Blog For Arizona

Michael: Shown the Door in Iraq?

The Bush Administration may refuse to consider a time table for withdrawal in Iraq, but it may soon find itself with few other options. An American soldier is reported in Al Hayat to have assaulted a member of the Iraqi parliament who was trying to enter the Green Zone to attend a meeting. The Member, al-Shaikh, a member of the Muqtada al-Sadr bloc, announced this allegation in a tearful and angry session of parliament and the incident is recieving close attention in the Middle Eastern press. The Iraqi parliament voted unanimously to demand an appology from the American government. Unsurprisingly, the story has recieved almost no play in the Western press.

The Bush Administration is refusing to appologize for the event, of course. It seems that disrespecting and abusing Iraqi government representatives is S.O.P. for this Administration. Big deal, right? Let the Sadrite cry-baby weep all he wants. We're trying to fight an insurgency and all those suicide-bombing wogs look the same to us, right? But consider that in a very short time a status of forces agreement, which will govern the future legal status of our troops in Iraq, will be up for review by the very Member whose neck an American soldier stepped on, as well as the other Members who voted to demand an appology and were ignored.

This is just one instance of the hubris of this Administration and its distain for the national pride of the Iraqi people that may well result in bringing our troops home ahead of the Administration's expectations. For that reason, I can't lament the incident too much. I only hope that the Bush Administration is wise enough to make our expulsion a peaceful one.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 4/22/2005 04:52:00 PM