WE AIN'T LEAVING

“Trapped, trapped like rats.” Cowardly Lion, the Wizard of Oz

And that sums up the U.S. position in Iraq. If we continue our Occupation, violence will continue; if we pack up our camp, give up our desire for permanent military installations and access to Iraqi oil, violence will continue, at least until a group or individual seizes power and squashes all opposition.

As I listened to part of the Petreus-Crocker dog & pony show earlier this week, the language they used struck me. Unabashedly imperialist, they might as well have been speaking of Hoboken, New Jersey, or Delano, California, as of Iraq. It was all about American interests and next to nothing about what the Iraqi people may desire for their nation; it was as if Petreus and Crocker were dealing with children who cannot be trusted to make their own decisions.

Clearly, American policy makers don’t care what the Iraqis want. Why should they? We invaded and occupied Iraq to serve American interests, not to liberate the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein or establish Democracy in the Middle East. The only rational that makes any sense for this grand example in imperial overreach is securing access to the sea of oil buried beneath the sand. The U.S. constitutes around 4% of the world market for goods and services, but consumes in the neighborhood of 25% of the world’s resources. And guess what? Most of the resources that turn our economic engine are located in other countries.

Throughout human history, powerful nations have invaded, subdued and occupied weaker nations. Different guises were employed to justify these exercises of raw might: God, civilizing the natives, vanquishing Communism or toppling dictators who became rambunctious or began to speak of nationalizing industries. Once invested in an Occupation, imperial powers have been reluctant to let go; they are usually driven out by unceasing guerilla warfare or because the cost of the Occupation – in coin or blood -- becomes too great for the imperial power to sustain.

My son is eleven. I have no doubt that the U.S. will be militarily involved in Iraq when my son turns eighteen. Now that we’ve made an investment in coin and blood, we must justify it. The same cowardly arguments making the rounds today will make the rounds in the future. We’re in deep, heavily invested, and only an extraordinary political leader with true courage can extricate us from this debacle.

Given the current crop of presidential contenders, I’m not holding my breath.