This week's column

What our 'lost year' in Iraq ends up costing America

Army Gen. David Petraeus' report on Iraq, having been leaked to the press for days before his appearance on Capitol Hill, contained no surprises. The surge's several tactical successes in the Sunni regions are disconnected from any strategic progress in either strengthening the central government or stemming the opportunistic meddling by neighbors. Iraq is slowly separating into its three constituent parts (Kurdish, Shia and Sunni), with Baghdad becoming increasingly irrelevant.

America's military surge plays effective midwife to this Balkans-done-backwards, in which we removed the dictator first and then presided uncomfortably over the ethnic cleansing that killed Iraq as a unitary state. Iraq's soft partition was preordained by the first Gulf War's inconclusive outcome: Saddam Hussein survived to mercilessly crush a Shia revolt but was subsequently prevented by American air power from strangling the emergent Kurdish nation.

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Comments

[dnrood]

Tom,

Appreciate the article with alot of information most Americans need to hear. Bush has floundered strategically in Iraq, but it is nice to see someone point out that even a great plan may have not been enough because of our military doctrine, most notably the Powell Doctrine. A doctrine adopted by the military in many respects to satisfy the country's desire to avoid another Vietnam.

Americans need to realize that any military actions in the future are going to look alot more like Iraq then any huge battle with a comprable foe. Where all the casualties are from and caused by two opposing armies on the war front. No, the wars will be easy the peace will be hard. The real battle begins in the aftermath of war by an enemy embedded in the population. Ugly, you bet. Time consuming, right on. Frustrating, you know it. But its nice to see the military leaders seeing the light. Let's hope they can bring the rest of America to the same realization.