Iraqi Civil War: Same President, Same Denial

SecDef Misleads Country on Iraq Civil War

The American Secretary of Defense is providing misleading information about the state of affairs in Iraq. Iraq's civil war was known as a risk before the United States illegally invaded. The US government has the power to hire private contractors.

The President had a responsibility to ensure Iraq was stabilized. This remains a Geneva requirement. This President denied Congress any influence to how he recklessly managed this war. The disaster in Iraq is this President's sole responsibility. The legislature under the GOP was complicit. It is too late for Gates to find another scapegoat.

Gates offers us nothing new. There was no lawful reason for this President to ignore the risks of civil war. The spreading civil war since the invasion is not news. Sadly, despite promises of change, Gates is offering more of the Rumsefeld excuses.

It's too late to stop a disaster that's beyond what America can manage. There is insufficient time and resources for the US to physically mobilize any number of troops to maintain stability in Iraq. This was known in 2002 when this President decided to enter Iraq with insufficient troops. The CIA has repeatedly told this President and Vice President the situation is deteriorating. What this President denied has becomes self-evident.

Even if the United States started today a military draft, it would be impossible to manage the situation in Iraq. Iraq is not a convention battlefield, nor is it only an insurgency. It is a civil war. American combat troops are not designed to resolve disputes between ethnic rivalries, especially after the opposing political factions have moved their political dispute to the battlefield. Gates is pointing the finger at the wrong branch of government.

The President is the problem. Iraq is a symptom.

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Sectarian violence and civil war in Iraq were known risks during the 2002 Iraq planning. As conventional combat operations subsided after the Iraq invasion, analysts showed the insurgency was growing faster than US forces could manage. It was only an issue of time before the insurgency exceeded what US forces could manage.

This President did not provide the necessary troops. It is too late, after the GOP 2003-2006 failed to oversee this war, to blame the disaster in Iraq on the Congress.

The President claims he is the unitary execute. Gates needs to hold his President accountable for failing to do what he had the power to do but refused: Provide a correct, reasonable forecast to Congress and have enough resources in place to control the situation.

He failed to do this. The President alone is responsible for his deceptions to Congress. It is irrelevant that the President was "deceived" by his party's Propaganda. The President had a duty to find out. He refused.

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This President and Secretary of State cannot credibly argue their joint recklessness in Iraq is the fault of anyone but the GOP and failed leadership in the White House.

Gates does a disservice to the troops when he blames Congress for the failed President's plan.

When failed plans cannot be remedied, the next step is to remedy the failed leadership. Gates shows a change in leadership in the Pentagon hasn't worked.

The next needed change is in the Oval Office. Impeach.