Iraq: US Congress Vote, Presidential Veto & Deadlines
A frightening scenario is likely to emerge in the next five or six months if one goes by the Los Angeles Times report on the Iraq situation/strategy. However, some may point that a scary scenario has already been unfolding during the past four years!
The LA Times says: “On the surface, there’s not much suspense about what happens next in the battle between President Bush and Democratic lawmakers over the war in Iraq.
“That noisy script, however, is just a prelude to a debate — under conditions likely to be more difficult for Bush — that could turn into a decisive moment for the course of the war.
“To buy time for his buildup of more than 28,000 troops to show results, Bush asked his commander in Iraq, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, to deliver a progress report to the nation in early September.
“That helped stave off Republican defections as Congress debated whether to impose a timetable for troop withdrawals. But it also established September as a deadline for clearer military and political progress in Iraq, a tactical concession for a White House that long has refused to accept any benchmarks or timetables for evaluating the war, now 4 years old.
“Democratic and Republican members of Congress already are focusing on September as their next major decision point on the war — planning hearings to debate Petraeus’ findings and, in the Democrats’ case, promising new attempts to force Bush to withdraw troops…”
What does all this mean?
More and more pressure on US chief army commander in Iraq, General David H. Petraeus to somehow create peaceful conditions in Iraq, within four months, which so many commanders before Petraeus have failed to do so in the past four years.
President Bush is pushing Petraeus relentlessly and expects the General ‘to show results’ and ‘deliver a progress report to the nation’ in early September (as if by waving a magical wand).
So what happens if the General is constantly under pressure and is expected to work out a miracle? General Petraeus is a professional and capable soldier, and would do his best.
However, the perceptions (and political ambitions that colour them) from the safety of the White House can be at total variance from the ground realities in an alien country with a hostile/warring population and a tough physical terrain.
And therein lies the great challenge for General Petraeus and his team. If Petraeus decides to respond in total sincerity to the orders of his Commander-in-Chief, the following things need to be kept in mind.
1) Collateral damage – more and more of civilian deaths (as if the number is less now).
2) Increased chances of allegations of increased brutality against the US/allied soldiers. (And then the inevitable humiliation and persecution of the helpless soldiers).
3) Increase in allegations regarding genocide and war-crimes.
4) Merciless subduing of the warring factions, and the militants fighting against occupying American forces.
5) A vocal outcry world-wide and the strengthening of the hands of the Russia-China-led alliance.
6) Increased US/allies casualties in Iraq.
7) Further alienation of the Muslim world.
Also, invitation to radically-inclined and indoctrinated persons to conduct more daring terrorist attacks, including on the American soil (remember ex-CIA chief Tenet’s warnings).
The list can go on…
The LA Times reports adds: ” ‘People always want to get a sense of thumbs up or thumbs down,’ he (Petraeus) said in an interview last week. ‘What I’d like to provide is a nuanced paragraph. And what we’ll end up with is something in between.’
“But nuances may no longer be enough to keep Republicans from breaking ranks. GOP leaders warn that they will need dramatic evidence of progress — something that has been in short supply in Iraq — to maintain support for the war.”
For now, both the Democrats and the Republicans have almost ruled out any diplomatic and civilian initiative in Iraq and joined hands with President George Bush in opting for a US-military-centric solution to a highly complex situation in Iraq.
Political/economic expediency continues to rule over sanity and commonsense. No lessons learned in all these bloody four years.
My sympathies with General Petraeus and his brave soldiers.
God Bless America! (And the rest of the world too!)
