The results of the five -year plan

The war in Iraq went on the sixth year. The anniversary was, as expected, marked by the president’s speech and protest in Washington and other cities.

To America, the war cost today $ 500 billion, but many experts consider this figure underestimated. The losses of the killed amounted to almost 4,000 people, the wounded - 29 thousand.

President Bush considers this price justified. “No one argues that the war was expensive for us,” he said. “But it was necessary to pay this price, given what our enemies in Iraq would lead to.”

Now there are 158 thousand people in Iraq. By the summer, their number will be reduced to 140 thousand, but the president is not ready for more: the command believes that further reductions will adversely affect the situation.

Presidential candidates from the Democratic Party with the apology of war, of course, do not agree. As the presidential candidate Barack Obama noted, the Iraqi war continues for the United States longer than the civilian century and both world, although its scale does not withstand comparisons. "What did we get after all these victims?" he asks. And he answers to himself: "Today we are less security and to less determine the development of events in the world. We are divided within the country, and our international unions are tested for strength."

Obama promises to return the soldier home and put an end to the war. His rival Hillary Clinton also says that he will begin the withdrawal of troops during the first 60 days of stay in the post of head of state. However, it warns against rash decisions. “The withdrawal of troops,” she said, “may be as dangerous as entering.”

Republican candidate John McCain, on the contrary, does not speak of any conclusion. On the eve of the anniversary, he visited Iraq and published a statement in which he claims that the United States and its allies stand "on the threshold of the largest victory over radical Islamic extremism." He believes that only irresponsible amateurs can talk about the withdrawal of troops: if the armed underground is suppressed, American forces can remain there on an ongoing basis, as they have been left for several decades in Japan, South Korea and Europe.

American society, as polls show, has been split in the question of the war. Most consider the war a mistake. But since, after reinforcements were sent to Iraq and a new strategy was adopted, the situation was stabilized, the withdrawal of the troops ceased to be an imperative. For this reason, the number of protest shares is now measured not tens of thousands, as before, but hundreds. In the presidential campaign, the war faded into the background, losing to such topics as the state of economics, the crisis of the real estate market, health and education.

So was this war needed? Was she a mistake?

The purpose of the war was to remove Saddam Hussein from the power of Saddam and the destruction of his regime. This goal has been achieved. The military operation was carried out in a short time with minimal losses. You can’t argue with this. It can be remembered that the invasion began under the false pretext of eliminating weapons of weapons of mass destruction. Yes, the pretext was unsuccessful. But the wars have prepositions, as a rule, artificial ones. When there is a political will to war, there is always a pretext.

The main mistake was to assess the consequences of the war. America won the war, but lost the world. In the period when the crossbars of fear disappeared on which order in the country was held, Iraq needed a classic occupation regime with military commandant’s office as local authorities and limited self -government under the control of the command of the coalition forces. At the same time, the troops had to only ensure security. The functions of organizing post -war life should be transferred to civilians of the corresponding qualifications. And in no case do not rush with the transfer of power to the national government.

But the Americans as a fire were afraid of the word "occupation". Minister of Defense Donald Ramsfeld did not want to give in to political control over Iraq, and Secretary of State Colin Powell was too soft and could not insist on his own. The military, who do not teach occupation, made a lot of irreversible errors. In the end, they still had to present the brothers of the board of the Provisional Civil Administration.

Iraq did not and will no longer become the “second Vietnam”, as Saddam hoped. But the political idyll there will not come soon, if at all. The newly elected President of the United States has no other way except patient help in the formation of new Iraqi statehood. And do not wait for gratitude from the liberated people - ultimately the Americans do this for themselves.