Dispatch from the Front VI

In the last dispatch we looked at the various interests at work in Iraq. This time we'll continue with the theme that it is important the US not cut and run at this point.

Howdy. Been meaning to update around birthday time and that didn't happen but time has gotten away from me as usual. Of course, anyone who knows me could hint there is a bit of procrastination involved and they would be correct. But truth be told we have been busy. Nothing like celebrating a birthday with a combat mission in the middle of Mess-o-potamia. Ha. So, buckle in and hang on for some more mindbending freeassociation rambling.

It has and probably will stay at about an average rate of violence for some time, most likely years. The bad guys, whoever they may be in their various factions, are well funded, organized, trained, equiped, recruited and replaced at a fairly constant rate. They arent in their "last throes", at least yet.

So far, they have too much too lose to give in and their incentives to give in are not present despite myriad efforts to get everyone what they want. Too many intractable differences to be settled in a short time and all neat and tidy.

It took years for the early US constitution to be formed by historical events and they were in relative peace. Here, under the given pressures with the factions as diametrically opposed as they are, it is unreasonable to expect them all to just sit down as friends as write up a system of goverance.
To wit:
We the people of the United States,
in order to form a more perfect union,
establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defence,
promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

This preamble to the US constitution is quite remarkable in its essence and simplicity, but in the end it really says it all, all it needs to. It embodies what we all want and should have. It's probably what most Iraqis would want. To get the factions of Iraq to sit in peace and agree to the above principles is nice in theory and very difficult in practice outside the safety of the green zone in Baghdad.

That's what a good government is for, stability. In its absence, you get chaos and anarchy (see hurricane katrina hmm.) or say, Iraq.

The genius and miracle of the modern era has enabled an era of Tranquility to exist in unprecedented degrees not previously possible. America's overall GRAND PLAN is to extend peace and prosperity throughout the globe to those areas of instability.

Don't take what you all enjoy for granted. Most Americans just have no idea there is a greater world beyond the good life they enjoy. It was achieved through hard effort and sacrifice. And it is maintained only by the grace of God and human endeavor for without it all that we enjoy can be taken away in a short moment of chaos or disaster or neglect. I also mention the national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.

Key wrote the first paragraph of the poem (there are 4, I am amazed at how many americans dont know this but then, publice education and society is not what it used to be, unfortunate in some ways. just once, at a baseball game i would like to see the whole song sung, maybe at this years world series?)

You see, as he watched Fort McHenry get blasted by the Brits throughout the night fight, there was doubt about whether or not the Americans could hold out against the attack. The point of the poem was Key himself did not know how it all would end. There was smoke, confusion, explosions, but he kept seeing the flag flying. And it gave him hope. Eventually the Brits gave up and We Won. But it took courage and perserverance.

I could go on and on but I have written before about how short sighted and mistaken it would be for our current national foreign policy and war strategy to be predicated upon a timeline of months to a few short years and a finite amount of war casualties, i.e. America's modern war motto: We only fight 2 years and 3 months and 4 days and 3 hours and 5 minutes and then we all go home or after 3483 kia whichever comes first. Bad idea Yes, there is a time and a place for everything. Sometimes, you have to cut your losses and realize your goals will not be achieved. Us involvement in the vietnam war is a prime example. After years of spinning tires when it became clear the national political and military leadership did not intend to win and conclude the war after thousands of casualities the us backed out.

This is certainly not the time for it now here in Iraq. Overall the strategy is going ok to fair. There are huge implications for premature exit. All have bad ramifications for America. Politically, militarily, diplomatically, economically and from national security perspective, it would be a disaster.

I am not going to debate or explain the whys and wherefores of why we are here now. It's moot at this point and even those political leaders opposed to the invasion (ie france, germany, russia, china etc) realized this and now have to deal with the reality on the ground as it is today. But, I keep emphasizing, those who are in the military now all volunteered for this. Good or bad.

I don't like it anymore than anyone else. There is a big mess here, no doubt. But, it was my choice. Of course an American has a right in the say of how and when we are deployed. But once committed it is best to see it through to its successful conclusion.

Unless we reinvade all over again and rule all these fighting idiots ourselves (which would take a massive army to subdue them all but we all know that is not going to happen) if we just turned tail and run now, what did all those troops get killed and wounded for?! That would not due justice to their effort.

Yes, it's extremely unfortunate. but that's war. It's what happens. I don't want casualties. I wouldn't like it to happen to me or anyone i personally know. But that's the risks. At times, I would just like to leave. Go home to peace and quiet. See my wife and home and family. What could be better than that? Freedom. Peace. Anything and anywhere but here.

Sometimes, I can almost taste it, like a steak you can smell grilling. You can almost savor it even though it is far from your mouth. I look out across a village to a scene out of the bible or some story in arabian nights and it seems so tranquil and serene. But I know, for me and my kind, many of these areas merely holds death waiting for us if we make a mistake or get unlucky.

Well, I can sometimes almost taste the freedom. I crave it. Just the taste and I will be satisfied. How is it that sometimes something is cherished more once its gone? Once a taste of freedom, and you will hunger for it forever. Your thirst for it cannot be quenched. Well, you dont have to have something taken away to hold it near and dear. You can appreciate you have without having it taken away first. But it sure is a lot sweeter once regained.

For someone like Senator McCain and others similar who endured years of torture in prison of war, I can near not imagine what resolve it took for him to endure and triumph. I had enough of the few days of prison training we did. Let me tell you, after that, shall we say, unpleasant experience, being set free to the sound and sight of the American flag was incomparable, near rapturous joy upon release from pure misery. And the knowledge of freedom. pure freedom. It was sweeter than honey.

And don't the good people of Iraq that we fought for and are now dieing for deserve a chance at that? So maybe, one day, we can all live in peace and prosperity like we do now with our once former bitter enemies? Wouldn't that be nice to visit the middle east and have it known for something other than war and bombs and killing?

Well, I say, after stumbles, we have a good plan. Let Iraq stand up and take over. But we have to create and maintain the conditions for which that will be possible. That's simple fact. If we leave too early these iraqis will collapse into a huge civil war. It's going to take more time and resources for them to create stability. I knew that as soon as the rumble to war began it would take ALOT of effort, much more than was being said at the time.

(and it was a bit disengenuous to suggest otherwise by our leaders -but would the plan have sold if we were merely promised more blood, sweat, toil and tears? Oh yeah, by the way, years of analysis indicates ancient rivalries will surface and a huge struggle for power will erupt and it will take near a half trillion dollars or more (we are near a quarter trillion right now) and years of settling the squables before it all comes out in the wash. So, are you with me America? Sound of crickets. I wish for once, though, a politician would just say it straight)

Yes! It's frustrating! I know, I am here living and dealing with it every day. Working with these iraqis is like herding cats or a three ring circus of clowns. But an American trait should be sticking it out through thick and thin. All those who are married know that. Who wants only a fair weather friend?

In the next dispatch, for a little change of pace, we'll look at the type of rounds (bullets) used widely in the US military.

Dispatch from the Front I
Dispatch from the Front II
Dispatch from the Front III
Dispatch from the Front IV
Dispatch from the Front V