Iraq 101

Link to a piece addressing some of the more common statements about Iraq.

“Our safety does not depend on Iraq.”

In what isolationist pipe dream?

“We should have never gone to Iraq in the first place.”

Using this as a pullout reason is like debating the best course of action during open-heart surgery, then walking out of the operating room without making sure the heart is beating and stitching the patient up.

“We should include Iran and Syria.”

Bashar Assad might be pushed around a bit, but Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will never be a friend, ally, or even cordial with the United States, lest his Islamic street cred be tarnished. Ahmadinejad didn’t visit Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and Rafael Correa over the weekend to play poker, but to cement alliances against the United States.

“We can’t force them to be a democratic country.”

We didn’t exactly force thousands of Iraqis to walk miles down dirt roads and wait for hours for the chance to cast a ballot.

“Polls say we should pull out.”

And military policy should be based on polls?

“The American voters don’t want to be in Iraq.”

Funny, because they reelected George W. Bush, who initiated the Iraq invasion and ran on a platform of staying the course, over John Kerry, the senator who ran on a flip-flop against the war.

“The American public is war-weary.”

So you just surrender?

“Bush just doesn’t want to be embarrassed by losing.”

If he was so concerned about acting with the intent of sparing his feelings, he would have tried to follow poll sentiment and reverse his low numbers a long time ago.

“An automatic pullout would save lives.

It may spare some U.S. soldiers until the emboldened Islamic radicals, backed by the same populace that cheered when the Twin Towers were brought down, proceed with strikes against our foreign installations and here at home.

“The war is all about Big Oil profiting.”

It’s going on four years now and we haven’t swiped Iraq’s oil yet; in fact, Bush’s proposal last week advanced profit-sharing legislation to spread the wealth among Iraqis.

“We’re not even wanted there.”

Sure, Muqtada al-Sadr doesn’t want us there. The Sunnis who love Saddam (but failed to riot en masse after his hanging as predicted) don’t want us there.

“It’s their civil war and we shouldn’t interfere.”

It’s their civil war — being fueled and supplied by the same outside Islamist entities that would like to destroy the West as well.

“How come we aren’t trying to find bin Laden?”

How do you know that we’re not?
It’s also not all about Bin Laden.
... While he should face the music for his crimes, Osama is not some fly-by-night cult leader whose frenzied sect will die with him.

“Why are we spending money to rebuild Iraq when we could build schools here?”

Ever heard of the Marshall Plan?

“The war has turned European sentiment against the U.S.”

Going back to what kids learn in elementary school, since when is doing the popular thing more important than doing the right thing?

“The toll has been too high.”

The U.S. death toll has passed 3,000 after nearly four years. In the three-year Korean War, more than 36,000 Americans were killed.

“We should let the United Nations handle it.”

Because they do so well everywhere else?

“Would you send your child off to fight in Bush’s war?”

This is the U.S., not Uganda, so you’d be hard-pressed to find a child soldier here. Young though they often may be, they are still adults who made a conscious decision to join the military and serve when needed, where needed, and should be respected for their choice.

“Isn’t Kim Jong Il a bigger threat than Saddam was? Why haven’t we taken him out?”

And you know who would be complaining if we did? Everybody who complained about the U.S. going into Iraq!

Bridget Johnson is a columnist at the Los Angeles Daily News. She blogs at GOP Vixen.