Withdrawal from Iraq

As a general rule, I try to avoid politics as much as possible. My strength is warfare. Politics and warfare do not mix well at all, and I just do not understand politics very well. However, politics impacts the war effort.

A year and a half ago, Senator Obama had wanted a withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by 3/31/08. Seeing as he is one of my senators from Illinois, I wrote to him about his idea. I began with a little history:

After England had ended the war against the colonists in America, they sent their fleet to withdraw not only the troops. Many colonists had been against the Revolution; many had even fought on the English side. (Tories) Some of their lives were at stake, and many just did not want to live here anymore. England took care of their people. Today, I would expect mass murder in Iraq if we left. It would only be right for us to protect them and clean up our own mess. I was asking Senator Obama that if we did withdraw, he would ensure that ALL of those who wanted to leave are given transportation out of Iraq.

This would entail a number of problems. Actual transportation would be an issue depending upon how many people actually wanted to leave. In addition, how would we know if someone really wanted to leave, or if they were looking to infiltrate the areas that these people would be going to? ‘Extremists’ could hide within the group. Then we have the problem of where would they go.

If the past would serve as any indication, the Arab world would reject the idea of any of these people coming to their lands. My argument to Senator Obama was that if no other government would take them in, it would be our responsibility to accept them within our own country. The numbers could be enormous. I wanted the Senator to know that despite this, we should still do it. I have my doubts that the Senator would go to the extent that I am demanding.

Once again, if the past serves as an indication, we would abandon them like in Vietnam and leave them to their fate. I find this idea repulsive. I find the entire idea of withdrawal from Iraq repulsive, not to mention dangerous. The South Vietnamese government lasted 2 years after we left. After it fell and the ‘enemy’ settled the score internally, they left the U.S. alone. It boils down to this: Do you believe that if the government of Iraq were to fall to the ‘insurgents’, the new government would leave the U.S. alone like Vietnam did?