iraq withdrawl
by Mark Hunter Mulvey
Published: January 19, 2008
Catesby: “Withdraw, my lord; I’ll help you to a horse.”
King Richard III: “Slave, I have set my life upon a cast/And I will stand the hazard of the die.”
- William Shakespeare, King Richard III
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The debate over troop withdrawal in the Middle East boils right down to the syrupy nature of combat itself. Combat is not complicated. Combat is a fight without rhetoric, raised voices or counter-points. It is Fist to Face. Bullet to Flesh. Spear to Chest. It partitions a once subtle and intricate argument into two resulting factions: Standing or Not.
I suggest we stop assessing military strategy through figures and sums. (Though a comprehensive and prescient bunch can be found at www.brookings.edu) Instead, I say we turn to the nature of warfare itself to obtain guidance:
U.S. military presence is like a long and winding pike buried deep into a carotid artery that I’ll refer to, presently, as “Iraq.” The notion that this lance can now do some good as it meanders along the fleshy interior of this blood vessel depends heavily on one’s perspective. This artery, “Iraq,” may have a bone to pick with the spear attempting to rid the bloody passage of unspecified gunk.
Regardless of the point-of-view, removal is eventually necessary. But to withdraw this spindly dagger, one has to contend with the damage it will cause to the surrounding tissue as it tears its way through the various pulpy layers. You see, the base of the arrow-like tip is notched with opposite-facing spikes, designed to make removal a rather messy affair. If the blow didn’t kill you outright, there are some mortality issues you have to contend with on the way out.
To the point, Reality and Nature have always been the best indicators of best practice regarding human catastrophe, and the principles of removal are always to be careful, gradual and steady. Scuba divers need to mind the bends when rising from the deep, and skydiving aficionados are certain to pack a bunch of strung canvas to ensure a soft landing. All death-wishers in between these extremes follow the same principles.
Right now America is in deep, and withdrawal from our Middle Eastern occupation is, if nothing else, imminent. This much should not be up for debate. The method of removal should now be the main topic of discussion, and will hopefully circle around the common sense inherent in all living organisms looking to get themselves out of a dodgy situation.
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