Five Silly Myths About The Iraq War

Here are five silly popular myths about the Iraq War that are debunked. While support for the war is dropping, there are still large pockets of Americans who subscribe to one or more of these myths. Yet each silly myth has an explanation that explodes the myth as nothing but a merely foolish popular belief that is hardly supported by facts:

1. The U.S. Is Opposed To Terrorism: This is hardly correct. The answer is that America only opposes the terrorism it opposes, and supports the terrorism it supports. In 2003, in Iraq, America bombed terrorist bases of the Mujahedin-e Khalq(MEK) in Iraq, during the war against Saddam Hussein's government. But all of that has now changed. The Bush Administration has signed a ceasefire agreement with this antiIranian government terrorist organization and appears to be covertly supporting this organization despite the fact that the MEK has been involved in bombings and other terrorist acts in Iran. The MEK is supplying the Bush Administration information about the Iranian nuclear research programs, and is considered the best source of intelligence the CIA has currently about Iranian nuclear goals. For this reason, America looks the other way and is silent on any terrorist bombings that MEK members are involved in Iran, no matter how many civilian lives are taken, including women and children. And Richard Perle, another strong Bush Administration supporter recently was a keynote speaker at an MEK fundraising event in the U.S., sponsored by a front organization for this terrorist organization. In fact Perle shared keynote address responsibility with MEK terrorist organization head, Maryam Rajavi, who used a videophone link from Paris to address the fundraiser. Some terrorist organizations are allowed to openly fundraise in America, and figures closely linked to the Bush Administration are seen closely linked supporting their activity.

This is hardly a new feature for American foreign policy, to support some terrorists, but to fight others. During the Reagan Administration, massive covert CIA funding for terrorist Mujahedin training camps to fight the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was undertaken. In fact this is how both the Taliban and Al Qaeda organization got their start, with CIA funding and backing. In fact with Saudi Arabian support, Osama Bin Laden was brought to Afghanistan to organize and set up Mujahedin terrorist camps to battle the Soviets. And once the Soviets left Afghanistan, and elements of the Mujahedin fighters took control of the country, the more radical elemnts of the Taliban and Al Qaeda eventually took control in Iraq. Soon Al Qaeda took up a new war, one against America. Al Qaeda was like a Frankenstein monster that turned on it's creator, the U.S., and many insurgent leaders of the foreign fighters in Iraq are former leaders of the successful war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. In Nicaragua, similar support for the antigovernment Contras was also funded by the Reagan Administration. It was the illegal Reagan foreign policy of support for terrorist organizations that is responsible for the problems with Al Qaeda today.

Officially, the U.S. State Department today claims that the MEK is a terrorist organization, but it is the covert support for this organization that is creating problems with foreign fighters in Iraq. Iran has responded to the continued U.S. support for MEK by sending agents like Zarqawi into Iraq to battle Americans and MEK members. And Iran is allowing an organization to train up to 1 million potential fighters to go into Iraq to battle Americans and also Israel until the American efforts to support MEK terrorism cease. Yet the American public knows little of this cycle of violence in Iraq caused by a failed policy of supporting terrorist organizations like the MEK by the U.S.

How the Bush Administration expects peace in Iraq with support for this cycle of violence is a good question. It is yet another policy of this administration that makes no sense.

2. We're Fighting Terrorists In Iraq So We Don't Have To Fight Them In America: This is so foolish that it hardly needs an explanation. But the answers are obvious. There are foreign fighters from terrorist organiztions all throughout the MideEast and Norhern Africa that are sending foreign fighters into Iraq to battle the Americans. Our continued presence there moltivates new fighters to pour from nations all over the MidEast and Northern Africa into Iraq. And the MEK conflict with Iran, also sends in foreign fighters like Zaqawi as Iranian agents to battle the Americans and the MEK both. There is no promise from any terrorist organization sending fighters into Iraq, that they will not change tactics and stage another 9/11 attack in the U.S.

