Retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez’s assessment of the murky situation in Iraq is hardly a novel one. His conviction that the Bush administration has been found lacking in strategic and administrative skills to combat the sensitive situation in Iraq, following the ousting of Saddam Hussein, is one that all those who have monitoring the situation would back.
What the former US commander’s revelation does is consolidate the widespread belief that US President George W Bush has failed in his objective to purify Iraq. Despite all the political negotiations and military forces stationed in Iraq, sectarian violence is still rife and pro-al Qaeda militants have even started attacking the foreign peacekeepers.
The situation in Iraq is fast spiraling out of control and Mr. Sanchez’s assessment is one more reason for Mr. Bush to develop some quick new tactics to save the situation. In spite of a Prime Minster at the helm, the political arena of Iraq is still steeped in uncertainly and the economy is unable to meet with the demands of the common people. More than a million Iraqis have run away from the country to escape the sectarian violence and more are following in their footsteps.
Several other key political figures too have been harsh towards the Bush administration. Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker have already voiced their disapproval about the way Mr. Bush decided to progress with the handling of the war. The White House has been at the heart of the controversy, as it has also failed in its objective to temper the violence that is killing Iraq.
These days more and more army personnel and top politicians are coming out of their shells and voicing their disapproval and resentment at the handling of the Iraq war. Yet the procedure and strategies hardly appear to shift towards the better. Mr. Bush is counting the days of his Presidency and this leads one to contemplate whether the US President actually cares about the war in Iraq any more.
Image Source: American Progress
Source: Reuters
