Letter to Senators McCain, Collins, Hagel, Reid, Biden, Levin, Leahy, and Obama

Senator,

There recently has been vocalized in our government a false dichotomy that now appears to be gaining wider circulation. Some have said that conventional U.S. forces in Iraq either must ineffectively remain involved in the budding civil war or must unceremoniously depart and leave Iraq in an ever-degrading shambles. This is a currently dangerous false dichotomy since Kim Jong-Il’s violating international sovereignty, Syria’s and Iran’s supporting terrorism and proliferating nuclear weapons, and Israel’s widening campaign against terrorists. It is dangerous because the United States has an obligation to protect its allies and interests, and U.S. conventional forces must be free to face that obligation. Such a dichotomy asserts that the United States is incapable of facing that obligation; because, it asserts that U.S. forces are not at all able to be involved in Iraq and also to be free to face other crises. However, the dichotomy is false because it fails to consider other and more effective ways in which warfare is waged. Recently, Senators Kerry, Feingold, and Boxer suggested in a resolution that the Iraq war can be one exclusively waged by Special Operations and indigenous troops led by Special Operations. It is a sound suggestion. Such a war is entirely one of counter-terrorism/counter-insurgency that does not readily expose soldiers to IED’s. Further, the speed and stealth involved in specialized warfare keeps the enemy off balance so that he is less inclined to move from his perceived comfort zone where he is most vulnerable. An unbalanced enemy is one that is far less harmful to troops and to civilians than one who knows the location and strength of conventional forces. Finally, Special Operations can acutely accomplish its counter-terrorism/counter-insurgency task with little or no help from conventional U.S. forces. Hence, as these specialized operators (not the Iraqi army or police) increasingly assume more responsibility in Iraq, conventional U.S. forces can withdraw. In closing, we must avoid false dichotomies like the above, and address the bigger picture with a finer solution. Thank you for your time and patience, Senator.