Obama's Iraq Surprise

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal
April 8, 2009
Pg. 12

He's wise to praise U.S. achievements there.

President Obama surprised the world yesterday with an unannounced visit to Baghdad, where he met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and praised the courage and perseverance of America's troops. But the most pleasant surprise has been Mr. Obama's near-about face on Iraq since becoming President.
Speaking to GIs in one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces, Mr. Obama ticked off America's accomplishments in Iraq: "From getting rid of Saddam, to reducing violence, to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections -- you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement."
The President also stressed the importance of a responsible troop withdrawal, calling the next 18 months a "critical period" for the country. He's right. A recent spate of car bombings in Baghdad may not represent a trend -- overall levels of violence remain at post-invasion lows -- but they are a reminder that Iraq will continue to need a stabilizing American presence.
That's why Mr. Obama is right to keep troop levels high through December's parliamentary elections, and to maintain as many as 50,000 trainers and counterterrorism troops in Iraq through 2011. No less important is that he is willing to spend political capital by showing Presidential-level commitment to ensuring Iraq's success. This is all the more crucial at this moment of transition, and it also will help him demonstrate to Americans what can be achieved by the surge -- er, "tactical demographic enhancement" -- he's currently ordered for Afghanistan.
Prior to his Iraq visit, the President was asked by a Turkish student whether his Iraq policies were fairly close in substance to George W. Bush's. "Well, just because I was opposed at the outset, it doesn't mean that I don't have now responsibilities to make sure we do things in a responsible fashion," Mr. Obama replied. We'll mark that down as a "yes."
 
Back
Top