A New Era in Iraq

To all the naysayers and opponents of the Iraq War, see Exbibit One: the Iraq's new democratic Parliament has approved, by a vote of 149 to 35, to what they refer to as "The Withdrawal Agreement", which sets a timetable of 3 years for the complete withdrawal of US troops in the country. Other American forces may remain for healthcare, economic, and education purposes after that point. But the remarkable thing about this document is the show of democracy at work in this country of sharply divided sects, whose animousity towards each other goes back thousands of years.

Here in our parochial American bubble, it is easy to protest vehemently about the war we have fought in Iraq, which toppled a dictator infamous for mass killings of his own people, and who defied UN Security resolutions for years. 4200 American troops have given their lives in the conflict, and while many believe they have died for naught, the reality is that history will tell a much different tale. History is objective, not emotional, and the actions taken in Iraq by the US and coalition troops will be a bright shining spot of which both Iraqis and American's will be proud. A conflict which built a democracy, set against the ancient timeline of this country's tumultuous history and sectarian rifts, will be seen as a new era. An era when the all of the people, and all of the sects, finally have an equal say in how they can live their lives. That, my friends, is something to celebrate this holiday season.