The Deteriorating Situation In Iraq

For a few days after the American overthrow of Saddam Hussein, there was a sense of hope in Iraq. For a few days it was very good to be a westerner in Iraq. After 12 years of U.N sanctions in which food and medicine were in short supply and life very tough, it was hoped that life would improve for the average Iraqi. But the reality is life continues to worsen in Iraq.

This week 1,000 U.S. Marines are involved in major military action with insurgent forces near the Syrian border. And Wednesday, four new examples of suicide and bombing violence took about 80 lives and wounded many more. A terrible toll, when this carnage continues on a daily basis. Rather that the insurgent violence waning after the Iraqi election, instead it is obvious that the insurgents simply regrouped to cause even more violence. No amout of American military or Iraqi forces efforts seems to bring any peace for the people of Iraq.

And while President Bush promotes a message of puffed up rehortic around the world, claiming the greatness of "democracy", the fact is that Iraq is for all intents and purposes a story of terrible failure. Life is much worse in Iraq now than during the worse years of Saddam and U.N. sanctions both. Independent organizations such as the World Food Program argue that hunger is increasing in Iraq, not getting better. And in Baghdad, often the average Iraqi family spends much of the week with no electricity. This makes cooking or keeping food very difficult. And many Iraqis have not seen a paycheck in some time. Many have very little to live on. Life just gets tougher and tougher in Iraq. Murderous suicide bombings on one hand, less food, less electriciy, and an American occupation that never ends, Iraqi homeland forces that are ineffective and cannot keep the peace, and a newly elected way too slow to come together, and nonexistent in changing any of the evils of modern Iraq.

Inside the heavily fortified "Green Zone" which is also the main American military command center as well, you'd expect that the Americans within this "Alamo" of protection from all the suffering and violence of Iraq would have peace. But it cannot be found here either. This "Green Zone" is under constant attack. And when Congresspersons come to visit, they cannot sleep overnight because of the possibility of attack, violence or hostage taking even within this supposedly protected zone of refuge. And a Congressperson cannot even go to bathroom without armed guards in this supposed "safe zone", because of danger concerns.

And because the situation has become so bad, the American soldiers are ordered not to tell the truth to reporters or Congresspersons about how dire the situation in Iraq is by their commanders. And other military commanders such as Lt. General David Petraeus act more as a propaganda mill for the Bush White House by giving glowing statements of misinformationm that giving straight answers to even visiting Congresspersons. U.S. Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts told this Congressman that 147,000 Iraqis had been trained. But after more questioning, the real truth is that less than 25% of these Iraqi forces are actually "combat capable". In combat situations, often many Iraqi soldiers flee, and leave an American military advisor often nearly alone in combat. A large company may be reduced down to 4 or 5 soldiers by morning if involved in an overnight action with insurgents. And up until recently, many young men who signed up for military service, simply walked off from military basic training if they could not stand around and smoke. How can any good soldier practice for obstacle courses, fitness or arms training or any other necessary skills with a cigarette hanging from their mouth? This is probably the most undisciplined military in the world. Recruits who walk off fron training because they can't smoke, and soldiers that walk away from combat and leave their American advisors to do the fighting. The current fighting along the Syrian border involves U.S. Marines, I can't find any mention of Iraqi forces involved. It seems like the experiments of using Iraqi soldiers in serious combat are gone. American soldiers cannot leave Iraq until their own military can protect their country. And this doesn't appear to be likely anytime soon.

And the misinformation from the military command confirms this. Lt. General Petraeus claimed to Representive McGovern, that there were no plans for permanent American military bases in Iraq. And Donald Rumsfeld put out some propaganda a few weeks ago after the Iraqi election, claiming some American soldiers may be coming home soon. However in the new war appropriations bill, at the request of Bush Administration, a request for $500 million for permanent American military base construction is included. This means that while the military and Rumsfeld put out false information, instead the plans of the Bush Administration are for permanent bases and a permanent American military presense. There is a total effort at old Soviet Union style misinformation and disinformation by the Bush Administration.

After the Iraqi elections, in which former UNSCOM weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, claims the results were manipulated by the U.S. authorities to reduce the winning percentage by 8 percentage points, the Bush Administration and the mainstream U.S. media all hyped it as a turning point for Iraq. Even though the real truth was that Iran gained huge clout with Iranian born cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's coalition garnering a massive landslide over the White House backed slate of candidates affilated with longtime CIA operative Prime Minister Allawi.

Now former UNSCOM arms inspector, Scott Ritter, makes a claim that President Bush has signed off on a plan to attack Iran to take place in June. If this is true, then are the 147,000 American soldiers including thousands of National Guardsmen who have only light arms and Humvees being told of this war plans for Iran. What happens if Iran is attacked and they pour their 3,000,000 man army through Iraq and Jordan to fight Israel to retaliate. Are a few National Guardsmen from everyone's home town able to repel 3,000,000 Iranian soldiers backed up with MIG fighter jets, T-72 tanks and other heavy gear. In Somalia, during the Clinton Administration a group of Americans were the clear losers in a heavy assault in a fierce battle, and this eventaully led to American withdrawal there. In reality, if the American forces are not prepared for such an assault on Iran by the U.S., they should easily fall to the 3,000,000 man Iranian army. And it is likely that many Iraqis will also turn on the Americans, including the proIranian government of politicians associated with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

The White House lives in a vacuum from reality. They almost believe their own lies and falsehoods about Iraq. They lie to the newsmedia. They lie to the American public. They lie to the servicemen serving in the war. They know that this war in Iraq is not going well. Thet know that military recruiters are getting so short on new recruits that some are even telling young people with drug addictions how to beat the military's drug testing so they can join the military because more and more young men and women are needed for this war in the MidEast that will not end anytime soon. And if Iran is attacked in June as Scott Ritter claims will happen, then the worst is yet to come.