We’ve Won In Iraq; Now, Let’s Not Lose

Almost the entire public discussion and debate over Iraq is misfocused, and ill serves Americans and American interests. Consequently, the public’s and more politicians’ patience is growing thinner, and even what we’ve accomplished – which is substantial – risks going down the drain.

The most appalling thing about the Democrats’ and their media allies approach to Iraq is their obsession with 2003. It’s as if all they’d be able to talk of after Normandy in 1944 was the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The most appalling thing about the Republicans’ and alternative media allies approach to Iraq is their obsession with a future reshaped Middle East, or playing defense against the latest Democrat produced slanted negativism. It’s as if all they’d be able to talk of after Normandy was the design of the United Nations, or who the guests should be at victory parades.

Intelligence failures and reducing them in the future are important, although many are less so as we delve into the captured documents. But, debate over them is little for that purpose, more to score partisan points.

Planning for a safer and maybe better world is important, as more planning for post-invasion would have been. But, debate over the coming dynamics hinges and should more on current realities than hopes.

The simple fact on the ground is that we’ve certainly accomplished our minimal, although major, objectives in Iraq: Its potential for WMD’s, for sponsoring terror, for threatening its neighbors is ended, and for centralized Sunni repression and murder are ended. The Iraqis have been given the time, guidance and resources to forge their own, more benign and beneficial future. Its neighbors similarly, plus the spurring example of the necessity to more equitably modernize.

The simple fact on the ground is that they must complete the job, however that may be. The United States’ remaining contribution is only to back them up as we edge them from the nest.

Everyone knows the United States will reduce its forces in Iraq. As did Nixon, it’s time for President Bush to make that explicit, and with the expected timetable. Most agree that includes a move toward 100,000 troops by end of 2006, and toward 25-50,000 by 2008.

Domestic rancor will be reduced, at least among those not dedicated to defeat. The Iraqis will be stimulated to hasten their arrangements.

Nixon’s plan would have worked, indeed did, except for his Watergate downfall leading to the left’s surge in Congress undercutting it all fatally. We won in Vietnam, only to lose it.

President Bush may not suffer a Watergate, and his term be completed. But, absent a refocus of Americans’ and Washington’s attention on the victory we’ve already won, some slip can lead to losing it, again.