IRAQI ADDICTION MAKES JOB OF GETTING OUT ALL THAT MUCH HARDER

Even as Cheney is in Iraq to tell the Iraqis to get their rears into gear, clearly the reality on the ground is: That's not going to happen anytime soon--even if the Iraqi Parliament takes its scheduled 2 month vacation.

And while some in our government is upset over this move, it's become clear that no amount of wishful thinking on Rice and Bush's part (as seen recently on PBS with Charlie Rose) is going to make everything alright in Iraq.

You can have all the time in the world--wanting more overburdened US troops in Iraq to pick up the slack which Iraq's security force is unable to do on its own, or some other "benchmark" which will never be met in the years to come--but the truth of the matter is this: The Iraqis are unable to stand on their own two feet.

Because they can't!

When we invaded, we practically undermined everything which kept the country together. And since the invasion, everything we've been doing so far has given the Iraqis a classic case of severe drug addiction. That being they relied on us for everything, and having little motivation to show that they can do things on their own accord.

And it's been proven time and again. The Iraqi government doesn't want us to leave because it can't do things on its own. All these glorious benchmarks which we had hoped would reduce our presence in the country, won't come to pass in the near future because of it.

So simply saying: "We need another year for the surge to work"--is giving the Iraqis another good fix for the coming months, with little to show for results.

Schuyler Thorpe

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Everett, WA 98204

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