The Downward slide of Iraq and the US

The situation in Iraq is approaching a point of No-Return. It is threatening the United States with consequences which will be more detrimental than Vietnam. The day to day incidents in Iraq are degenerating the morale of the American and Coalition troops as well as the Public back home in the States.

The Secterian violence has reached bloodier levels, and the Americans and the Iraqi transitional government are completely helpless to do anything. To add to the tense social conditions, the impending execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is looming. The minority Sunni population have threatened reprisals and anarchy if Saddam Hussein's death sentence is carried out. With the deteriorating law and order situation, the execution of Saddam Hussein will give the Insurgents as well as the Al-Qaeda the smoking gun to carry out their Destruction.

The way in which Saddam Hussein's trial was conducted symbolizes the current state of American Legitamacy to he rest of the world. With 2006 coming to a virtual end, the world will look back and say this was another bloody year for the Iraqi people as well as for the Americans. 2007 may carry with it more danger, and the signals sent out from the American administration are not so encouraging. There seems to be no clear cut agenda as to the withdrawal of American troops, and the US expenditure on Iraq and Afghanistan is coming upto 99 Billion dollars, almost equivalent to the GDP of India.

From the very beginning of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" in March 2003, the world was suspicious of America's intention in Iraq. Now, looking at the degenerating situation, the world is now convinced that America has messed up Iraq for good, the only difference being that the US is not immune from this mess. Iraq is in a mess and is heading for Anarchy, and the Americans might not improve it going into the new year. While the whole world might celebrate the coming of 2007, Iraqis might wake up to the fact that another year is ushered when more blood is spilled on the streets.