Obama escalates U.S. intervention in Iraq
Provo, UT- Facing disaster in Iraq, President Obama addressed the rapidly developing conflict in a June 19 address. President Obama claimed, “American troops are not going to be fighting in Iraq again.” However, in the next breath Obama also laid out his plans to expand U.S. intervention.
Obama has committed up to 300 special operations troops. Navy Seals, Green Berets and Army Rangers are likely to end up in conflict zones to advise and train the local Iraqi security forces. Obama also stated that “potential targets” are being sought for “targeted and precise military actions.” Having already positioned military assets into that region, there’s a distinct possibility that the U.S. will bring drone warfare to the Iraqi people.
Obama hailed the role the U.S. is playing in Yemen, where drone strikes are already massacring the civilian population. Should we expect the U.S. to begin targeting Iraqi weddings like the Yemen massacre last December?
Much of the president's speech was coded in vague statements about “national security interests,” “humanitarian interests,” and “counterterrorism interests.” One should characterize the situation in Iraq as a direct result of U.S. intervention. The previous wars in Iraq were fought to enrich U.S. corporations at the costs of millions of Iraqi lives lost. Obama was quick to forget the Iraqi cost when he invoked the 4500 “American patriots” who were sacrificed for the U.S. empire. Actions taken by the U.S. in the present period are taken only to protect what they have plundered, take control of the land, labor, or natural resources of others.
The U.S. government has a long history of justifying military intervention in other countries by presenting itself as a beacon of morality. This is a lie. The disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are a clear example of what happens when the U.S. invades and occupies.
Anti-war activists in cities around the country are preparing protests to oppose to more U.S. intervention. Progressive people should join together and respond with a loud and clear voice. Hands off Iraq!