What has the troop surge accomplished?

By John M. Fisher
Published: July 22, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama’s visit to Iraq reminds me of an important issue that has been overlooked of late — there is a war going on.

If the economy was not as dismal as it has become, one has no doubt that the war in Iraq would be the central issue in the fall presidential campaign. However, the price of gasoline, the mortgage-industry meltdown and the general lack of consumer confidence has overshadowed concerns about Iraq.

But our lack of interest in what is happening there does not change the fact that we are spending an estimated $12 billion a month on the war. Neither does our lack of interest in the war negate the fact that thousands of our brave young men and women have given their lives for a war started by outright lies.

The number of American troops horribly injured in this war boggles the mind. Thousands of young men and women are returning home as multiple amputees — a fact that makes the Iraq war unique in its level of tragedy.

The only thing the politicians seem intent on reminding us is that “the surge is working.” What this means is that the increased number of combat troops on the ground was something that should have been done in the first place. The surge may have calmed down the situation, but it by no means solves all of the problems in Iraq.

While the candidates in this presidential contest debate when we should pull out, the Iraqis themselves are calling for our immediate withdrawal. They are, after all, the democratically-elected government we installed. But do our political interests override the sovereignty of their government? It would appear so.

Just a few weeks ago, The New York Times reported a multi-billion dollar deal between Iraq and the world’s four largest oil companies — the return of foreign control of and access to Iraq’s vast oil reserves. There are those of us who have argued since the very beginning that this whole misadventure was about oil.

Remember when the Bush administration promised us that Iraq’s oil revenues would pay for the billions to rebuild Iraq? That did not happen, despite the fact that Iraq’s oil still seems to flow, their government has yet to start writing any checks back to the American taxpayers.

From a news standpoint, this war has been too dangerous to cover, and as a result, we know little about the result of our rebuilding efforts. We do know that electricity, running water and food are still in short supply and hard to come by for the average Iraqi family. We also know that the sectarian hatred between Iraq’s three main ethnic groups is still as heated as it ever was.

When politicians point out that the military says that the surge is working, that does little to answer critical questions about what is really happening on the ground in Iraq.

When this war started, it was billed as a battle against terrorism, yet the links between Iraq and al-Qaida proved weak at best. Meanwhile, resources needed to track terrorists down in Afghanistan — where they actually were — dwindled. Because there is no oil in that barren region, that front in the fight against terrorism is now known as “The Forgotten War.” Which war should we really be fighting?

As the election draws closer, you will likely hear more about the surge, but it is a superficial issue at best. The fact that President Bush and company tried to manage post-combat Iraq on the cheap while at the same time pouring billions into the coffers of war service providers like Halliburton is no coincidence.

Remember also as we talk about success or failure in Iraq, we need to consider those who actually are making a sacrifice. Our military families are being torn apart by having to endure repeated tours in Iraq. These are the same people who often have to buy their own equipment in order to survive. Those who do not have the unique honor of having our government ban any photographs of their caskets upon their return home. Some honor.

The sad fact of the matter is, we have stretched our military to the breaking point.

In the days and months to come, consider Iraq for what it really is — a no-win proposition no matter how you slice it. One line statements about “the surge” are oversimplifications — and should be regarded as such.

• John M. Fisher of Danville is a businessman, documentary filmmaker and freelance writer, and is the former bureau chief for KDFW, a CBS affiliate in Fort Worth, Texas. You may contact him at .