The Current Status of the Conflict in Iraq

[Don Corleone]

I think it's still on the fence. Clearly, we're doing a better job managing the insurgency, and reducing the violence against our troops. But that's a current condition, not a goal.

The Administration said the goals for the Invasion of Iraq were, in order:

1) Stop Saddam Hussein from using WMD's against us. (Thus far, I'm unaware of any credible imminent threats which were thwarted by our invasion & occupation, but clearly, he won't be using any WMD's against us anytime soon. Done.).

2) Stop Saddam Hussein from developing a nuclear weapon (Ditto, but again, done).

3) Stop Saddam Hussein from spreading terrorism around the region, particularly his support of Al-Queda. (While Hussein's ties to Al Queda are ethereal at best, clearly Al Queda has not been weakened by the war in Iraq. They have occupied their efforts in the Middle East, and therefore, domestic security has been maintained in the US. Train bombings in Madrid and subway bombings in London clearly indicate they do retain their external striking power. Mixed.).

4) Stop Saddam Hussein from victimizing his people. (Done, with the caveat that now, the individual ethnic groups and religious sects are victimizing each other, so a net wash, and the average Iraqi isn't much better off. If the goal was to improve the security and rights of the average Iraqi, Not done.).

5) Install a self-sustaining democracy based on serving the needs of the people.(Miserable failure.).

So in looking at the administration's scorecard, they've accomplished 2 goals out of 5 in 5 years.

Tactically, our troops have fought valiantly and done much more with much less than I would have thought possible. I still think if for no other reason, Rumsfeld should face treason charges for not spending the money to fully arm, equip and adquately staff our overseas presence. Making guys take scraps off of old vehicles to try to bulletproof their jeeps is pathetic.

Strategically however, we are still slipping in the mud and have shown little signs of progress towards our goals. Maybe McCain was a bit free with the use of the term '100 years or more', but I personally see no end in sight.

[macsen rufus]

1) Stop Saddam Hussein from using WMD's against us. (Thus far, I'm unaware of any credible imminent threats which were thwarted by our invasion & occupation, but clearly, he won't be using any WMD's against us anytime soon. Done.).

2) Stop Saddam Hussein from developing a nuclear weapon (Ditto, but again, done).

3) Stop Saddam Hussein from spreading terrorism around the region, particularly his support of Al-Queda. (While Hussein's ties to Al Queda are ethereal at best, clearly Al Queda has not been weakened by the war in Iraq. They have occupied their efforts in the Middle East, and therefore, domestic security has been maintained in the US. Train bombings in Madrid and subway bombings in London clearly indicate they do retain their external striking power. Mixed.).

4) Stop Saddam Hussein from victimizing his people. (Done, with the caveat that now, the individual ethnic groups and religious sects are victimizing each other, so a net wash, and the average Iraqi isn't much better off. If the goal was to improve the security and rights of the average Iraqi, Not done.).

5) Install a self-sustaining democracy based on serving the needs of the people.(Miserable failure.).

So in looking at the administration's scorecard, they've accomplished 2 goals out of 5 in 5 years.

I think scoring that at 2 out of 5 is being very generous - the 2 "scores" were paper tigers in the first place. You might as well claim points for eradicating all of Iraq's unicorns as well.

[Don Corleone]

I think scoring that at 2 out of 5 is being very generous - the 2 "scores" were paper tigers in the first place. You might as well claim points for eradicating all of Iraq's unicorns as well.

Hmm, and here I thought I qualified that very point during my discussion of progress on goals. Silly me.

[Odin]

You might as well claim points for eradicating all of Iraq's unicorns as well.

Yes, thats going to be on a plaque in the Bush library in a few years.