I think a very important observation is this statement:
“Another important dimension in this confrontation, largely ignored, regards Sadr’s rhetoric about [the] security situation in Basra. The anti-Multinational Force powers always blamed British troops for insecurity in the province prior to their withdrawal.
Now it must be asked in a loud clear voice – who’s responsible for insecurity now that British troops are gone?”
It is important to extrapolate that observation to the situation in Iraq as a whole. There are many people who say that the cause of instability and violence in Iraq right now is our mere presence, and that if we, the “occupiers,” left, then there would be no reason for conflict in Iraq to continue. Therefore, the violence would drop just as a function of our departure. This position is taken by people like Sadr, people like Bin Laden, and also by far left liberals in the U.S. (funny how often one can find this kind of commonality between these groups).
All of the groups of people who push this sentiment have alterior motives. None of them truly believe that our pre-mature departure would lead to stability in Iraq. In the case of Sadr, this sentiment is part of their strategy to gain power. In the case of far left liberals, it is based on their desire for the Iraq policy to fail.
I’m particularly interested in the latter. To me, it shows how little the “get out now” crowd actually cares about the Iraqi people. I think they are smart enough to understand the repurcussions of leaving a power vacuum in the country. They just don’t care. They are quick to point out their usually highly inflated “statistics” about the number if Iraqis killed as a result of this war. But, they couldn’t care less if that number were to increase ten-fold as a result of our abandonment of the country–as long as we get out. They couldn’t care less if Iraq returned to dictatorship after a long and brutal period of anarchy, as long as we get out. They couldn’t care less if our departure opened the door for a regional war between Iran and Saudi Arabia with Iraq caught in the middle, as long as we get out.
So, this brings us back to Basra. If the British “occupation” was the reason for the unrest and conflict, then why are we dealing with this difficult problem there now long after the British have left? And, why would Iraq as a whole, especially Baghdad, be any different? No, this is evidence that we need to finish the job. Regardless of whether you agreed or disagreed with the war, the fact is that the decision was made by our Executive and Legislative branches five years ago, and we have a responsibility to see it through, even if it takes another five years before the Iraqis can take full control. The alternative is unacceptable.
