It’s Time To Be Done With This

12:06 am EST June 2nd, 2006 | Politics | 6 Comments

Premier Accuses U.S. of Attacking Civilians in Iraq

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki lashed out at the American military on Thursday, denouncing what he characterized as habitual attacks by troops against Iraqi civilians.

As outrage over reports that American marines killed 24 Iraqis in the town of Haditha last year continued to shake the new government, the country’s senior leaders said that they would demand that American officials turn over their investigative files on the killings and that the Iraqi government would conduct its own inquiry.

In his comments, Mr. Maliki said violence against civilians had become a “daily phenomenon” by troops in the American-led coalition who “do not respect the Iraqi people.”

“They crush them with their vehicles and kill them just on suspicion,” he said. “This is completely unacceptable.” Attacks on civilians will play a role in future decisions on how long to ask American forces to remain in Iraq, the prime minister added.

Look, as bad as the Haditha incident now seems to be, it is notable simply for its deviation from the norm for America’s military. But it’s almost moot at this point to keep half-assing this mission. It’s time to make clear how much longer we’ll be in Iraq and have a clear exit point, rather than try and convince the Iraqis of our purity – they simply won’t believe it. “When ill-defined victory comes” is not a strategy.

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6 Responses to “It’s Time To Be Done With This”

  1. Frank_D says:
    June 2, 2006 at 12:06 pm

    You probably won’t believe I’m saying this, but before thousands of Gulf War II Vets wrongfully wear the title “baby killers”; before Hollywood puts out a string of “crazed Iraqi war veteran” movies, let’s “sky up”, as we said in our last, tarnished, war.
    Screw the Iraqis!

  2. Frank_D says:
    June 2, 2006 at 2:06 pm

    You’re not going to believe me, but I say we’ve worn out our welcome.
    When Hussein was killing people by the thousands, the Iraqis shook and quivered, until we arrived.

    Now they want to get a case of the ass? Fine.

    We’ll clean up our mess in Haditha, and whatever, and they can clean up their mess — the rest of Iraq.

    As they said during my “tainted war”: “time to sky!”

  3. Frank_D says:
    June 2, 2006 at 2:06 pm

    I should have added that we don’t need another generation of Veterans errouneously labelled “baby killers”, and another spate of “crazed Viet Nam combat soldiers.”
    You know what my son is watching in Global Studies (11 th Grade) to learn about Viet Nam? Platoon!

  4. n.ander tal says:
    June 2, 2006 at 3:06 pm

    Before another bunch of GI’s get tagged with the name “baby killer” they don’t deserve; and Hollywood releases a spate of “crazed Gulf War II Veteran” movies, I say we “sky up”, to use an expression from our last, tainted, foreign misadventure.
    The Iraqis are getting pissed off, too. Good
    They can have their country back whenever they want it back.

  5. Bushwacked says:
    June 3, 2006 at 2:06 pm

    Frank, for whatever reasons one gives, it is definitely time to get the hell out of Iraq.

  6. Frank_D says:
    June 3, 2006 at 4:06 pm

    I still say we went there for a good reason, but 1200 years of hubris, fear and hatred {.pdf doc} don’t go away easily.