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It may seem a bit tawdry to jump into an analysis of the US domestic politics of Zarqawi's death immediately. Can't all of us—pro- or anti-war, Republican or Democrat—just rejoice for a while that a mass murderer is gone from the face of this earth? But U.S. domestic politics is key to the success of the ...
It may seem a bit tawdry to jump into an analysis of the US domestic politics of Zarqawi's death immediately. Can't all of us—pro- or anti-war, Republican or Democrat—just rejoice for a while that a mass murderer is gone from the face of this earth? But U.S. domestic politics is key to the success of the mission in Iraq. A premature U.S. withdrawal - and by that I mean anytime in the foreseeable future - would guarantee the total failure of the mission. It would also leave Iraq a far more dangerous place than it was in 2002 and be a phenomenally reckless and shameful act.
It may seem a bit tawdry to jump into an analysis of the US domestic politics of Zarqawi's death immediately. Can't all of us—pro- or anti-war, Republican or Democrat—just rejoice for a while that a mass murderer is gone from the face of this earth? But U.S. domestic politics is key to the success of the mission in Iraq. A premature U.S. withdrawal – and by that I mean anytime in the foreseeable future – would guarantee the total failure of the mission. It would also leave Iraq a far more dangerous place than it was in 2002 and be a phenomenally reckless and shameful act.
Before today's news, the stench of pessimism—understandably spurred by the awful events at Haditha—was beginning to become all pervasive. The other day, I was having a beer with a fellow scribbler, who is fairly neo-conservative, and observed that the new Iraqi PM Maliki was doing well. He sighed and said that he had had his hopes raised and dashed too many times for him to get excited until he saw concrete change on the ground. Jim Hoagland and David Brooks, two fine journalists who are not inclined to sensationalism, both sounded almost despairing on Iraq this very morning. As Gerry Baker argues, the death of Zarqawi will hopefully break through this sense of gloom, raise American spirits, and shake the confidence of the jihadi nihilists who think the United States can be waited out.
The Iraqi PM, who had an exceptionally good day today, takes to the pages of Friday’s Times (London) to explain what has to happen next. (In short: A lot, especially on the economic front.) We can only hope that he can build on these successes to acquire the base level of legitimacy that none of his predecessors has managed to reach.
The absence of Zarqawi isn’t sufficient for progress in Iraq but it is necessary. Likewise, the presence of U.S. troops isn’t sufficient but it is necessary. If this event helps harden the resolve of the American people to see this through then it will have served a double purpose.
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