I don’t suppose it came as a surprise to anyone that the President has declared his troop surge a success. He is, after all, apparently incapable of admitting fallibility. And I suppose it was a success, if the goals were to continue racking up Iraqi and US casualties, further distress tensions with Iran, and generally destroy whatever remained of any good feelings toward the US from the rest of the world.

Since it’s too much to hope that the current administration might ever see or admit to their mistakes, it falls to Congress to deny funding for continuing this bungled endeavor. Congress should develop some spine and actually stand up to the President instead of merely talking about standing up. Congress should make an official, formal apology to Iraqis, the UN, and the rest of the world for permitting and continuing this sad affair. Congress should immediately begin the long and expensive process of sensibly withdrawing from Iraq while simultaneously making available the support and assistance Iraqis might request for rebuilding their infrastructure. The US made this mess and we should have some role in cleaning it up. The difference is that we would engage in no combat activities except guard duty and be actively restoring electricity and other services to the Iraqi population.

Yes, there will still be violence. The Shia and the Sunnis will not stop trying to kill each other just because the US is withdrawing. But we can, and should, remove American aggression as an excuse for those attacks and as a justification for terrorist recruitment.