under the control of Muqtada Al Sadr. Get this wrong and it is the beginning to the end of America’s role in the country. Get it right, and Al Sadr will become a has-been giving President Bush a little breathing room to finish the June 30th deadline. But wait… we are also in a middle of a presidential race and Senator Kerry, who is in the Democratic running, is blaming the Republicans on everything that has happened so far calling the war another Vietnam. Thanks to Senator Kerry the world is looking and listening very carefully on what he has to say. How foolish can Senator Kerry and his Democratic party be by talking too much negativity against the war? Is he doing this to get votes for the upcoming election without regard of the outcome? Let us not forget that it was the Democrats who could have prevented this whole mess by assassinating Bin Laden back when Bill Clinton was president (USA Today Clinton Rejects…P1). It is the typical slanderous race you see when politicians race against each other, but Senator Kerry is also slamming President Bush on the war in Iraq, claiming he would not have handled it like President Bush. If you consider the fact that

Senator Kerry voted against the war, he is probably right. If we leave Iraq like Senator Kerry wants us too, Iraq would be in shambles, leaving the country helpless for someone maybe worse than Saddam to take it over. President Bush tells us that if we move to fast, the wrong people could get elected in office (Rachelle Marshall Bush Promises Democracy… p6). Senator Kerry is also calling this another Vietnam stating this war should not have started to begin with and we are losing too many soldiers for this particular effort. This is probably why Senator Kerry tells the American people other Presidents and Prime Ministers from other countries want him as the next president or could it be these officials want him there because they could get away with the evil plots awaiting us without any resolution from the future President Kerry. Either way, one man has tried so far. During a major troop rotation for the U.S. military, Muqtada Al Sadr tried to be that man. Muqtada Al Sadr is a radical cleric claiming to be the champion of all the Shiites and is considered to be the spoiler for the nominal sovereignty take over given to the Iraqi government by June 30th. So what does he want from us? He wants us out of Iraq so he can claim control. People are following Sadr because they have neither jobs nor food. Since they are desperately looking for someone to voice their frustration, Sadr decided to gather as much men as possible and lead an illegal militia to a Shiite uprising toward coalition forces. The U.S. came back and attacked the city of Fallujah killing around four hundred Iraqis and took control of about a quarter of the city. Fallujah leaders agreed to have ceasefire talks if the U.S. marines withdraw three miles from the city. Though the marines didn’t back up three miles, the ceasefire is happening so humanitarian aid can enter the city. According to Fox news, Sadr is probably regrouping to start fighting again which is what they do. If this is true, that would give a great

2

possibility that he would attempt another uprising later. He has fallen back to Najaf which suggests that he is under pressure from the older, wiser clerics who do not want a civil war Sadr is hoping to provoke (Christopher Dickey War in Iraq ). The U.S. Military have gone and surrounded Najaf to capture Sadr and put an end to the uprising. Sadr issued a statement asserting that “those who do not fight Americans will burn in hell” (Newsweek Iraq’s Troubled Terrain p33.)There is a warrant for Muqtada Al Sadr’s arrest. Senator Kerry has complained that Bush has not spelled out a realistic Iraq exit strategy and has failed to prove that removing Saddam was central to the war on terror. (Howard Fineman The Gospel According to George p20). President Bush calls Kerry’s criticism dangerous and even treasonous. When Kerry said placing the risks and costs of the war were too heavily on Americans, Bush’s campaign chairman Marc Racicot said “the senator’s comments were a failure to remain unified in our efforts when we are at war (Howard Fineman The Gospel According to George p21). On April 13th 2004 President Bush gave an introductory eighteen minute televised speech of why we need to be in Iraq. It was his chance to fight back on all the negative publicity Senator Kerry put out to the American people. After the speech he answered questions from journalists. Bush said a free society will spread in the Middle East to stop terrorism. “It is the greatest gift in the world and it is our obligation to help those to achieve a free society.” Bush said we must remain steadfast and strong because a free society is a hopeful society. He also said we will complete the job in Iraq. He was asked if he failed communicating his message and he his response was that the American people will choose on Election Day who can and who will lead the terror on Iraq.

