It's time for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. But if it's left up to President Bush, Iraq won't be stable enough for U.S. troops to withdraw until Halliburton, Bechtel, and a select few other multi-nationals have reaped the maximum profit.
The case for immediate withdrawal is simple and plain. Just a few facts:
Iraq didn't have suicide bombers until the occupation started. "Iraq had not one (not one!) instance of suicide attacks in its history. Research shows a 100% correlation between suicide attacks and the presence of foreign combat troops in a host country," observed Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga) on November 18, 2005. The invasion and occupation are what is destabilizing Iraq. Iraq will be stable again when American troops come home.
Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the tragedy of September 11, 2001, but you wouldn't know it from Bush's recent speech. President Bush started out his defense of the Iraqi war by citing 9-11. In September 2003, however, he said: "We've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with September the 11th." Of course not. But it doesn't stop the President from going straight for the emotional jugular.
Iraqis don't want U.S. coalition forces in their country. Opinion polls of Iraqis tell the tale. Researchers found that 82 percent of all Iraqis surveyed in August of 2005 are strongly opposed to the occupation. Sixty percent feel more vulnerable because of the U.S. occupation, according to the Sunday Telegraph of London. But common sense should tell every U.S. citizen that no people want to be occupied by a foreign power. American soldiers draw attacks, in part, simply because they are over there.
Not only do Iraqis want the U.S. out, most Americans don't want to be in Iraq. Fifty-nine (59) percent of Americans surveyed, according to a recent CBS poll, believe U.S. troops should leave Iraq as soon as possible. Of course, most Americans want out. What does the Iraqi war profit the average American? Nothing but flag-draped coffins, and maimed American soldiers at the VA, leaving holes in what would have been meaningful lives.
Not only do Iraqis and Americans want the U.S. forces out now, the victory that Bush says America must stay in Iraq to achieve has already been achieved - according to Bush. On June 5, 2003, Bush proclaimed: "America sent you (referring to General Tommy Franks) on a mission to remove a grave threat and to liberate an oppressed people, and that mission has been accomplished." Since the "mission has been accomplished" already why doesn't the President declare victory again and save American and Iraqi lives?
Since Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" on May 1, 2003, 2015 Americans have been killed. Americans numbering 2152 have been killed since the war began on March 19, 2003. Officially, the estimated total of wounded is 15, 881. President Bush recently admitted to 30,000 Iraqi dead. Other estimates have been as high as 100,000.
So look. No Weapons of Mass Destruction. No connection to 9-11. Saddam Hussein is on trial. The Bathist Party is out of power. Three reasonably successful elections. Isn't it time to go? Not according to Bush.
So if logic, history, and Bush's own statements add up to withdrawal, why isn't the Bush Administration withdrawing now? Well, think about the fact that the total expense for the Iraq war tops $220 billion. Iraq is a screen through which the Bush Administration is channeling American tax dollars to cronies in the energy and weapons industry. Simple. There's nothing new about war profiteering.
Before the Iraq War began, Halliburton was 19th on the U.S. Army's list of top contractors. In 2003, Halliburton was number 1 and still is. In 2003 Halliburton made $4.2 billion from the U.S. government. Halliburton has made over $10 billion since the invasion started in March of 2003. Dick Cheney, former CEO of Halliburton, was paid $44 million for five year's work with Halliburton before he re-entered government to become Vice-President of the United States. He still gets serious money from Halliburton.
Bechtel Corp. hasn't missed the gravy train. The second-largest contractor in Iraq reported record revenue of $17.4 billion in 2004, the second year of record-setting revenue. Bechtel has been awarded over $1 billion in contracts to repair water, sewage and electrical plants. According to many Iraqis, Bechtel hasn't delivered. Bechtel has failed to provide drinkable water that meets pre-invasion standards.
But it's not all Halliburton and Bechtel. Gas prices are up 56 percent over the past two years. Since George Bush became President in 2001, the top five oil companies in the United States have recorded profits of $254 billion: ExxonMobil: $89 billion, Shell: $60.7 billion, BP: $53 billion, ChevronTexaco: $31 billion, and ConocoPhillips: $20 billion.
Poverty during the Bush years has increased 13 percent.
Let me leave you with words from our President before the 2000 election at an $800 a plate dinner: "this is an impressive crowd - the haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elites; I call you my base."
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