Four years ago, the United States invaded Iraq.
by Tom Engelhardt
Four years ago, the United States invaded Iraq. It’s the anniversary few want to remember; and yet, for all the disillusionment in this country, getting out of Iraq doesn’t exactly seem to be on the agenda either. Not really. Here’s a little tip, when you want to assess the “withdrawal” proposals being offered by members of Congress. If what’s being called for is a withdrawal of American “combat troops” or brigades, or forces, then watch out. “Combat troops” turns out to be a technical term, covering less than half of the American military personnel actually in Iraq.
Here’s a simple argument for withdrawal from Iraq (suggested recently in a reader’s email to this site) — and not just of those “combat troops” either. The military newspaper Stars and Stripes reports that, in January 2007, attacks on American troops surged to 180 a day, the highest rate since Baghdad fell in 2003, and double the previous year’s numbers. Let’s take that as our baseline figure.Now, get out your calculator: There are 288 days left in 2007. Multiply those by 180 attacks a day — remembering that the insurgents in Iraq are growing increasingly skilled and using ever more sophisticated weaponry — and you get 51,840 more attacks on American troops this year. Add in another 65,700 for next year — remembering that if, for instance, Shiite militias get more involved in fighting American troops at some point, the figures could go far higher — and you know at least one grim thing likely to be in store for Americans if a withdrawal doesn’t happen. (I first wrote a piece at Tomdispatch, “The Time of Withdrawal” back in October 2003, laying out the full reasons why I thought withdrawal was imperative and, unfortunately, it remains grimly relevant three and a half years later.)
http://www.tomdispatch.com/index.mhtml?pid=176493