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US Must Get Out of Iraq or Draft will Soon Follow.

Reuters carried a Pentagon announcement that was published in American papers on Saturday, July 3: "U.S. warns Americans to leave Bahrain."
It was not a subtle hint for families to leave if they feel insecure; it was "a mandatory evacuation order for non-emergency American defense employees and family members of American military."

This is not some obscure outpost; this is the home of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The Pentagon explained: "Credible information indicates that extremists remain at large and are planning attacks in Bahrain."

In addition to the Bahrain story, the New York Times headlines over the Fourth of July weekend included these unsettling items: "Gunmen execute Palestinian accused of collaborating"; "Al-Qaida warns Europe of attacks in near future"; "As terror attacks return, reasons haunt Pakistanis"; "Iran is in strong position to steer Iraq's political future"; "Insurgents fire rockets at 2 Baghdad hotels."

And, to top it off, the Pentagon released the names of six more American soldiers killed in action - average age of 25 - bringing the total to 857 dead since the United States invaded Iraq, not to mention the thousands of seriously wounded soldiers.

A few months ago, we could focus on Iraq and Afghanistan. Today there is serious trouble throughout the Middle East, and much of it results from the irresponsible decision to invade Iraq. Pentagon planning was criticized by a surprising source, NATO's secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. The head of the American-created defense organization warned that Afghanistan might well fall back into control by the Taliban and suggested that Iraq is on the verge of failure. (This comes on the heels of the General Accounting Office report that Iraq is, in many ways, worse off today than it was before the invasion.)

Critics of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," such as syndicated Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen, suggest that Michael Moore's brilliant film is "too simplistic." I wonder whether Cohen and other critics would say it is "too simplistic" to conclude that this is the most dangerous moment in American history since Dec. 7, 1941.

Americans who opposed the Iraqi invasion argued that the consequences could be instability throughout the Middle East, but Paul Wolfowitz and Dick Cheney laughed them off as weak idealists. With turmoil in Saudi Arabia, a quagmire in Iraq, possible political if not military defeat in Afghanistan, intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, terrorism in Pakistan, India, and perhaps Bahrain, one might ask President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, "So, fellas, how's it going? How will America handle a new crisis in the Middle East?"

Hint: The Army is refusing to let soldiers leave service when their tour is up and is calling up thousands of reservists. Will there be a draft if Bush is re-elected? You bet.

Given the turmoil in the Middle East, there may be one with Bush or John Kerry. The grammatically challenged chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., told the New York Times, "You have drafts when you can't get the requisite numbers. There is not now indications that you can't get the requisite number but we watch those numbers every month."

Given our attitude of going it alone because we are "the most powerful nation on Earth," which nations will provide additional troops if they are needed?

It won't be "old Europe." It won't be the Turks or the Japanese. Frankly, no country pops into mind, because of our hubris. So if you have children between 18 and 30, join the Armed Services Committee chair in "watching those numbers."

Does anyone doubt we would send troops if the less-than-democratic governments of Saudi Arabia or Pakistan are overthrown? Where would they come from? You guessed it. Here comes the draft.

One of the best moments in Michael Moore's movie came when a congressman was asked to sign a petition urging the sons and daughters of members of Congress to enlist. The look on the congressman's face caused an outburst of laughter from the audience. His look assured us that the troops will not come from congressional families.

I admit it. I'm scared. In part because the administration cannot or will not tell the truth about their plans. Jim Hightower would say, "We are in a world of hurt." How do we get out of the mess this administration has created without sending hundreds of thousands more troops?

Here is my suggestion. We must immediately consider pulling out of Iraq.

Suppose we said to the Iraqi people that we had planned to spend another $100 billion on military operations but instead, we will go home and place the money in escrow to be used in rebuilding the country.

Or is that "too simplistic" for Richard Cohen and other Washington insiders? Seems to me we have few choices and the one making the least sense is to remain and keep doing what we are doing now.

Would any of us offer our sons or daughters or our grandchildren for this ill-considered and irresponsible adventure? If your answer is no, then join in demanding an end to our occupation of Iraq.

It is time to admit we were wrong. We cannot solve the problem on our own.

Ed Garvey is a Madison attorney and former Democratic nominee for governor.
 
 

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