Krauthammer: It's the Iraqis' Fault

In his column today ("Why Iraq Is Crumbling") Charles Krauthammer says the trouble with Iraq is the Iraqis' themselves. It seems they aren't ready for Democracy. Or a Republic, even.

Very convenient, methinks. Heads we win, tails Iraq looses. Had things gone well there (which was never very likely, and many - including the Bush 41 administration - have said so from the get go), Krauthammer would no doubt give America the credit. But now that the inevitable chaos is clear for all to see, it is the Iraqis' themselves who have failed to build a stable state.

Krauthammer offers little advice on what to do now, except to try again. The only thing to do is to get out of the way and let the Iraqis themselves sort things out. Yes, this will likely be bloody and violent. And yes, the US will not look particularly good. And yes, certain extremist groups will claim victory over the US.

But none of this can be helped: staying the course and hoping Iraq will stablize is hopelessly unrealistic. Somehow law and order must be reimposed. America could do that, but only with vastly increased troop levels possible only with a draft. This we have no will for. Nor should we.

If we leave, violence will likely increase until a new dominant force emerges. Quite likely an Islamic one. But it will be Iraqi, not American, and they will deal with it as their own. Who knows. In time, perhaps they can forgive us for being so stupic. After all, we aren't alone in that.