In 2011, barack obama declared that, since the Iraqis failed to sign a security agreement, all US troops would leave Iraq. All of the critics of his decision were derided as doomsayers. hillary clinton, as Secretary of State, announced that contractors would be able to provide the security apparatus that had been managed by the US military, and thus, the State Department would be able to provide the security and training the Iraqi security forces needed.

1 January, 2012, the State Department got a wake-up call, the 3AM call, but hillary ignored it. The Iraqi government clamped down on US contractor-secured convoys, jailing contractors who provided security, as well as the drivers of the convoys, because these contractors didn’t have the proper visas. And the State Department worked hard NOT to get involved. Contractors were told, because you are Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq (OSC-I) personnel, you didn’t come under the State Department’s Embassy cover. Security personnel were held in jails for up to two weeks, until their parent company could work through the maze to get the proper visas. The embassy couldn’t, not wouldn’t, but could not, per the same Secretary of State’s guidance (Hillary’s guidance) get involved with contractors’ issues. Travel became restricted, without the US military to ensure safety and security, so that movement between sites for equipment, food, personnel, was nearly impossible at times.

The State Department’s refusal to complete the security agreement, led to the debacles that have endangered Iraq’s fledgling democracy. Had the State Department, and the administration, stepped up to the plate, helped the Iraqi government, allowed the DOD to maintain a presence in Iraq, allowed the DOD to build permanent bases and interact properly with the Iraqi security forces, today, Iraq would not have anything like the mess that is currently going on. The administration, and the State Department, have fumbled an opportunity to develop a strong relationship in the Middle East, deter the aggression of Iran, support the security of Iraq’s border with Syria, provided a bulwark against Al Qaeda in the Middle East, and supported Israel’s security, by limiting the aggressive tendencies of Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Iran.

Instead, there is turmoil in Iraq. Two, count them, Two major Iraq cities have fallen under the militant terrorists in the group islamic state of iraq and syria (isis). We have taliban terrorists threatening to kidnap US citizens and military because they see us as weak. Iran is poised to swoop into Iraq, to claim territory and people for the greater good of Iran. The only bulwark now in Iraq is the Kurdish area, and the Kurdish people are starting to set up a separate security apparatus, because the Kurdish people are not even looking for support from the US. And we are ignoring pleas, and begging, by the Iraqi government to come help them out. In the Middle East, the governments in the area are looking at the way we are abandoning our supposed ally, and see us as weak, backstabbing, and useless. How long before these self-same governments start throwing our military out of their countries? Not long.

obama has ignored, turned a blind eye, to a strategic ally in the Middle East. By doing so, this administration has effectively said, the US will not take any part in being a world power. Into this vacuum, I predict, either China or Russia will step in. Neither will want their access to oil and gas to be impeded by something so trivial as religion. I believe that China will be the one that will provide the military support that Maliki and his government so desperately needs. And once China gets into a place, it never leaves. Just look at the places in Africa the Chinese government has slowly overtaken. China sees the strategic value of Iraq. The oil is something that China needs, and having access to the southern oil fields would be a god-send to them. Having a permanent position in the Middle East, where their ships can dock and their military can roam with free will, would be a blessing. The US would have to negotiate with the Iraqi government, who have Chinese advisors, for anything. The Russians have enough oil, and they have enough issues at the moment, not to move fast into this power vacuum. That is why I believe the Chinese will move into this. The Indian government would like the opportunity, however, with the issues the Indians are having with Pakistan, the Indians cannot take their eye off that ball at all. The Pakistan government is under siege from the Taliban on many sides, and may make a temporary, shakey truce with the Indians, but not enough of one for the Indians to help Iraq. No one in Europe will make a move without having a great debate, and the UN will only wring their hands.

We MUST, not we should, not maybe, We MUST assist Iraq. We MUST send our troops to help. Why would I say something like this? It’s because we allowed this to happen. We left the Iraqi security forces unprepared. We didn’t build the Iraqi government, help them clean up their act, work with the Kurdish people to insure their inclusion, work with Sunni to make sure they are part of the government. These are things that the DOS and the DOD were supposed to do. Had we had this attitude after World War II, Europe would have been smothered under the Soviet boot, Korea, Japan, the Phillipine Islands, and Vietnam would have all been part of China. The Middle East would have overwhelmed and buried Israel, or, at the least, the whole Middle East would have been a smoking whole and a night light for Europe. We started this in Iraq. We must return, and we MUST finish this properly. We must go back in, build bases and consulates throughout. We must have our military help put down this insurgency, and then train with them to insure this doesn’t happen again. We must make sure that those who have done so much harm to the Iraqi people are bought to justice. If necessary, we must put in someone to directly advise the Iraqi government, regardless of what the appearances are, to insure all the Iraqi people have a say in their government, that all can worship as they wish, and that trade and commerce can be done without worry about terrorists.

The alternative does not bear thinking.

“We Must All Stand Together, Or Assuredly, We Shall All Hang Separate..”