Forget for a moment the fact that the reasons for invading Iraq turned out to be 100% false. Forget for a moment the Prime Minister of Iraq and his National Security Advisor have both issued recent statements indicating they want the U.S. occupation to end, and they want a timeline for the withdrawal. Forget for a moment our nation can’t afford the $12 billion a month price tag on this horrific mistake.

There is an even greater reason to end this disaster.

George W. Bush and his policies in Iraq have risen to such a colossal level of incompetence and blunders that there is zero chance for any success in Iraq.

Here’s a link to a website that has amassed released photos taken of U.S. troops and illustrates the treatment of Iraqi detainees. Keep in mind the overwhelming bulk of these detainees were part of round-ups, and have been subsequently released because they had committed no offenses, other than finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Before you view these photos, let’s be clear. The troops shown do bear some responsibility for their conduct. It’s miniscule, but they’re not totally innocent. However, the overwhelming responsibility lies in their leadership, right up the chain of command. The conduct, and the acts revealed in these photos, were official policy. Policy starts at the top and filters down. In dealing with this issue, the Bush administration took the cowardly position of making responsibility start at the bottom of the chain of command.

http://www.antiwar.com/news/?articleid=8560

These are released photos. Don’t think for a second the citizens of Iraq aren’t aware of them. That defies logic. How would you feel about the United States if you were an Iraqi citizen and saw these photos? There’s little doubt other Muslim and Arabic countries have also seen these photos. Do you think these photos foster good will for the United States? Is there even one fool that would claim these photos will help bring “peace and stability” to the region?

The Bush policies have done more harm to America than a generation of presidents that will follow him can repair. Continuing to occupy a nation that we invaded on false claims, then installed official policies depicted in these photos, that wants us to leave, and wants to know when we’ll start leaving, is stupid beyond words. After seeing these photos, do think the average Iraqi citizen will ever respect us?

John McCain does.