Mixed Messages
Recently Bush and Rumsfeld have been raising hopes about troop reductions in Iraq. Could this be the light at the end of the tunnel?
But then there are the persistent reports of permanent bases being planned in Iraq — the most recent one from the online Daily Mirror quoting an "Iraqi security source":
"Plans for four superbases across the country will only reinforce the view that the US is here to stay for the duration."...
The superbases will be in central Iraq, close to the capital, and also to the north, west and east of Baghdad.
Even more disturbing is this, from the same Mirror report:
America has a string of 'secret' military bases throughout the Gulf states, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
The huge desert complexes, including airstrips and aircraft hangars, are up to 20 miles square and are not featured on civilian maps.
They started to appear after the first Gulf War 15 years ago, infuriating Islamic extremists and the al-Qaeda terror network.
In fact, US military presence in the Middle East is one of Osama bin Laden's stated reasons for the 9/11 attacks. So it looks like the bases are somewhat of a lethal circular argument — we need the bases because we have the bases.
There is no light at the end of the tunnel. There is just tunnel.
