A forgotten anniversary

Today marks six years since the illegal and unnecessary American invasion and occupation of Iraq began. I can't help but wonder, though, whether this anniversary has been forgotten somehow amidst the noise and waste of the nation's economic woes, the new administration in the White House, and the riveting drama that is American Idol.

Seriously, though, what a difference a year makes. A year ago on this date, there were blogswarms and expressions of outrage ... this year, sure, there are some blogs paying attention, but I just don't think it's making as big of an impact as it has in recent years.

Is it really as simple as the distraction of the economy? Or is it, as I believe, some kind of false sense of security because our new president is perceived to be more sympathetic to the anti-war cause than was his predecessor?

The fact is that there's really no reason to be any more complacent, nor any more optimistic, then we were when the Bush crime syndicate was in charge. President Obama already has backed down from his campaign pledge to have combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months, extending that deadline by what initially appears to be a relatively inconsequential three months. However, he added that under his plan, there will be some 50,000 "noncombat" troops who will remain after August 2010 ... 50,000 Americans who will remain in a hostile environment to whom the term "noncombat" no doubt will seem hollow indeed.

We never should have gone into Iraq in the first place, and there is no longer any question (if there ever was any legitimate controversy) that we went there under false pretenses. And while I recognize that an abrupt pull-out is militarily and politically imprudent, I believe that any ongoing American presence in Iraq reinforces and exacerbates the original mistake.

We should be out -- completely -- as soon as possible. We should not be finding vague excuses to extend our occupation of Iraq, putting American lives (and others) in continued danger and contributing to -- nay, creating -- a far more unstable Middle East than would have existed had we not intervened militarily. And we should be remembering, on this somber anniversary, the lives already lost and the reasons we worked so hard to put Barack Obama in the White House.

Do you remember, Mr. President?

(cross-posted at Pax Americana)