2005 Year in Review

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Iraq: Endless war

Ben Franklin once said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." There is no change in policy or strategy in President Bush's speech on the war in Iraq.

There was nothing much new in President Bush's speech on Iraq last night. It appears that the US will be there for a long time. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld thinks it might take 10 or more years.

Despite the problems in Iraq, President Bush is making no major changes in the approach to the insurgency. No more troops, which many Senators think is necessary. No timetable to withdraw troops. No new military or diplomatic changes. More of the same.

Susan Rice makes an interesting point:

Ok, maybe I’m just slow. But, every time for the last couple years when Bush said “we are fighting the terrorists abroad so we don’t have to fight them at home,” I’ve cussed and spat: “Stop insulting our intelligence!!!” We know Al Qaeda is a multi-headed hydra with cells in some 60 countries, including our own. Just because we are fighting jihadists in Afghanistan or Iraq doesn’t mean they cannot and will not attack us here. It’s not like 9/11 took a lot of men, or money, or was a high-tech attack.

That's a good question: Why would having 140,000 American troops tied down in Iraq keep 20 motivated, fanatical terrorists from attacking airplanes with a few sharp instruments?

Also, President Bush's rationale for the war would mean that we will be in endless war. As Rice says, "If the Administration genuinely believes we must fight overseas to stay safe at home, we are in for perpetual war abroad."

by John Legler, Guest Columnist
June 29, 2005