A dialogue

Jason wrote back in defense of Ford Bell to say:

“Except it’s not a ‘cold heart’ (as you imply that Bell has) for calling for a Vietnam-style hasty retreat“ it’s cold reality. The civil war there is going to get only worse, our very presence there is making it worse, and even the most grateful Iraqis will inevitably grow weary of us.

You ask if it’s just American soldiers’ lives Bell wants to save. I’d reckon not, but those are the lives we CAN save.”

If, as you believe, the war will get worse the longer we stay then you are right that we should leave.

If, as I believe, our short-term presence might help prevent (and that’s the best I can hope for) a civil war then we should stay.

Perhaps it was unfair of me to say that Ford Bell has a cold heart. However, to suggest that the only lives that we can save at this point are American lives is. I hope you are wrong.

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