by Robert C. Sage

Created on: September 02, 2007

Most Iraqis believe that America is the problem. It is their country, so they should know. Even if they are not entirely right, perception is reality. During the heady period immediately following the toppling of Saddam, most Iraqis were hopeful that the arrival of the Americans would bring better times. It has not. Whether the rising violence has been caused directly or indirectly by America is immaterial. What is indisputable is that the violence is rising and the Iraqis don't approve.

How is it possible that America can be so pompous as to decide for the Iraqis how long our troops should remain in their country? We have spent about $600 billion on this war and the local situation only continues to deteriorate! Where is the taking of responsibility for a strategy that has failed miserably? Why must we wait until presidential elections for the will of the American people to be heard in the halls of Washington D.C.? Why were the midterm election results stern enough for our politicians to hear the message?

Why is congress so weak that it refuses to stand up for what the people want? It seems that the US government is so out of touch with the American people that they think that it doesn't matter what the people think. Or is it that congress is so fearful of the executive branch with its intelligence services that it dares not upset the president? What am I not getting here?

In a company, if the CEO proceeded with a major initiative that was failing miserably, he'd be lucky to be given a choice to dump the initiative or resign. Why should it be different for the president? There is no discernible value being created by this wasteful war and it just gets worse and worse, yet nobody in congress is willing to press the issue. Is the Washington D.C. real politic so deferential that a president and vice president cannot be removed for colossal and fundamental errors of judgment?

Even the NIE recognizes that the prospects in Iraq are not good and it is written by the president's intelligence services. It seems that t from a dream and find everything resolved and unders control in Iraq. Mr President, get real!

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