Afghan withdrawal rationale even more pertinent in Iraq

"For those who have argued that we should stay just six more months or just one more year, I ask them to consider the lessons of recent history… Nearly 20 years of experience has shown us, and the current security situation only confirms, that ‘just one more year’ of fighting in Afghanistan is not a solution but a recipe for being there indefinitely. It’s the right and the responsibility of the Afghan people alone to decide their future and how they want to run their country." – President Biden’s reason for ending Afghan war

This rationale applies even more to America’s criminal Iraq war. That war was considerably less credible than our senseless Afghan invasion of October 7, 2001. It’s caused considerably more foreign and U.S. deaths and nationwide destruction than its 17 month longer Afghan brother.

It’s also more dangerous to the 2,500 or so U.S. troops sitting with targets on their backs due to U.S. intransigence about leaving.

That is because, unlike in Afghanistan, the Iraqi government wants America out…yesterday. In January, 2020, Trump launched a dastardly drone attack at the Baghdad Airport, killing not only top Iranian General Soleimani, but Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of Iraq’s national security forces, which number 40 militias with over 130,000 fighters.

The Iraqi National Parliament voted for America to leave forthwith. Eighteen months later America is still negotiating the terms of our withdrawal. During that time Biden has twice bombed those security forces claiming they are too aligned with Iran and are endangering our remaining troops.

Incredibly, it’s our bombings and delaying tactics generating nearly daily attacks on U.S. positions. While mostly harmless, it’s inevitable U.S. casualties will occur, unless we do take the lawful, sensible and peaceful action….leave Iraq even faster than we’re leaving Afghanistan.