OPEN COLUMN
NSA ex-director lays out case for leaving Iraq

Editor, the Tribune: In a recent article titled "Cut and Run? You Bet," former U.S. National Security Agency Director Lt. Gen. William Odom indicates why the United States must get out of Iraq now. In his opinion, the idea that an immediate exit will trigger a civil war is a specious argument that denies the reality of the conflict. He says: "A civil war in Iraq began just weeks after U.S. forces toppled Saddam" and "Insurgents have killed far more Iraqis than Americans. That’s civil war."

Additionally, he says: "Our occupation also encourages the killers - precisely because our invasion made Iraq safe for them. Our occupation also left the surviving Ba’athists with one choice: Surrender, or ally with al-Qaida. They chose the latter. Staying the course will not change this fact. Pulling out will most likely result in Sunni groups driving them out of Iraq entirely."

Odom also counters the idea that a withdrawal deadline will damage the morale of U.S. troops. He quotes a Zogby poll that suggests most U.S. troops would welcome an early withdrawal deadline.

The general also refutes several other popular arguments for not leaving Iraq. The complete article may be found at: www. informationclearinghouse.info/article12926.htm.

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Bill Wickersham

3632 Augusta Drive

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