We are now less than five months away from 31 December 2011, the date upon which all American ground troops are supposed to get the fuck out of Iraq. Our government’s stupid, shortsighted and disgraceful pushback against this eminently reasonable and long overdue development is in full swing. Admiral Mike Mullen was in Baghdad yesterday meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, repeating for the thousandth time that if the Iraqis want us to stay then they’ll sure have to say so soon. It’s a pathetic display, akin to a heartsick loser asking over and over if this breakup is really what you want.
But this breakup is very much desired, as evinced by this story in yesterday’s New York Times:
In Iraqi Village, a Raid Sows Distrust of Americans
Eight years into the war, with similar stories still the norm from Afghanistan, one hardly need read the article. Suffice it to say that the phrase “horribly wrong” appears in the second paragraph. Slightly further down is this:
The raid and the deaths prompted outrage on Monday in Parliament and in the local press, and coincide with a continuing debate about the future role of the United States military here. They are likely to provide another rallying point for those opposed to an American troop presence beyond the end of the year, when the military is required, under current agreements, to withdraw completely.
Sadly, last night the Iraqi Parliament decided to go ahead and let al-Maliki negotiate with us over terms that would allow some American forces to stay. Happily, there is still a rather thorny sticking point: immunity for American troops. It’s a concept that stretches back to the earliest days of European colonialism, the idea that, while we totally like you guys and everything, we’re not super excited to let our nationals be subject to your otherwise fine and sovereign laws.
As if to demonstrate that the gods of war have not lost their sense of irony, the biggest Parliamentary hurdle to any deal, and the further waste of American lives that would result, is one time Bush the Younger bogyman and current Nouri al-Maliki ally Muqtada al-Sadr. Al Jazeera (now available in New York City 23 hours a day!) reports:
Any agreement would still need to be approved by Iraq’s parliament, where some of Maliki’s allies have rejected any continued presence of US troops in Iraq.
The issue is putting pressure on the fragile multi-sectarian alliance of Sunni, Shia and Kurdish blocs and risks upsetting Muqtada al-Sadr, whose Shia militia once fought US troops but now is an ally of Maliki.
Sadr representatives refused to vote to approve the talks on training, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said after the meeting of Iraq’s political leaders on Tuesday.
Here’s hoping those negotiations founder as quickly as possible. The absolute last thing either of these countries needs at the moment is to continue having Americans in body armor go along on night rights that kill Iraqi civilians. That such an extension would be met with absolute resistance by many heavily armed groups doesn’t favor it either. We’re very close to finally ending a war that never should’ve happened in the first place; let’s not trip on our way out the door.
Mandatory Iraq War Note: Yes, I’m aware that, even if we do get out by the end of the year, we’ll still be “helping” Iraq with air defenses and the like, and that our mercenaries will still be running around their country. But the final removal of the last of our ground troops would be a momentous occasion and a massive step in finally disentangling ourselves from that death ridden place.
