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The deadly series of bombs exploding in Iraq’s capital today is shocking and is an attempt to derail any progress the government in Iraq has made in bringing legitimacy to their authority and providing stability to the country.

Since June 30th, American troops have been in a training and adivisng capacity for Baghdad, leaving actual security to the Iraqi security forces.  This day of bombing, as well as the bombings on July 9th and August 7th, illustrate a few tough facts to swallow:

1) The Iraqi security forces are not yet competent to take over control of other more rural sectors of Iraq, because three bombings in 3 months, especially two that were in and around Baghdad, shows that their hands are full with that task alone.

2) The latest attack is allegedly connected to al-Qaeda in Iraq.  If this is so, then this is a sign that they are not nearly as weakened as was believed leading into the U.S. Administration change and the surge of troops may have reduced violence and pockets of insurrection, but did not eliminate the less tangible aspects of terrorism in Iraq: a political agenda that could motivate and inspire more followers & copycats.  

3) Iraq is like the child that acts out because he/she wants attention.  With all that has happened with the economy, I would say that America has really been focused on domestic problems.  Our tolerance as a country is low for any problem-child that cannot just be “seen” and not heard.  We know that Iraq is an on-going situation, but just show Americans that forward progress is happening and we are okay.  These frequent bombings is exasperating to Americans and U.S. policymakers alike I am sure, because it necessitates a shift in policy, and that takes energy and time away from other issues that are occupying the main stage of our minds.  This is to say nothing of the suffering and spirit of fear I am sure many Iraqi citizens live in, because all sense of security can come and go with the rising and setting of the sun.

4) Iraq is a Catch-22 for the U.S., a seemingly lose-lose situation.  These bombings show that American military support would probably be useful in Iraq and its cities.  However much American military strength might be needed now, it may not be wanted by all, and staying only fuels the motivation of others.  Even more troubling, America had no reason to be there, and on principle should leave immediately, but now, America cannot leave the country less stable than it was, because it can turn around and be a threat to American interests further down the road if Iraqis breed more resentment than they may already have to Americans that left once their fight was over.  So what does America do?  Is Iraq a 21st century Vietnam?  Is there any way to “win” in Iraq?  Each day the troops continue to spend in Iraq, more it seems Obama is not acting fast enough to right the debacle of Iraq.  If he removes the troops without tact or strategy, he might just reignite the anger of an age old enemy, a country whom we were trying to start anew with, after the capture and execution of Saddam Hussein.

These tough facts are the “elephants in the room”.  It makes the Iraq situation from a policy standpoint a very precarious one to deal with, because since this began in 2003 and Americans were assured it was a victory months after it began, it has been one reluctant admittal after another that a change in policy was necessary.    On top of that, the massive death and destruction is depressing news to hear but has to devastate the spirit of a country searching for its identity in the wake of a purging of years of rule under Saddam.  

Failure in Iraq is not an option.  But what exactly would a failure be?  Maybe it was a failure from the day it was uttered that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction, and now America is left with the painstaking task of saving face and turning this into some sort of victory.

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