Iraq is becoming an 'indefinite occupation'

The United States followed the United Kingdom on April 7th, announcing that expected troop withdrawls from Iraq would be delayed. Simon Jenkins despairs that this strategy is based on flawed logic. "The occupation of Iraq is now officially indefinite. Too many politicians have too much to lose by contemplating retreat. ... The truth is that there will be no peace within the Shia regions, no peace between Sunnis and Shias, and no resolution of the issues dividing Arabs and Kurds until the occupation is over. The occupation freezes politics. All else is tinkering. It is a truism that somewhere between the government, the Mahdists, the Badr brigades, the army, the police and the Sunni warlords an understanding will one day be reached. When that will be depends on the length of the occupation. ... The claim that America and Britain, who created this mess, can best serve it by continuing to hang around, bombing and shooting, is laughable."

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » United Kingdom, » U.S., » Middle East
All available articles from » Simon Jenkins

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, April 9, 2008