Is Victory in Iraq Possible?

Dead Money I like to play poker. And I must admit that I am pretty damn good. And like every other gambler I know, the words of Kenny Rogers run through my head from time to time: "You gotta know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away and know when to run." I know that in order to win in the end, I have to fold great hands when things go sour on the flop and turn. It has been 1,300 days since President Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" in the flight suit media stunt on an aircraft carrier off the California coast. President Bush’s hand was looking pretty good. The U.S. had a quick and decisive military victory in Iraq, easily taking Baghdad and even capturing Saddam. If victory was overthrowing Saddam, then that has been accomplished. If victory is installing a new government, then that has been accomplished. So why are we still there? Obviously, poor planning and poor execution in peace-building by the administration has been the major problem. But the question remains: why can’t we leave? Psychologically, leaving now looks weak to this administration. President Bush staked his legacy on the outcome of Iraq. And he cannot stand to look weak – just look at the image he tries so hard to portray. He is the rugged cowboy, the plainspoken good ol' boy from Texas who likes to clear brush from his ranch. He's a man's man, and men never, ever retreat when things get bad. At least, that is the thinking of this administration. But pulling out of Iraq is not showing weakness. Seeing the whole situation and dealing with reality, acting with intelligence and clarity of thought is not weak. Refusing to take your head out of the sand, Mr. President, and face the tough reality that your incompetence created – that is weakness at its worst. Mr. President, we cannot win in Iraq. There is a civil war there because you didn’t plan well enough before the war. You and your administration ignored the advice of learned men and destroyed a country with no plan on how to rebuild it. The only option we have left is to find the best way to get out. Mr. President, listen to the advice of Kenny Rogers. It’s time to fold the hand and cut our losses. That does not mean we give up on the "War on Terror." The U.S. should use every legal means possible to stop terrorists around the world. It just means that you must find the best way to get out of Iraq without causing any more damage. In poker, it's called "dead money" when you thrown money into a pot that you have no chance of winning. Unfortunately, Bush's stubbornness in Iraq has led to and continues to lead to dead bodies.

Freedom and Self-governance Asking if victory in Iraq is possible is something of a silly question and we all know it. After all, when we leave, we will declare victory, or at least, the party in charge at the time will declare victory. The devil in this case is in the definition. Militarily we declared victory over the army of Hussein's; politically we declared victory when Iraq had its first democratic election. But continued insurgency, regional instability, and political unrest make these hollow declarations. Henry Kissinger recently suggested that a stable and viable government in Iraq is not an achievable target for the United States, and frankly, I agree with him. Certainly, the ethnic and sectarian tensions and divisions are problematic and the influx of radical Islamic insurgents from neighboring regimes is worrisome, but the true pandemic that will unseat any progress made by the United States runs much deeper. In making this next statement, I am not suggesting that this is a permanent situation, but for the foreseeable future I believe it to be true. The Iraqi people do not have sufficient desire for independent self-government. They are not rising up to fight for a common goal. They are not indignant that soldiers from other nations are killing Iraqi police and civilians. They seem unable to set aside differences to defend their nation. In this environment, true victory is unsustainable. The United States exists because its people believe, deep in their core, that regardless of party lines or policy differences, we have the right to determine our own future as a nation. We are living free because we are willing to die to protect that belief. Iraq may or may not be important for national security. But the fact that we believe national security is a sacred principle gives us the power to rule ourselves. Unfortunately, the people of Iraq are not convinced that they have individual rights. They still take their guidance from religious and community leaders who exercise radical power over how decisions are made. Pastors, Priests and Rabbis in the US can not demand obedience in the ballot box on pain of death, but in Iraq some of them can. As I listen to my friends who have served our nation on the ground in Iraq, they confirm this belief that I hold. They tell me that the worldview and perspective of Iraqi citizens is one of following and acquiescence not independence and liberty. Until their minds are free, their government can never be free. And until then, our efforts to make them free will only end in defeat. Self-governance is not the natural human condition. Self-governance is a right that must be wrested from those who would steal your liberty and imprison your soul. We stand against tyranny because we are convinced that each individual has value and capacity. This is a week to be thankful and I am thankful that my fellow Americans - Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, and Independent - all share the vision of living free.

In Memoriam
This week, we note the sad passing of economist Milton Friedman. Friedman was a staunch supporter of the free market and limited government, even when those ideas were unpopular. A hero to conservatives and libertarians, Friedman was one of the greatest thinkers of the past 100 years. He won a Nobel prize in economics and advised both President Nixon and Reagan.

Milton Friedman died on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006.