September 29, 2004 "ICH" -- Considering the abundance of horror photos on the Internet showing our military’s success in terms of air strike attacks upon civilian targets causing a staggering loss of life, and showing small children who have lost arms and legs, and the endless photos of dead babies who never had a chance at life thanks to America’s selfless zeal to bring democracy to the Iraqis, one needs to demand: Where are the mainstream media accounts of these atrocities?

If it weren’t for these tragedies that could so easily have been avoided, the irony of mass murder to invoke democracy and self rule smacks of the Vietnam era’s call to arms: Kill for peace! And most tragically comedic, is the absurdity of describing patriotic Iraqi freedom fighters and patriots as "insurgents."

What started out as a "cakewalk" foreign policy statement utilizing military might against a mouse that never roared, the Pentagon foreign cabal that now controls every aspect of this once-great nation and former international role model miscalculated on a scale that surpasses any metric recognizable by those capable of truly and honestly measuring the magnitude of this humongous blunder and military misadventure.

Winning is everything for the administration, even if it means blasting villages, cities, mosques, schools and hospitals off the face of the Earth. And that’s just fine with the broadcast simpletons of swat, such as Bill O’Reilly. The Los Angeles Times points out in an article by Tyler Marshall, "Heady US Goals for Iraq Fall by Wayside," and carried on Antiwar.com, "Despite continuing violence and instability, President Bush has stuck doggedly to his central message on Iraq: There is no need to change course because the administration’s plan for planting democracy in the Middle East is working."

It is obvious that a clean and clear victory in Iraq would be an immense boost to President George Bush’s campaign. Marshall points out, "Yet behind the unwavering public posture, there is evidence that the Bush administration has altered its approach. It has lowered its hopes for the type of democracy that can be achieved, changed course on its plans to privatize Iraq's economy and reordered its priorities by devoting more money to improving security as fast as possible. Gone – at least for now – is the lofty ideal of Iraq serving as a free-market democratic model that would ignite the forces of change throughout the Middle East and lay the seeds of a settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict."

And along with the easily imaginable pressure for a meaningful victory that is being brought to bear on field commanders in Iraq by the administration, this "time-is-of-the-essence" desperation is escalating both the need and the number of deadly air strikes to bring an end to the deadly quagmire. As more innocent unarmed men, women and children are being slaughtered, surviving Iraqis are motivated all the more to join the growing "insurgency." This is the present situation in Iraq.

It is frightening to see the world’s most powerful politician in such complete denial. And it wouldn’t be at all surprising, and has in fact already been strongly alluded to, that the Iraqi resistance is being aided and abetted by neighboring Arab states that are increasingly recognizing the dangers posed to the region by the United States, Israel and Great Britain in advancing their bloody quest of nation-destruction and empire-building.

Sergeant Al Lorentz has pointed out the truth as previously presented in this space that the unnecessary, unjust and unconstitutional war in Iraq cannot be won. Lorentz, in his piece, "Why We Cannot Win," posted on LewRockwell.com September 20th, offers: "Here are the specific reasons why we cannot win in Iraq. First, we refuse to deal in reality. We are in a guerilla war, but because of politics, we are not allowed to declare it a guerilla war and must label the increasingly effective guerilla forces arrayed against us as 'terrorists, criminals and dead-enders.’" ( http://www.uruknet.info/?colonna=m&p=5749&l=x&size=1&hd=0 )

Lorentz points out what the great Sun Tzu pointed out centuries ago: Keep politicians and rulers out of the conduct of war. In fact, it was the very first rule in the prior piece I wrote comparing the Bush folly of Iraq to Tzu’s admonitions relative to the bumbling incompetence of politicians. Lorentz emphasizes this more clearly: "Second, our assessment of what motivates the average Iraqi was skewed, again by politically motivated 'experts.’"

Al Lorentz may now face disciplinary action for having posted his article on the Internet ( http://www.uruknet.info/?p=5972&hd=0&size=1&l=x ). In the meantime, the carnage continues, and we continue to lose lives, credibility, and friends.

Ted Lang is a freelance writer and political analyst.

Copyright: Ted Lang

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