In fact, between the first attack on the World Trade Center on February 26, 1993 and the more devastating attack on September 11, 2001, eight years passed. It appears to take terrorists several years to plan a large scale attack in the U.S. , compared to the daily planning of attacks in Iraq. Yet there is no promise that terrorists will not strike here again because of any Bush Administratioin homeland security plans. A bloody chainsaw murderer from Canada entered this border security recently, and was only arrested days later when walking down a highway with with a bloody T-shirt. In fact with so many terrorist camps in so many countries organizing against the American effort in Iraq, the chance of another future attack in the U.S. is greatly increased not diminished.

This is a another sign of a Bush Administration failure. If and when another 9/11 attack occurs, the Bush Administration will go from hero to goat in public opinion for their efforts against international terrorism. America is not touching the terrorist camps through the world. Everyday these organizations train more fighters and raise more funds. Without stopping these international training camps and fund raising organizations, there is absolutely no way the American homeland security can be secure or the Iraq War can be successfully won. This is a losing battle without an international effort or support to stop these foreign terrorist camps.

3. The Insurgency In Iraq Is In It's Last "Throes": Attacks have increased to nearly 70 a day in Iraq. One general now claims the insurgency is just as strong as 6 months ago, despite four high level U.S. Marine assaults on border villages involving foreign fighters and insurgents who control many towns outside of Baghdad. And with fresh foreign fighters pouring into Iraq each day from numerous nations in the MidEast and Northern Africa, and acting on the antiAmerican Islamic moltivated Arab nationalism of a MidEast without American influence, more and more fighters will pour into Iraq. The insurgency will continue to worsen as foreign training camps and fundraising efforts get further organized and send even more fighters into Iraq. And with the stunning upset of a even more hardline candidate in Iran to lead that country, expect more foreign fighters from Iran plus a renewed effort to develop nuclear weapons to threaten Israel and to stand up to the U.S. Iraq and the MidEast policy towards terrorism is a Bush Administration failure from almost any objective and honest view.

4. People Who Criticize The Iraq War Are Helping The Enemy: This is hardly true. The Bush Administration policies are simply not working in Iraq. There is is only a further cycle of terrorism and foreign fighters. And this threatens not only Iraqi security and causes a cycle of violence there, but could mean highly organized terrorist attacks here in the U.S. homeland in the future. If the Bush policies are not working, and if world terrorism is only growing stronger with these policies, then it is the Bush policies that are failing and threatening a peaceful Iraq and putting homeland U.S. security at future risk. Any good American wants America secure and Iraq peaceful.

5. Iraq Is Mostly Secure: This is absolutely false. Insurgents or foreign fighters actually control many of the villages or towns outside of Baghdad. And in Baghdad, where the American presense is the most visible, insurgents and foreign fighters challenge this city's security on a daily basis. Many of the 70 attacks in Iraq each day, are in this main city. And even in the heavily forified American military command "Green Zone", the security situation is very dire. No Congressperson can sleep overnight in the heavily fortified "Green Zone" because security and safety are so much in risk. No Congressperson can even use a restroom without two armed guards because of safety concerns. Journalist tell of the extreme danger and risk even reporting from Iraq. And any wise American dignitary will wear a helmut, bulletproof vest and travel in highly secure armed American soldier company. Kidnappings are common among reconstruction workers, whose parent companies hire mercenary soldiers to defend what few reconstruction projects that remain in Iraq, not stalled by the extreme violence.

Unemployment is 70% in Iraq. Only 12% of Iraqis have electrical power. Now two million people in Iraq have no water. There is no way to flush toilets or get drinking water at home. Hunger and near starvation are now far worse than the days of U.N. sanctions and Saddam Hussein family theft of Oil For Food funds. This is hardly a picture of Iraqi security. Iraq is a very dangerous place.

The Bush Administration which was reelected on homeland security and Iraq War issues, yet is a failure in nearly every regard. Americans should not expect a good outcome in either critical area with the current failed policies. American security and the Iraq War require new leadership. America simply cannot be secure with the current failed policies.