In recent news articles, the war has been a prominent topic of conversation. Whether this is because we are getting close to an election or because it just needs to be discussed, it covers the front page of many newspapers across the country.
The topic has not been an update to our efforts in the war however. It has become a point of contention among Americans, not just one political party vs. the other, but because we are all looking deep within ourselves as we read about the war and the effects that it is having to us and to the Iraqi people. One thing that really stands out are the two press conferences today by the Iraqi Prime Minister and our own President Bush.
The US has called for political time lines for the Iraqi people to govern themselves. The Prime Minister has stated that he won’t commit to time lines because this process should not be rushed and should be at the rate in which the Iraqi people establish it. Unfortunately, it seems that our American militia presence is the only thing keeping him up on that podium. At first, we all thought that the fighting were insurgents. People very much like and associated with those that felled our twin towers.
As more and more information comes out of the regions, and now from our own soldiers, we are finding out that this isn’t necessarily the case. While they may have some associations with al Queida, this is not the reason for their fighting. While they may all be Muslims, there are different factions of Muslims and in the case of Iraq, there are two main factions, the Shiites and the Sunnis, and within the Sunnis and within the Shiites, there are different groups that think they should be in power.
The only thing holding up the current Iraqi administration is the American military and its allies. We find ourselves in the middle of a civil war and that is where most of the fighting is currently. Our soldiers, as far as I can gather, are being killed because they are protecting other insurgents who are more than grateful to accept any US-led help to keep them in power. Who wouldn’t?
While I support the President and the American government, I do not agree with getting into someone else’s fight if we don’t need to be. This isn’t a country vs. country. This is North vs. South and we are the third wheel that doesn’t belong.
It is my hope that the American government and the American President begin drafting and implementing a plan for a full withdrawal of Iraq. While we may be doing good in that country for a lot of its civilians, it is their brothers and fathers that we are fighting against and it is only hurting the American people. The Iraqi people should resolve their own internal conflicts without our involvement.
