The new Iraq plan that George Bush unveiled this month can be boiled down to three words: "Stay the Course."
The President's proposed escalation of troops does nothing to change his failed strategy. Without the "carrots and sticks" that could be used in an all-out political and diplomatic effort throughout the region, the 21,500 American troops that President Bush wants to send into this cauldron of violence are unlikely to prove decisive, while risking the lives of U.S. forces as well as further alienation of the Iraqi population.
Sending more American troops now would not do anything to fix the core political problems in Iraq, as it is not so much insecurity that is driving the violence but rather the struggle for political dominance. But it is American soldiers and Marines who will suffer the consequences. That is why I am joining with the Democratic Congress, and over 70,000 other grassroots activists who have signed a petition expressing our vehement opposition to George Bush's escalation in Iraq.
The one and only way to ever get through to George Bush is to create such a massive groundswell of resistance to this plan, that he is forced to pay attention. You have already helped us to do so by sending a message to President Bush, but there is still more you can do to help us get through to him:
There is no magic bullet to fix Iraq, but there is a way to proceed, as I outlined in my USA Today OpEd published in November, much of which was picked up in the Iraq Study Group recommendations. We need a full court diplomatic press to force the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions to resolve simmering disputes over issues such as the distribution of oil revenue, the infiltration of sectarian militias, and reconciliation with former Baath Party members.
Changing our approach in Iraq must go hand in hand with fixing a regional strategy that has been an abject failure. For three years, the Bush administration has hectored and threatened Iran and Syria, and unsurprisingly, they have both worked continuously to feed the fighting in Iraq. It's time for us to get serious about talking with our enemies. And it's time for us to redouble our efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is at the root of so many problems in the Middle East.
To date, the Bush administration has shown no inclination to take these steps, which means that a troop surge will only cost more lives and time. This president needs to hear from every one in America that we will not stand for his escalation in Iraq.
We have to get the President to change the strategy -- and the only way to do that is for the American people to tell the President to stop his troop surge so that the Administration will bring forth a real, workable strategy.
President Bush's proposed troop escalation is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, with an iceberg fast approaching.
Sincerely,
Wes Clark
