Barack Obama tileIn his own "Mission Accomplished" moment, President Obama declared a couple of years ago that he had brought a "responsible end to the war in Iraq." As it turns out, not so much.
A destabilized Iraq ushered in the rise of ISIS, which Obama dismissively called the "junior varsity." Now ISIS is on the rise and has recently taken the Iraqi provincial capital of Ramadi, 70 miles from Baghdad. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Sunday that Iraqi soldiers, while "vastly outnumbering" the ISIS insurgents, lacked "the will to fight." Another E-Harmony success story for this administration. The next foreign policy decision it gets right will be its first.
What the USA really needs is someone who can keep order in Iraq: a strong leader who can keep militant Muslims in line and the oil flowing, stabilize the country, make Shiites and Sunnis get along, keep the Iranians at bay and crack the whip when needed. We did have such a man, but we hanged him a few years back.
On Obama's watch, ISIS has captured city after city in Iraq and Syria. ISIS is seizing equipment we gave Iraqi soldiers, who then turn tail and run. Ramadi, where 80 U.S. soldiers were killed nine years ago in taking that city, is the latest failure in a war of occupation I said we never should have waged. It's not a surprise that this government lost control of Ramadi; it cannot even control Baltimore.
Ever the administration of clever messaging, the president's team simply called the fall of Ramadi a "setback" and said they were "not going to set their hair on fire" over it. And why should they? Their only interest in it would be if an Iraqi policeman shot a black man. Then the full focus and force of the Obama administration would be brought to bear on the situation.
The hapless Joe Biden, who looks like a car dealership sales manager reluctantly approving "free" undercoating protection for the vehicle you just overpaid for, chimed in. He said that the USA "recognized the enormous sacrifice and bravery of Iraqi forces over the past 18 months in Ramadi and elsewhere." One would think Biden would be right about something eventually. But not here.
I opposed the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions and occupation from the giddy-up. But since we did it, I see no reason to be embarrassed now by leaving our equipment behind and letting it go. It would not have taken much effort for Obama to keep Iraq in order. Given the American lives and treasure spent, why did Obama fumble this?
As I remember, the U.S. goal was to set up an American-style democracy in the Middle East, one in which people would be governed, as here, at the direction of lobbyists and public sector unions.
We know Obama does not care about this war. He can't tax it, and Iraqis can't vote for him. But he can blame it on Bush.
Terrorists conduct dramatic beheadings and executions just to make us legitimize them by our reaction. That's their goal. If Iraqi soldiers cower and run and won't fight for themselves, even when they outnumber ISIS insurgents, we certainly should not be getting any more of our boys' legs blown off fighting for them.
Iraq and the Middle East will take care of themselves. Let those crazies kill each other. Iraq needs a secular bouncer again, not well-intentioned Americans.
Against all evidence, the White House continues to maintain that its anti-terror "policy" is a success: backing the Iranians against Sunnis in Iraq while financing the Sunnis against the Iranians in Yemen. We support the Shiites on occasion, too. Laurel and Hardy appeared better coordinated pushing that piano up the long stairway.
Since we have mucked up so many wars, maybe we should have the NFL investigate the Pentagon. My suggestion would be to impose a two-war suspension and the loss of the draft.
Ron Hart is a syndicated op-ed humorist, author and TV/radio commentator. Contact him at Ron@RonaldHart.com.