As of this month, the United States has been occupying Iraq 5 years after the invasion over WMD that did not exist. And as of this date, neither Bush nor Defense Secretary Gates can tell the American people when or how this war and occupation will end nor has there ever been a timeline set for withdrawal.
Now, as reported by the New York Times, Gates has urged Turkey's military to abandon its invasion of Northern Iraq in those area's controlled by the PKK. Gates is concerned the invasion by Turkey could widen into a broader and bloodier conflict. (Does that sound familiar?) He also said the Turks should make this operation as short as possible. He added that "as short as possible" means in terms of a week or two and certainly not months. He also demanded a strict timeline for the Turkish operation to end.
Can this administration be any more arrogant or hypocritical? Bush and Gates are looking to extend our involvement in Iraq beyond 5 years. Let's not forget, our invasion and occupation has already caused a wider war and lured al Qaeda in to Iraq. This administration preaches one thing and does something else. Now it wants a Turkish timeline to withdraw, but no U.S. timeline; not even talk of a timeline. It is now impossible for this administration to ever claim any competence at all.
In the meantime, Americans are still being killed and wounded in Iraq. 23 of our Troops died in December 2007 and 38 were killed in January 2008. Sadly, the administration is still talking about how the death toll is dropping, but they don't mention the escalation in January. Gates replaced Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, but nothing has changed concerning Bush's incompetent war policy in Iraq. And sadly, the front runner for the Republican nomination, John McCain would continue this failed and incompetent policy, possibly for another 100 years. Our men and women in uniform deserve better. America deserves better. Our people deserve better.
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