Iraq War to Last Through Two More American Presidential Terms …
March 24th, 2008
By WILLIAM KERN
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As the grim milestones in Iraq pile up, Americans aren’t the only ones wondering how long the war will go on. Jean-Claude Kiefer writes for France’s Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace, ‘the United States has been discredited; Islamist terrorism is expanding; there is extreme tension throughout the Middle East; the Israeli-Palestinian crisis with Hamas has radicalized Gaza; Iran has been declared a regional power and may soon go nuclear; the regimes of the pro-Western Arab states are shaky; and the major routes of oil - which is already very expensive - are threatened … And this is not an exhaustive list!’
By Jean-Claude Kiefer
Translated By Philippe Guittard
March 23, 2008
France - Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace - Home Page (French)
Tens of thousands of Iraqis killed, millions of refugees, nearly 4,000 American soldiers killed in daily attacks, a country devastated … And, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, a bill of direct and indirect costs of $3 trillion which was paid for on credit, and which has greatly contributed to the decline in the dollar! And yet to draw up a complete accounting of five years of war in Iraq is impossible.
Establishing a review of policy at this stage is no longer easy, although we know that the results have been catastrophic: the United States has been discredited; Islamist terrorism is expanding; there is extreme tension throughout the Middle East; the Israeli-Palestinian crisis with Hamas has radicalized Gaza; Iran has been declared a regional power and may soon go nuclear; the regimes of the pro-Western Arab states are shaky; and the major routes of oil - which is already very expensive - are threatened … And this is not an exhaustive list! Over the next few years, historians will compliment the tale by noting even more profound mutations. For example, the dominance of Shiite over Sunni Islam and the disappearance of Arab-Christian communities.
Only President Bush still dares to speak of “victory,” while congratulating himself for his “good decision” taken in March 2003. But as the Bush era ends, the question that matters concerns the intentions of his successor, knowing that as far as the American public is concerned, that war seems to have passed into the background behind economic concerns.
In the Democratic camp, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton talk of a more-or-less rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops, without going into the condition that Iraq would be left in. Republican candidate John McCain speaks in clear language: an American military presence in Iraq will remain indispensable - if necessary for years. “Until victory,” he said in summary.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign coverage of the global reaction to the five-year Iraq War anniversary.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 11:03 pm and is filed under Lebanon, Sectarian Violence, Anti-Americanism, Columnists, Elections, Terrorism, Christians, Surge, Secularists, Saddam Hussein, Islamism, Gaza, Hamas, Withdrawal, John McCain, Barack Obama, War, Iran, Military, Middle East, 2008 Elections, Foreign Affairs, Iraq, War On Terror, Israel, Palestine, Hillary Clinton, Shi'ites, Sunnis, Politics. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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