Indiana Political Review

The commentary on Iraq has been decidedly one-sided on this blog thus far. Let us address that now.

I will say that at least my view of Iraq is conflicted. I do not share Birdy’s crystal clear vision of the evils of American (neo-conservative) foreign policy and am left with a much more ambiguous view of things. In the interest of full disclosure, I supported the invasion of Iraq from the beginning. And, like most everyone else my ongoing support for the war has waxed and waned in proportion to the news coming from Iraq. In the days following the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Washington D.C., when the government invaded Afghanistan, I was heard to say, “Excellent. We should start in Afghanistan and don’t stop until we reach the Nile.” Such is the rhetoric born of nationalistic rage. To me, it was very clear that we had been attacked because our culture is unacceptable to the extremists of their culture. It was a clash between the West and Islam. And, they (foolishly to my mind) started it. I simply proposed we take up the challenge and finish it.

One of the best comments from that time, which captured my mood, was a comment by that lightning rod of controversy, Ann Coulter that went something along these lines: ”Why can’t we take over their country, take their oil and convert them to Christianity?” Note: She has made similar comments in a number of places, but I heard it on Sean Hannity’s radio program and have been unable to find the exact quote.

There is an article in the London Review of Books that follows along these lines. I hope he’s right. At least that would lay waste to one of Birdy’s main arguments against our occupation of Iraq, namely that it doesn’t serve the vital national interests of the United States. Taking their oil would certainly being in our national interest and, it seems to me, it is the least the Iraqis could do to repay us for their newfound freedom. Getting a purple thumb does not come without costs.

Finally, I saw another excellent piece that is sure to spin Birdy through the roof. It is one of the best apologies for the war that I think I’ve seen. Here is just a taste:

The question of what to do in Iraq today must be separated from the decision to topple Saddam Hussein four and a half years ago. That decision is a matter for historians. By any normal ethical standard, the coalition’s current project in Iraq is a just one. Britain, America and Iraq’s other allies are there as the guests of an elected government given a huge mandate by Iraqi voters under a legitimate constitution. The UN approved the coalition’s role in May 2003, and the mandate has been renewed annually since then, most recently this August. Meanwhile, the other side in this war are among the worst people in global politics: Baathists, the Nazis of the middle east; Sunni fundamentalists, the chief opponents of progress in Islam’s struggle with modernity; and the government of Iran. Ethically, causes do not come much clearer than this one.

Some just wars, however, are not worth fighting. There are countries that do not matter very much to the rest of the world. Rwanda is one tragic example; and its case illustrates the immorality of a completely pragmatic foreign policy. But Iraq, the world’s axial country since the beginning of history and all the more important in the current era for probably possessing the world’s largest reserves of oil, is no Rwanda. Nor do two or three improvised explosive devices a day, for all the personal tragedy involved in each casualty, make a Vietnam.

There is plenty more to that article and I hope Mr. Bull is correct in his analysis. It would mean that things are set to wind down in Iraq so that we can get on with the business of exploiting their natural resources.

Oh, and as far as our progess toward the Nile?
Afghanistan…Check!
Iran…[Check back later]
Iraq…Check!
Saudi Arabia…

We seem to be hopscotching around a bit (I would have worked in order so as to simplify supply lines), but it may be that my kneejerk foreign policy formulated on 9/12 is being played out as time goes on.