Closing the Battle of Iraq

Scheduling of talks between the U.S. and Iraqi governments have been quietly announced by President Bush's War Tsar, Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, to hopefully end the Battle of Iraq next year.

Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, President Bush's war tsar, has quietly announced that the U.S. and Iraqi governments will begin talks early next year to precipitate a formal conclusion the U.N. Chapter 7 Security Council involvement in Iraq, according to an article appearing in today’s New York Sun Expectations are that American Troops in Iraq will be reduced to about 50,000 permanently stationed in Iraq, down from the current 164,000, by the end of the Bush presidency. General Lute says:

"The basic message here should be clear. Iraq is increasingly able to stand on its own. That's very good news. But it won't have to stand alone."

As violence has drastically dropped in the war torn country, due to the change of tactics in the Troops reinforcement policy instituted under General David Petraeus earlier this year, it should be very welcome news that this action will be undertaken and whoever the next president will be shouldn’t have to step into the middle of an ongoing war. Prominent Democrats who have been highly critical of the Battle of Iraq have complained of the lack of political reconciliation as violence ebbs in Iraq. None have reported any efforts at assisting the newly formed Iraqi government in negotiating between the various sects and factions making up the government in Iraq. It remains to be seen as to what extent they will welcome this and enter into the negotiation process. It also remains to be seen if the more hawkish supporters will perceive this as President Bush caving into recent pressures from Democrat Party leaders over funding. Also to be negotiated between the U.S. and Iraq is a "strategic framework agreement," an arrangement for continued U.S. presence in Iraq, to help fend off possible future Al Qaeda attacks and help stave off political insecurity. American Troop presence would remain, much as was done in Korea, Germany and Japan, after open hostilities ceased in those countries over 50 years ago. Whether this will mollify Democrat Party leaders and their outspoken criticism remains to be seen. It should also remove the Battle of Iraq as a campaign issue in next years’ presidential campaigns, though. President Bush has continually stated that as “the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.” True to his word, negotiations have been set to accomplish that. It is my personal hope that all Americans, regardless of their personal feelings towards President Bush and the Battle of Iraq, will support this move and we will be able to bring our Troops home victorious, secure in the knowledge that their sacrifice planted the seeds of freedom and democracy in a troubled Middle East.