The Illusion Of Iraq Independence

"It looks like they're pulling the troops out of Iraq," said a woman pleased with the belief the U.S. is withdrawing from Iraq. This is a common misunderstanding.

"Actually," I replied, "They're just pulling them out of the major cities. Think of it as if Iraq occupied the U.S. and pulled their soldiers from Los Angeles. But instead of leaving, they put those soldiers in the San Fernando Valley, the South Bay and in Orange County, surrounding Los Angeles."

The U.S. still has 130,000 soldiers and 132,000 mercenaries in Iraq, which is over a quarter of a million people. But to create the illusion of a troop withdrawal, it is starting to redefine many of them as "trainers" and "advisers." Meanwhile U.S. air power remains free to rain hell down from the skies as it always has.

The U.S. military claims it handed over 142 bases to the Iraqis, but with no fanfare it continues to occupy 320 more. It also will continue to occupy the Green Zone in the heart of Baghdad.

Why would the U.S. government mislead the American public? Because after all of the killing and massive sums of money spent it wants to show progress in Iraq, even if progress is actually just less death and destruction as the Iraqi people live in a U.S. military lock down.

Yet under President Obama, the U.S. creates the illusion of Iraq as an independent nation. But Iraq is no more independent than the U.S. would be if Great Britain's military still occupied it. The Iraqi Constitution is no more Iraqi than the U.S.'s would be if Great Britain helped to write it.

What is the answer? Mr. Obama could call for a cease fire and invite all of the major parties in to negotiate a peace agreement. And when that agreement is signed, the U.S. would leave. For its invasion has brought hell on earth to the Iraqi people who in the end must be free to determine their own destiny.

As for you and me, we must never forget they are our brethren. Their children are our children and what the U.S. has done to them is unconscionable. They have no voice in America but you and I do and in the name of humanity, we must raise it to rescue them.

Dick