First off, let me assert my humble opinion that very soon, within the next few months, we will be out of Iraq.
Those of us who are in the Democratic base want it to occur as soon as possible, but here is why I think so far the efforts of the Democratic-controlled Congress have yet to make it happen. A cursory study of economics would serve us well. I've been disappointed not to hear this side of the story in the Mainstream media, but we Americans have proven ourselves often ignorant of economics and prone to want simple explanation for very complex problems. The Iraq situation is no different.
We are in between the proverbial rock and a hard place in Iraq. When we leave, we will have effectively created a power vacuum in the Middle East. After we pull our troops out of the region, I see a major war between Shiites and Sunnis in the region. I see, as a result of this action, gasoline prices skyrocketing towards the $5 and $6 market. Our economy, which is already skittish, would then take a severe downturn towards recession.
The Democrats in power are not dumb. They realize that the worst thing that could happen to them is if they can be effectively blamed for putting us into a severe economic downswing. They would then lose their control on Congress and their seats in office. This is why gridlock, saber-rattling, and posturing have taken place thus far. And I remind you who are reading this that it took five years for the United States to withdraw its troops from Vietnam. Nixon was elected on a secret strategy to end the War, but he effectively kept it going for much longer than the war-weary American public would have wished.
I don't know what it is about human nature, capitalism, and profit but for some reason or another it seems as though people have got to get killed to keep economies robust. This is hardly a surprise to anyone who has studied history in any fashion. Even the ballerina Nijinksy, who was no great study of current events, set forth in his diary this revelation which I have memorized and kept at hand. He said, I know why wars are fought. Wars are fought over commerce.
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When politics seems mental, revert to 'follow the money.' Most of the time, that's all there is.
Yet our wealth is not just about freedom and innovation and materialism. It's also become about being the deadliest people on the planet, which was not always so, and isn't necessary.
Following the money, more and more, seems to lead to the makers of war tools, or their cronies. Which usurps too damn much, like our ethics, at a national scale.
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