Kowabunga

There are times when I do wonder why we are in Iraq, as there is a very vocal segment of the population that is so firmly against us, making the task of helping the majority of Iraqis achieve a true democracy daunting. From FoxNews:

Tens of thousands marched through the streets of two Shiite holy cities Monday to mark the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall.

The rally was called for by powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who commands an enormous following among Iraq's majority Shiites and has close allies in the Shiite-dominated government.

A day earlier, the renegade cleric issued a statement ordering his militiamen to redouble their battle to oust American forces and argued that Iraq's army and police should join him in defeating "your archenemy."

Muqrada al-Sadr, the man who would be "king," continues to incite the people of Iraq, mainly amongst the Shiites, against our efforts to aid their government in establishing a free and democratic society. It is clear to me that such a nation in the heart of the Islamic world, is a threat to the likes of al-Sadr, and his followers have no interest in such a society. After all, it is easier to live under totalitarianism than it is to live free.

That is something Heinlein pointed out in his short novel "If this goes on" where he wrote about a future America living under a totalitarian theocracy, in which the hero realized that when a group of people are used to living in a caged society, they have a tendency to choose to continue living in such a society rather than take on the mantel of Liberty.

This seems to be very true of the Shiite followers of al-Sadr, as they push against the United States and the Coalition publicly, while fueling sectarian violence covertly. It is quite clear that the biggest mistake since the removal of Saddam and his ilk was in how al-Sadr was dealt with. Instead of being eliminated as the murdering terrorist he is, he was invited to the table and appeased. This gave him time to consolidate and expand his forces and his followers, thus giving him even more power to influence the outcome in Iraq.

"The enemy that is occupying our country is now targeting the dignity of the Iraqi people," said lawmaker Nassar al-Rubaie, head of al-Sadr's bloc in parliament, as he marched. "After four years of occupation, we have hundreds of thousands of people dead and wounded."

To al-Sadr and his allies, we are not the liberator, but the enemy, and they purport that we are the blame for Iraq's troubles, just like the liberals here in the US. To them, it is our fault, not the fault of Saddam Hussein, al-Qeada in Iraq, al-Sadr and the many death squads that have erupted since the bombing of the Golden Mosque.

There is no doubt that the majority of Iraqis want us there, and do not want to see their country become another Iran. Unless they get over their fears and become vocal about it, and show a willingness to stand up for Liberty, then it will be a matter of time before the Democrats who now control our Congress will force a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq thus ending not only the Coalition, but any chance of a Free and Democratic Iraq.

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al-Sadr Iraq