3

President Bush is anxious to turn over the reins to Iraq so it could not be an issue in the 2004 elections. He blames the slow transition on the religious and ethnic tension in Iraq because most Shiites want an Islamic state. President Bush is trying to appoint an organized committee in each of Iraq’s eighteen provinces. This will set up selection caucuses and the caucuses will choose municipal and regional councils which in turn appoints members of a legislature. The new legislature would then appoint a prime minister. This plan will give the U.S. and the Iraqi Governing Council control over the selection process. According to the Bush article, the Iraqis and the Palestinians claim it is the lack of credibility and the skepticism on the part of an administration who maintains alliances with corrupt countries like the former Soviet Republic, support of brutal warlords in Afghanistan, and giving generous support to Israel. It is also said that Iraqi civilians are still being stopped and/or shot at military checkpoints, homes are still being raided, and there is widespread unemployment caused by the Iraqi army being dismantled, and the firing of low-level Ba’athists from their jobs. Some feel the new regime will be “stooges with each ministry controlled by American officials and with its stooge army and stooge police run by Americans” (John Pilger Get Out Now p12). One thing is for sure, the Shiites, the Sunnis, and the Kurds have to find a way to co-exist. Failure to do so could lead to a civil war. A law getting ready to pass is the Transitional Law. It carefully lays out a federal system with checks and balances and many individual liberties close to the U.S. Bill of Rights. It guarantees freedom of speech, religion, privacy and assembly, and an indeendent judiciary. It also gives close attention to the rule of law and private property,

4

which should boost long-term growth. “It sets a firm foundation for economic and political institutions that can support a modern market economy” (Robert Barro A Step in the…P30). When it comes to the Economic plan, Senator Kerry said his plan is to create 10 million jobs in his first term. He claims President Bush lost over 18 thousand jobs so far, but in fact those jobs were lost during the 9/11 event. In fact, Bush turned it around by creating more jobs bringing down the unemployment from 6.6% to 5.5% giving the last six months a record high. Kerry said instead of a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans (earning 200 thousand a year or more) he would tax them. This would help the middle class by lowering Medi-Care prices and give small businesses a better tax break giving the employees a chance to be covered by medical insurance. Kerry claimed that Bush does not know the economy and has failed to develop a plan for economic recovery. The Bush campaign said it would take 1 trillion dollars over the next five years and taxes would have to be raised to do Senator Kerry’s economic plan. It is the wrong message to say negative things because the enemy could take it the wrong way. Bush said we will succeed because the idea of failure is not an option. We will not back down. The strategy will be met by the June 30th deadline with Iraqis having full control of the country by December 2005. If Iraq is allowed to become a failed state, it is very likely the terrorist will make that country a breeding ground for future U.S. attacks. Whether the war is right or wrong, Senator Kerry should side with our country and not go against it. To think of the idea of gaining votes by using a negative strategy against the war would work is foolish. It not only splits the country into two sides of the issue, but it can give the enemy the idea to strike us in an attempt to brake us apart even

5

further. While Kerry is trying to win popular votes, Bush is doing what is right for the country. Even Bill Clinton said “during dangerous times we may prefer a leader who is strong and wrong to one who is weak and right” (Perry Beacon Counting the Days P35).Our next president has to choose his actions for the good of the country and not what will reelect him on the next term. The future for Iraq is unclear. To understand the present, America must understand their past. The current insecurity and guerrilla activity In Iraq are linked by the mistakes given by the U.S., like failure to prepare properly for post war Iraq or leaving arms dumps behind so the Iraqis could loot the pile and bury them for future attacks. As Kerry criticizes Bush for most of his war efforts, other Democratic officials are now pleased on the way things have turned out. Although Senator Kerry has convinced some people to vote for him, the majority sees him as a foolish man for using the war as a stepping stone to the presidential seat. Is it another Vietnam? Only if Kerry got away with making the public go against the war in the hopes of protests and the like. Actually, at this point of the race, it could be his downfall to the presidential seat. Know matter what we see or hear it is our responsibility to know who we elect.

6