Forty-six people were killed in Iraq on Sunday, as it becomes clearer and clearer the U.S. strategy to pacify that country was a dismal, bloody, expensive failure.
More than 3,000 people have been killed in Iraq during the past few months. Much of the violence seems to involve battles among Sunni and Shiite religious factions.
If that sounds to you like history repeating itself, you are absolutely right.
After toppling the late Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime in Iraq, U.S. officials set about the ambitious task of installing what they hoped – and at times bragged – would be a peaceful, democratic culture.
Nearly 4,500 Americans gave their lives in the process of “regime change” in Iraq. Tens of thousands of others were wounded, some maimed for life.
Billions of dollars were poured into Iraq – and the flow of money has not stopped.
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq came when that country’s new rulers said they were ready to run the country on their own, without outside military help. Clearly, they were wrong.
Violence is increasing in Iraq. There have been discussions among that nation’s leaders about asking for renewed U.S. military involvement.
As matters stand, that should not be considered. There is no reason to believe a more effective long-term strategy of pacifying Iraq has been devised.
U.S. involvement in Iraq seems to have changed little, if anything. Going back would merely waste more American dollars – and lives.
