Iraq War – The Big Test

The Iraq War has become a hotbed of politics and passion as the Democrats and Republicans battle it out once more on the airwaves. I suppose there were as many good reasons to go to Iraq as bad ones. I can certainly understand the points of view of both sides to the argument. It is a very tough decision to send people into harm’s way, particularly in a country so far away. It is also difficult to see an evil dictator such as Saddam Hussein impose so much evil on the people he ruled.

I guess what I think has been missed the most is that right or wrong, George W Bush made a decision to change the Middle East. The jury is still out on whether it was a futile effort or just a great hope. I think many Americans draw a link between fighting terrorism and Saddam Hussein. Should it really be that far fetched that our President also drew the same conclusion? What some in the world have seen as an act of arrogance, may actually be an act of compassion. There will all ways be debate on whether we should or should not be in Iraq. Most people, whether they admit it or not, know that the real measure of success in Iraq will be how things are going there in a couple of years. George W Bush will be either hailed as a genius if he changes middle east politics, or a trigger-happy cowboy if the results come out unfavorably.

I am really not sure that either description is quite accurate. In reality, there are no easy solutions to peace in the Middle East. On one hand, you have people that have never gotten along with each other, much less the United States. On the other hand, doing nothing will only preserve a culture that fosters terrorism. As you boil it down, it starts becoming an argument such as “how do you fight world hunger” or “how do you save the environment while protecting jobs”. Sometimes it even lowers itself to a bunch of grandmothers arguing over who makes the best apple pie.

At this time in history, we need to be proud that the United States of America is at least trying to make a positive change. Maybe the solution is not perfect. Maybe it won’t even work. At the end of the day, we can say that we at least tried to stop some oppression, restore freedom to people, and bring just a little more security to our country. Sometimes a part of leadership is helping people make decisions that they do not really want to make, so that they can benefit in ways they do not fully understand.

We should support our troops and particularly our President in his efforts in Iraq. We need to give him time to make the changes needed. It is going to be slow, full of difficulties, and all around painful for many of our friends and families. What we need to see is that the battle in Iraq is bigger than all of us. It is about changing the futures of untold millions of Middle East people to one of peace, self rule, and individual freedom.

George W Bush took the biggest risk of his career in Iraq. He could have stayed out of the war and ignored the rest of the world. He could have easily sailed in to a second term as President. He chose the harder road. It is a road where he has chosen principles over politics. Some will agree and some will disagree regarding the validity of the principles. It’s okay to have different opinions. Let’s just see if we, as Americans, can pull together to help bring about the most positive change possible with the situation that we have in Iraq. We can argue about the whys later. For now, we need to move forward in one voice to demonstrate to both Iraqis and the world that we have good intentions and want to get their government going and then get gone.

Jim Stephens

Jim Stephens is based in Thomasville, Georgia and writes articles and commentary for a variety of internet sites in the United States.

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