I Was a Supporter on Iraq, but Hope is Fading

President Bush has passion and is very sincere about what he believes. In a way, he is right! If we pull out of Iraq, it would be a bloodbath between the Shiites and Sunnis. However, having been a strong defender and supporter of the President's declaring a regime change and stabilizing Iraq, after last night's speech my hope faded. After his speech I was able to speak with individuals on the ground there and they were emphatic that his optimism doesn't match the reality of the situation. It all boils down to who you speak to determines at that moment whether his plan works. They see his biggest challenge in trying to make Iraq part of the solution, when in essence it's the most serious problem. The Iraq citizens have no trust in their military or police and would definitely prefer being arrested by the American military and police. They feel the Iraqi security forces are so infiltrated by militias and can never be trusted to do what's in the best interest of their country. They are bought and paid for by money, loyalty to the insurgents, and a genuine distrust and disgust of our presence there. Strong sentiments are that they are involved in matters that are unduly sectarian and are most abusive and inhumane to their citizens. The feelings are that they're only delaying the inevitable which is the blood bath to come. Many people feel that what the President has expressed is fantasy compared to the reality of the situation on the ground. There's always hope among the soldiers and top military brass that this will work. This explains why many young officers' moral is still high and why they are still willing to risk their lives for a higher good. However, privately they will tell you that they don't believe there will ever be any victory based on what they continue to witness on a daily basis. Adding 20,000 more troops, in their estimation, changes nothing as long as the inept Iraq government is expected to meet the challenge expressed by the President in his speech. This is based on the billion dollar reconstruction that has already taken place and results are not visible to anyone and the President adding more troops and money for infrastructure and jobs has no chance of working. Relying on the Iraq government and Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to be more responsible and accountable to them is a joke. His authority has never been demonstrated, and why will he now step up to the plate? Maliki has given them nothing to believe in or trust. The President has now put Maliki on notice, but how do you expect him to turn over all provinces by the end of November? Maliki, they feel, doesn't have the loyalty to our President or the Iraq people, and is just an enabler for the massive violence and destruction that continues.

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