He shouldn't be claiming victory. Because as Rex said, what did we win exactly, and how is Iraq a better place now?
Nothing has been won. But Iraq's future has been set on a very promising path. I'd encourage folks to not let partisan bs keep you from valuing the benefit American blood and treasure has bestowed upon Iraq - because it is an achievement that may not have an equal in any of world history. And if it holds, you'll be reading about this in glowing terms in less than a generation. Iraq is no longer run by a criminal mob, but by elected representatives no more or less corrupt than most nations. Iraqis are voting for their own representatives. Iraqis are running their own schools. Iraqis can open businesses again and run them themselves and keep the profits, or expand their businesses. Iraqis can speak freely in public without fear of the government killing them or their families, or deporting them out of the country. Iraqis can move wherever they choose to live. Iraqis can attend schools. Iraqis can read whatever newspaper they want. Iraqis can protest, write letters to the editor, and attend town hall meetings. Iraqis who do well in school and work hard can get great jobs without joining the modern Arab Nazi party. Iraqis have more electricity now across the country than they ever have. Iraq's oil infrastructure is about to get a huge boost of foreign investment. Iraq's agricultural sector has never been this vibrant, and is expanding. Iraq is no longer a safe haven for foreign terrorist organizations. Iraq's free press is already extremely robust and will shortly be a model for the rest of the Arab world. I could go on for awhile. Iraq still has plenty of challenges. But Iraq is already a much better place than it was in 2002. MUCH better, even with the violence that you see reflected on television and in news stories. Here's a project for you doubters - research how many people died violent deaths in the ENTIRE COUNTRY of Iraq over the last 12 months. Now compare that to the number of violent deaths in any of the 10 largest cities in America over the same period. You'll be shocked.
I could care less about any of that for the Iraqis. The price paid by our country for their benefit is far too much.
I have to agree with Rex. Was any of that worth a trillion dollars? What we really accomplished is we drove a secular balance to nutjob Iran out of power.
If you can't understand how Iraq's place in the world (geographically, historically, culturally, economically) is strategically critical to advancing liberal governance and keeping America and other liberal democracies safe, then there's really nothing I can say to you. The last time the world adopted your apparent view of international relations, we ended up in two straight World Wars and millions upon millions died. What America has spent in Iraq is absolutely historically insignificant in every measure except rhetoric.
Nothing in that statement is accurate except that you agree with Rex. Show me a trillion dollars - that's ludicrous. And Hussein's balance to nutjob Iran was just as much imbalance to the region as balance.
