U.S. will pay price for leaving Iraq

Charles Krauthammer’s Nov. 6 column, “U.S. didn’t have to leave Iraq powerless,” analyzes President Obama’s decision to lose the Iraq War, then asks, but why? May I make a few suggestions?

1. A Democratic and Western-aligned Iraq would have been a great legacy for President Bush. Obama, whose election slogan was “Hate Bush,” has to and will do whatever it takes to accomplish it. But at what price! A democratic Iraq, the second-largest country in the Middle East, in a military alliance with the U.S., coupled with Israel, would have made a powerful deterrent to Iranian military ambitions and an enormously stabilizing force in the Middle East. Now the question is can Iraq survive as a democracy? The outcome will determine if Israel, the only democracy in the region, will be left completely surrounded by hostile Islamic nations. Israel’s fate is not high on Obama’s priorities list. He has always been cool or indifferent toward Israel. Lip service yes, action no.

2. Obama will use the savings from quitting the Iraq engagement to grow the federal government and pursue his dream of a socialist America. Also, by fulfilling a campaign promise he is ginning up his left-wing base for the next election. Sacrifice two nations just for domestic political gain? Shame on Obama!

3. Obama is simply over his head. His foreign policy has been a series of blunders. (Leading from behind?) His ill-advised domestic programs have brought this nation to near bankruptcy. Over his head, it cannot be. We have been told over and over how smart he is. Then the pursuit of these reckless and destructive policies must be deliberate!

It is truly sad what the Obama administration has done to this country. In a democracy there is remedy -- the 2012 election. I can’t wait!

Laszlo Stephan

Des Plaines