"I confess to being haunted by the recent observation of Bernard Lewis that the retreat of the United States from Iraq will establish throughout the world the perception that “America is harmless as an enemy and treacherous as an ally.” Such an outcome cannot be good for America and cannot be good for the world.I join in his prayer.
The New York Times editorial the next day held no surprises: “President Bush told Americans last night that failure in Iraq would be a disaster. The disaster is Mr. Bush’s war, and he has already failed. . . . Without a real plan to bring [the war] to a close, there is no point in talking about jobs programs and military offensives. There is nothing ahead but even greater disaster in Iraq.”
The editors do not say that they fear the policy will fail. With an air of supreme confidence they predict, as they have been predicting all along, that the U.S. will fail in Iraq. The editors have a steep stake in the vindication of their predictions. The editors want the U.S. to fail. This is vile.
Those less captive to partisan passion know that this is not “Mr. Bush’s war” but America’s war. All the mistakes notwithstanding, it was initiated for justifiable ends. I believe we are morally obliged to pray that it will be concluded in a manner that will benefit the people of Iraq and the greater Middle East and will not bring discredit upon America and its necessary role in the world. I earnestly wish I could be more confident of how that prayer will be answered."
And, I agree this is America's war. In our system of political economy, one man, even the President, cannot take America to war by himself. Congress passed the Iraq War Powers Resolution, and absent that act by Congress the country's military forces would not be in Iraq today.
In some ways, I'm not so sure we have things quite right when we say Iraq is America's war at this point in time. America's war with Iraq began as a war against the government of Iraq. The government we went to war against was defeated. In the place of that defeated government we now have a new constitutionally elected government of Iraq. America is not at war with Iraq's government today. Instead, today, it seems to me America has committed itself to help provide the means by which the new government of Iraq can be successful in providing security for it's people. The acts of war and aggression today in Iraq seem to me to involve at least some people of Iraq attempting to topple the constitutionally elected government of Iraq, and also people who are agents of other countries (or even people without a country) seeking to topple the constitutionally elected government of Iraq. At this stage, my guess is that if America decides to no longer aid the new government of Iraq in providing security for the country, the result will at least be that the constitutionally elected government of Iraq will be destroyed. At this point, I hope our American leaders do not decide that it is best for America to let that happen.
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I think that we can, with certainty, say that this is America's war. By this I mean that we are, once again, at a time in our magnificent history where we face another resolve. Either we can come together and offer as much support and prayer as we should, or we can argue and bicker about what our role is in the world.
I agree that the war is over and that we are now there to help the Iraq's keep hold of their fledgling government. It is with great sadness and anger that we have a congress and press that does not seem to want us to succeed in this mission. As Thomas P.M. Barnett has commented several times, we did a great job winning the first war (toppling Sadam's regieme), but we have a way to go in nation building efforts.
I to join in prayer that God will give his blessing upon this endeavour. However, I am more confident than Richard John Neuhaus in how God will answer our prayer.
I believe that God has chosen this nation to accomplish his works. Although we have sinned in the eyes of our Lord, I believe God still has a purpose for each of us- individually and as a nation. Ihope that each of us, while talking with our Father, that we remember to listen to His Spirit. Often times I wonder if we can have peace in this crazy world, but then I hear God whisper my name, telling me that I am His own, and reassuring me that He will use me, and this Nation He created, to do His will. This I am certain.
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