In an interview with the Associated Press, Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama opines that preventing genocide in Iraq is not a good enough reason to stay
"Well, look, if that's the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now - where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife - which we haven't done,"
Of course there's two things about that: First is we did not create the situation in the Congo and second the Congo doesn't impact the well being of US economy. Oh, and third, there's no al Qaeda Islamists to kill.
"Nobody is proposing we leave precipitously. There are still going to be U.S. forces in the region that could intercede, with an international force, on an emergency basis," Obama said between stops on the first of two days scheduled on the New Hampshire campaign trail. "There's no doubt there are risks of increased bloodshed in Iraq without a continuing U.S. presence there."
Here's a newsflash for Obama. It's not just about Iraq.
Iraq is a Shi'a dominated country. The Middle East is Sunni dominated. If sectarian violence, by Iran gets out of control, Iraq's Sunni neighbors will feel compelled to step in, Iran and Syria will back the Shi'a and you have the makings of a huge regional conflict that will send gas prices in the US upwards of $10 dollars a gallon or more as oil hits $200 a barrel.
At this point, what do we do? What would Obama do when the cost of doing business suddenly gets so high that unemployment levels begin to rival the Great Depression.
Talk about stepping into the middle of a civil war.
Al Qaeda, who has long dreamed of bringing down the Saudi government and establishing a Caliphate in the Middle East, a base from which to launch a global jihad, would be working to pick up the pieces when the dust settles.
The likelihood is that we will have to sit hopelessly aside and watch events unfold, no longer able to affect them.
Or step in the middle with absolutely no allies because no one will trust us and everyone will know it was us who caused this problem to begin with.
Talk about a rock and a hard place.
Today we have the ability to affect the outcome of events in the Middle East. We can help establish a beacon of self-government in the heart of despot central, or we can help al Qaeda bring down Saudi Arabia and establish a Caliphate.
For Obama, though, the choice is clear. Abandon Iraq, and all that will happen is a little genocide within the borders of Iraq.
No big deal.
We can stand to watch it on TV.
