Kevin Sullivan

The Problem with Body Bag Politics

Posted by Kevin Sullivan under Uncategorized

I think Dave gets it:

I mourn each and every death and if I’d had my way none of our soldiers would be killed in Iraq. But I didn’t get my way and the question now is whether it would be better for us and the Iraqis if we left now or if we left when the country was more stable than it is now. I think the former but, then, I care about the Iraqis, too.

And, when you tie your policy to the ebb and flow of casualties, you risk undermining your own argument for withdrawal.  Whether ten soldiers or ten-thousand soldiers give their lives up for the country, policies have to be considered in a broader context: What, if any, is the progress of Iraqi civil society?  Does a prolonged presence undermine or strengthen stability in the region?  Are the costs of the war–including treasure and lives–worth it?

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