Aha! Now we’re seeing the real reason that George W pushed us into his Iraq war.
For years, Bush has hopped from one rational to another, ranging from scare tactics (They’ve got WMDs!) to altruistic appeals (We’re bringing democracy to those poor people). But lately, it has become apparent that the Bushites’ reason for being there is, simply, to be there… and stay there. Their goal was to establish in Iraq a U.S.-dependent government willing to be the base for our long term military presence in this oil-rich region.
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This turns out not to be as simple as they’d thought. Just as Bush & Company grossly misunderstood what they were getting us into with their invasion, so have they grossly miscalculated the willingness of the Iraqi people to tolerate imperialistic designs on their land. With the clock ticking on their White House lease, the Bushites (including George himself) have been furiously lobbying Iraq’s leaders to sign an agreement that keeps our military there for the long haul and opens up their oil fields to Western corporations.
But Iraqis are not buying it and, to Bush’s astonishment, are not acting at all like puppets. Indeed, Iraqis of all political, religious, and sectarian stripes are unified on one goal: waving bye-bye to our military. Thank you, they’re saying, but now we’ll take over. Indeed, Iraqi leaders have written their sentiments in flashing neon by embracing Sen. Barack Obama’s timetable for withdrawal. How soon should that be? “As soon as possible,” said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, declaring that Obama’s plan for doing it in 16 months is “the right timeframe.”
It’s their country, after all. It’s time for them to take responsibility for their future, and they are. The only ones wanting to keep our forces in their business are the Bushites and Big Oil – and that’s no reason at all for us to stay.
“Maliki supports Obama plan for withdrawal,” Austin American Statesman, July 20, 2008.
“As Obama leaves Afghanistan for Iraq, war plans fuel critics,” Austin American Statesman, July 21, 2008.
“Heed Iraqis’ call for withdrawal,” Austin American Statesman, July 12, 2008.
“Obama’s troop withdrawal plan appears to align with Iraqis,” Austin American Statesman, July 22, 2008.
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