The word for today "Ownership"

The top priority for our leaders is an Iraq exit strategy. How do we do this without loosing face? How do we do this without leaving a power vacuum? Hmmm let’s see. Well number one, this is what happens when you enter into a "pre-emptive" conflict half prepared, uninformed, and hell bent on "my way or the highway" thinking. Number two every thing requires protocol, some type of procedure to follow before you plunge into a "war". Oh well, should of could of would of. Now the fear is if we precipitously remove the troops, there would be total chaos (98% there already). But we know we should not be there. What to do? Before we withdraw the troops, we need to take ownership of our mess.

We need to own up to the fact that because a gross error was made by entering into Iraq in the first place, we have now destabilized an already fragile region We would not have to discuss this issue of an exit strategy if it had been the right thing to do. Once that ownership part takes place we are on our way. We must recognize that we have to at least attempt to clean up the mess in Iraq that we have made. I here our leaders making statements like "we need to send a signal to the Iraqi government that they cannot depend on our troops. They need to step up and take the reigns and control the fighting in their country". That sounds as if they asked us to come into their country when they did not. Our government took it upon themselves to go into Iraq. How would you feel if you were made to feel like oh this is your fault and the person blaming you is 100% guilty and they want to make you clean up their mess?

Our government should take ownership of the fact that our presence is a contributor to the destabilization in the region and once we can make that acknowledgement then we can move on to part deux: a sit down a.k.a. truce. After we take ownership of the situation, we need to find trustworthy friends in both the Muslim world (probably few and far between these days) and elsewhere to help organize this sit down, someone who has the power and influence to "reach between the two worlds" (The Godfather part Trois). That someone should be able to help them understand that nothing can be accomplished by the fighting and the bloodshed. They must understand that both sides, Shiite and Sunni are in a lose lose situation as long as they continue on their current path. All must be willing to come to the table and be participators, and we must make it worth their while to come to the table. They would have to have some type of incentive to participate.

Once all have gathered around the table we can give the dust a chance to settle and under international oversight let the discussions begin. Sure there will be disagreements here and there but it is at the table that the disputes can be aired out, at the table not in the streets. From here the Iraqis can begin to move in the direction of getting some kind of order in the region From here the Iraqis can decide how they want to establish a government that governs in the fashion that is comfortable to their lifestyle. A government should be established in the fashion that is functional to their culture and a government that will be recognized by and accepted to sit at the table of the world community. From here the United States can start the removal of our troops from the region.

This would be a grand opportunity for our country if we take ownership of the situation in Iraq and take diplomatic steps towards this end. Because of our presence in the region, there is more instability. We should make an effort to help Iraq become a unified country by getting those who are better able to represent the Shiite interest and those who are better able to represent the Sunni interest to come together under a truce and work on a peaceful resolution or at least an understanding that will work toward a peaceful co-existence. It is not something that would happen overnight. It will take a lot of hard work as our president often speaks of. But it will be worth it for our troops for the Iraqis and for our country.