U.S. Out of Iraq Now! How?

Mother Jones puts forward the moral dilemna of how to deal with an exit from Iraq.

"You break it, you own it." So goes the "Pottery Barn rule" that Colin Powell invoked in his last-ditch attempts to dissuade President Bush from invading Iraq. "You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people. You will own all their hopes, aspirations, and problems. You'll own it all."

Yet it's not just the administration that has its head in the sand; to varying degrees, we all do. For those of us who argued against invading, it is tempting to simply demand an end to 'Bush's War' and wash our hands of it. But as General Anthony Zinni, former head of U.S. forces in the Middle East, told us, 'Your conscience is not clean just because you're a peace demonstrator.' In other words, just because you weren't in favor of going in doesn't mean you're not responsible for what happens when we pull out.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait one damn minute! I never, never, ever supported this war and I say those of a similar ilk are in no way responsible for what happens when we pull out. So the initial reason for invasion (WMDs) was a lie, which everyone should know by now, and people fell for it. Then people bought into the idea that we were there to liberate the nation from an evil dictator and bring democracy to the Middle East. So even if you got suckered by the first bluff and hold some shred of hope for the second, you still are in no way responsible for what happens in Iraq when we pull out. Unless you want to be, but that's your bag, not mine.

So why are we not responsible? If the Iraqi people are now living in a country where they have been liberated from an evil dictator and handed freedom, they are free to do with their country as they please. If that means they choose to shoot the shit out of each other and strap explosive devices to sexually repressed teenagers, so be it. And if they try to export that shit to my home town I'm betting I can whip up a damn good posse to kick their asses back to where they came from. Even if you don't buy into any of the bullshit that has been force fed to the media, masticated, and then crapped out onto the moronic masses who proceeded to rub it into their skin and print it on pretty plastic placards to stick on their vehicle of choice, you are still free and clear of responsibility for what might happen should we pull out and leave a mess all over the backs of the Iraqis. To take responsibility for them is to take responsibility from them. I will not withhold freedom from those who want it just because someone thinks I have a 'moral responsibility'.

So what is to be done? First and foremost, anyone running for or holding national office must be forced to answer these questions:

Forced, eh? You can not force me! But I will answer willingly.

What's your schedule for withdrawal, and what consequences do you foresee?

Immediate and total withdrawal. I'm sure everyone will have the shakes for a while, cold sweats, hot flashes, night terrors, tremors, both Americans and Iraqis. Quitting cold turkey is tough. But it must be done. We never should have started in the first place, but a partially willing America did and brought a partially willing Iraq along for the ride. There will be those who die from the withdrawal, but there are plenty dieing from our continued participation.

Which comes first—withdrawal, a functioning Iraqi government, or a solid international peacekeeping force?

Withdrawal! Didn't I just say that? Withdrawal. I'll be interested in a functioning Iraqi government if we can ever get a functioning American government going on. If people would like to volunteer for an international peacekeeping force, that's cool. But don't give them weapons. Unless you intend to keep things peaceful by shooting anything that makes a sound.

What concessions would you make to get Iraq's neighbors to help?

I'll tell McDonalds, Starbucks, and Walmart to stay the fuck out of the Middle East. That should be more than enough in terms of concessions. Then I'll start working on kicking them out of here as well.

What degree of bloodshed are you prepared to stand by and watch?

I don't intend to watch any of it. Not my thing... Wait, you mean would I tolerate genocide. Much tougher question. Everyone who voted for that idiot Bush and his nightmare alter-ego Dick or voted for anyone else who showed support for an invasion of Iraq can choose to either go over there and protect those they 'liberated' or can take in a refugee family that chooses to flee the country. Take that responsibility!