Our recent commemoration of American veterans both past and present should be a reminder to all of us that the lull in the fighting in both Afghanistan and Iraq does not mean that our involvement is coming to an end. The war situation in both places is far from over for the simple reason that we still hear and read about casualties among Afghani and Iraqi civilians and military personnel, as well as among U.S. and coalition forces. My intention in bringing this up at a time when we are looking forward to the upcoming holiday season is to keep us focused on matters of national security instead of sliding back into disengagement, apathy and complacency.
Despite the U.S. military's involvement in more than one place in the world, Afghanistan and Iraq still top the list. I believe that our attention began to be diverted to more immediate concerns a few years ago after we became assured that, whether by sheer miracle or shrewd planning and execution on the part of former President George Bush's handpicked appointee Gen. David Petraeus, the surge remarkably turned the tide against the insurgents and their al−Qaida affiliates and terrorists.
Moreover, by 2008, we had elected a new president who, along with committing more troops to turn the tide of the war in Afghanistan in our favor, had also appointed Petraeus to the post of the top commander in Afghanistan in order to replicate the surge in Iraq and to eventually fulfill his initial promise as commander in chief to begin bringing the troops home by July 2011.
Even though such positive developments helped restore our sense of confidence, serenity and, in some cases, renewed detachment, the danger of the two war−torn countries sliding back into total anarchy still exists.
Let me ask you this: Do you happen to know what the latest developments in Iraq are, following the "success" of the surge and the election of Obama? Give up? On Nov. 2, approximately a dozen coordinated car bomb attacks wreaked havoc in the capital of Baghdad, killing at least 64 people and injuring around 360. These bombings, by an al−Qaida−linked group, targeted both Shiites and Sunnis. This is indicative of an all−out campaign to cause massive destruction in order to ignite a major civil war at a time when Iraq is still without a viable government due to disputes over the results of the March 7, 2010 parliamentary elections.
Along with the terror inflicted on areas inhabited by Shiites, Sunnis or mixed populations, some al−Qaida−linked terrorists stormed the Catholic Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad on Oct. 31, 2010. Following a botched rescue operation by the Iraqi security forces, the ensuing carnage led to the death of at least 52 worshippers, including clergy, and the wounding of 67 others.
This sudden escalation in violence, if continued, could lead to the destabilization of the country and persuade our government to rethink its drawdown policy involving our troops as well as coalition troops. On the bright side, however, Iraqis from various areas and walks of life have been expressing optimism, confidence and genuine hope for a bright future, despite the intermittent outbreaks of violence. The source of their confidence is the commitment of the Iraqi and U.S. governments to work together to finally usher in a period of security and stability that will enable Iraq to emerge strong, secure and democratic. Again, diverting our attention away from Iraq during these critical times would only encourage those destructive forces in their bid to reverse such hard−won achievements toward freedom and democracy. It would also be a major let−down for the Iraqi people in their time of need.
Please let us remain focused on such matters of national security and remember, we are all in this together. In this day and age, we can no longer afford to stay neutral and hand over or delegate matters of paramount significance to government officials or those people who are directly affected as soon as the immediate danger seems to outwardly dissipate.
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