The Iraq War is Over by Scott Malensek

"Yep, the Iraq War is over…the political war. Sure, people will still fight and die in Iraq, but that will continue long after Americans leave regardless of whether the current surge in operations is a success or if there is genocide. Killing in Iraq is irrelevant to the bigger, more important, strategic, political war.

It is a tragic and disgusting fact of asymmetric warfare – like in Iraq – that today 3-5 American soldiers will be killed and as many as 100 Iraqis will die. No one likes to see the killing. No one wants to be killed or lose a friend or loved one, but death in Iraq doesn’t determine the outcome of the war. Politics decides that, and the outcome of the war as decided by politicians is what will determine if millions die in post-occupation genocide or if the Iraqi government is stabilized so that a 3rd invasion of Iraq isn’t necessary.

It’s true that Americans might die in Iraq in the pursuit of success there, but military forces can only create conditions for political success; conditions where one nation can impose its political will upon another (the definition of war). Military forces fight battles, politicians determine if wars are won or lost and it’s much easier to surrender than to fight.

Last week, the House of Representatives called for retreat from a battlefield with Al Qaeda. For those who politically oppose the war, there are really two camps:"

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