Stop Bush's War( Bob Herbert)

By some estimates," according to a recent article in Foreign Affairs, "the number of Iraqis who have died as a result of the (U.S.) invasion has reached six figures — vastly more than have been killed by all international terrorists in all of history. Sanctions on Iraq probably were a necessary cause of death for an even greater number of Iraqis, most of them children." Not everyone agrees that Iraqi deaths have reached six figures. President Bush gave an estimate of 30,000 not too long ago. That's probably low, but horrendous nevertheless.

In any event, there is broad agreement that the number of Iraqis slaughtered has reached into the tens of thousands. An ocean of blood has been shed in Mr. Bush's mindless war, and there is no end to this tragic flow in sight.

Jeffrey Gettleman of The Times gave us the following chilling paragraphs in Tuesday's paper:
"In Sadr City, the Shiite section in Baghdad where the (four) terrorist suspects were executed, government forces have vanished. The streets are ruled by aggressive teenagers with shiny soccer jerseys and machine guns.
"They set up roadblocks and poke their heads into cars and detain whomever they want. Mosques blare warnings on loudspeakers for American troops to stay out. Increasingly, the Americans have been doing just that."

Everyone who thought this war was a good idea was wrong and ought to admit it. Those who still think it's a good idea should get therapy. Last Friday and Saturday, a conference titled "Vietnam and the Presidency" was held at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Discussions about the lessons we failed to learn from Vietnam, and thus failed to apply to Iraq, were pervasive.



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http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0316-21.htm

of Iraq is a very dangerous place for american soldiers. Our strategy over there is a bunker mentality. And when the troops do go out into the communities, they go out in overwhelming force. You will not see them, nor have you seen them go into Sader City, since they pulled out long ago. Why? Because if they did go in there, they would suffer huge loses and that just wouldn't be good for chimps approval rating.

It's all about politics.

This is a fortress strategy and in my mind can never be won like that.