Tag Archives: victory

I confess that it makes me a little nervous to hear President Bush predict that the Iraq campaign will end in a victory. (The BBC has him already proclaiming victory, but, as we know, they are often fact-challenged.) The Dems, of course, already portray it as a defeat. Neither view seems entirely accurate. It certainly is the gentlest war this country has ever been in–fewest friendly, enemy and bystander casualties–despite lasting five years so far. I would expect it to take a lot longer, especially since we have tolerated, instead of eradicating, enemy sanctuaries in Iran and Syria. But even the media, when it is honest about it, knows the Iraqi people want us there. And it could very well turn out to be better for us, in the long run, even than bringing peace to Germany and Japan. Because, after all, Iraq’s is the region where we get much of our oil, and whatever we may think of the politics of oil, our economy and our lives depend utterly upon it.