and his colleagues suggest that no one is certain that a coalition government can be formed that will be acceptable to the Kurds, the Sunni Muslims, and the Shiite Muslims (Eckholm, Filins, Glanz, Wong, Smith 8).
Jim Michaels and Charles Crain writing in USA Today note that attacks against U.S. troops have not diminished since the handover of certain political authority to the interim government of Iraq. The Bush AdministrationÆs goal was to use American trained Iraqi security forces to combat the insurgency that is prevalent throughout Iraq, but especially in the so-called Sunni triangle. According to Michaels and Crain, the new security force has been ineffective in gathering intelligence about attacks planned by insurgents. Also, security forces have yet to engage in any major battles against the insurgents, and even if they wanted to engage the insurgents, they would have the same problem as U.S. troops. The insurgents are using guerrilla tactics. For example, they have detonated hundreds of roadside bombs intended to harm U.S. convoys. They also use rockets and mortars along with other stand-off long distance weapons. The guerillas understand that hit and run tactics allow them not to engage U.S. forces head-on (Michaels, Crain 01A).
The Bush AdministrationÆs policies to win the hearts and minds of the average Iraqi have not worked. Americans are reviled, and their attackers are praised as heroes and patriots. The interim government of Iraq holds little real power. Iraqi security forces are conspicuous by their absence from major engagement with insurgents. Money is being funneled into Iraq to support the jihad against American troops. Each of these articles suggests but never says this: Iraq has become a quagmire. American troops are dying daily. The American military is in a country that considers them an occupying force. It is time for American troops to go home and for Iraq to deal with its own internal...