Key principles underlying the American occupation of Iraq are under scrutiny after President Bush outlined a strategy for victory in Iraq Wednesday.
Bush spoke at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis under mounting pressure from both prominent Democrats and Republicans to produce a timetable for troop withdrawal.
Though he did not propose an official timeline or specify quantifiable goals, Bush said the U.S. Army 'will increasingly move out of Iraqi cities, reduce the number of bases from which we operate, and conduct fewer patrols and convoys.'
Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold-D, decried Bush's lack of a definite exit timetable.
'The American people deserve a clear plan for concluding our military mission,' Feingold said in a release. 'The President should have proposed such a plan, and a timetable, months ago.'
The address followed the release of a 38-page National Security Council document outlining a plan for victory in Iraq.
According to UW-Madison professor emeritus of history Kemal Karpat, more precise language and a definite withdrawal date are necessary to dispel fears of U.S. subjugation.
'The big suspicion in Iraq is that the U.S. wants to have a permanent foothold either in the form of military bases or some saying in the composition of the government or the disposition of oil,' Karpat said.
'As long as those suspicions remain, I don't think the insurgency will lose power. The insurgency gets power from the fear that there is a danger of permanent American presence,' he added.
However, Bush said that departing Iraq would leave the United States vulnerable to new terrorist attacks and portray the nation as weak. According to Bush, a deadline 'would send a signal to our enemies'that if they wait long enough, America will cut and run and abandon its friends.'
Karpat emphasized the necessity of addressing Iraqi desires first.
'Nobody is advocating a full, complete retirement; I think any government in Iraq needs some support,' Karpat said. 'But that support has to be provided at the request of the Iraqi government.'
According to assistant professor of rural sociology Samer Alatout, the exact withdrawal process is a moot point.
'Winning the war against terrorism demands an ongoing engagement in the media, a willing acceptance of opposition, a humble approach towards others especially the weak and an appreciation of cultural difference,' Alatout said. 'Basically, all the things this administration is not willing to bet on.'
