A PARTIAL PEACE

ON Tuesday evening, 31 August 2010, President Obama spoke to the American nation on TV to mark the end of the Iraq war which President Bush had declared to be over in his “mission accomplished” speech in March 2003. Mr Obama did not seek to score points -- everyone knows only too well how ill-judged the war was and how disastrously its aftermarth was managed. He did, however, make the point that the recent departure of the last of the US combat troops from Iraq fulfilled an election campaign promise he made in 2008. Even so, 50'000 US troops will remain until the end of next year to train Iraqi security services and to come to the aid of the government should it find it necessary to request such assistance.

The objective of making Iraq a “beacon of democracy in the Middle East” is very far from achievement -- there is still no government six months after the election held in March. There is frequent violence in the streets, public electricity is available for only six hours a day at best and many public services function only intermittently. But beyond all such failures is the loss of life: 4'400 US servicemen killed and 35'000 wounded; 180 UK deaths, and at the very least 100'000 Iraqis. It is doubtful if any war in modern times has been fought for so little benefit. Saddam Hussein was deposed but that is about all.