Cheney and neocons attack US withdrawal from Iraqi cities

July 1, 3:37 PMLiberal ExaminerRaymond Gellner

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  Former Vice President Dick Cheney  (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

As I tuned in to the airwaves and the internet this week, I could not help but notice the negative feedback from the right over the US troop withdrawal from Iraqi cities.  Many conservatives, including former Vice-President Dick Cheney have been vocalizing their misgivings and downright scorn for our withdrawal, blaming President Obama for creating a path for future re-escalation of secular violence between Sunni and Shiite factions.  As they continue their berating, they should remember two key points: Iraq is now a sovereign nation which has the lead in decisions concerning its own national security, and secondly, this withdrawal plan, the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), was actually a creation of the Iraqi government and the Bush/Cheney administration.

Yet, in an interview on Monday of this week on the Washington Times’ “America’s Morning News” radio show, Cheney voiced strong concerns over this very plan set forth by his own administration. He stated he had “concerns” that the insurgents may be awaiting “an opportunity to launch more attacks." He further exclaimed, “I would not want to see the U.S. waste all the tremendous sacrifice that has gotten us to this point."

However, a day earlier, the top United States military official over Iraq had a different analysis of the situation. On Sunday, in an interview on the CNN program “State of the Nation” General Raymond Odierno, Commander of US forces in Iraq, confirmed that the Iraqi government was ready to fully assume this responsibility.  Odierno stated, "They've been working toward this for a long time, and security remains good. We've seen constant improvement in the security force; we've seen constant improvement in governance. And I believe this is the time for us to move out of the cities and for them to take ultimate responsibility."

Furthermore, Iraq’s government and citizens are ready to be more independent. Iraqi General Abud Kambar al-Malliki issued a stern warning to insurgents, stating that "if you [insurgents] attack our citizens," his security forces were prepared to fight. In addition, the Iraqi people seem engaged and proactive in our withdrawal and its meaning to them; there were celebrations everywhere to mark this occasion.  Many neocon bloggers and pundits have verbally attacked the Iraqi people as being ungrateful to the US troops. Instead, shouldn’t the neocons be happy that the Iraqis now have the freedom to express their views?  Wasn’t freedom one of the neocons’ ever-changing reasons as to why we invaded Iraq in the first place?  Truthfully, Iraqi exuberant jubilation has more to do with their country taking an actual step forward towards complete independence than with any ill feelings towards US troops.

There has been violence to Iraqi civilians this past week, totaling to approximately 250 casualties. Although tragic, these occurrences were expected, just as it is expected that there will be more incidents in the months to come.  To be sure, there will be challenges, but it is time for the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people to take an increasing role in resolving those challenges and growing their nation into one of their own self-determination. Consequently, our very presence any longer would hinder and could even cripple the Iraqi government’s ability to grow Iraq’s own social, economic, and political infrastructure. For this next step, they are as ready as they will ever be; in fact, they are more ready than we were when we struck out towards freedom and independence over two centuries ago.

For more on Cheney, the GOP, and Iraq:
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