Iraq, Washington, D.C. and statistics

I've always thought one of the things that separates conservatives from liberals (and I've been around plenty of both) is conservatives are more introspective about their positions. In fact, I often think we can become paralyzed over our own debates and endless assessment of policies and what makes a conservative.

But I am stunned over the numbers game a number of conservative blogs, many I respect deeply, are playing today. It actually started last May when Republican House Member Steve King took the floor to compare the deaths per 100,000 (the standard statistical measure) in Iraq and some American cities. His point was that in many places many more civilians died over a year than were dying in Iraq. Context for numbers is good and required for intelligent discussion; but the context has to be complete.

Many of the hundreds killed in Iraq every day are slaughtered by the forces of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a man so secure in his power and his 10,000 man militia he feels comfortable saying who the leaders of Iraq can and cannot meet with, including the President of the United States. The U.S. Military has been held back from getting al-Sadr before and is being held back now. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refuses to move against al-Sadr. In fact, it seems coalition forces are doing little besides being used as moving targets right now, unless fired upon directly, with no offensive operations of any significant size or scale being undertaken.

Anyone who reads this little blog at all knows I am NOT in favor of abandoning Iraq. I'm in favor of winning. So my question is, who the hell cares how many are killed in Brazil? WE are not there. We ARE in Iraq and if we have no capacity to stop the violence by thugs like al-Sadr and the equally barbaric Sunni militias, it raises some questions that go to the very core of the handling of this entire enterprise up to this point.

The disbanding of the Iraqi military, the complete dismantling of the Baath government infrastructure, the training of Iraqi security and military forces and, not the least question by the way, why are we propping up Maliki who is propping up a murderous thug who kills innocent men, women and children and has declared open war on the United States troops in Iraq. Did we not go there to crush exactly these types?

Do we hang Saddam (I'm more in favor of slow death by scorpion) but coddle the man who coddles and kowtows to al-Sadr?

There is only one circumstance that would make me support a complete pullout from Iraq ASAP: if we're not there to win and bring dignity, peace and safety to the people of Iraq. We better figure out fast if that is what we are going to do, because I'll bet you everything I own that a U.S. military medic or surgeon holding a child mangled by yet another car bomb does not give a tinkers damm about the murder rate in Bolivia.