Radio Australia Today Editorial

The War in Iraq. Not Quite Endless, But Nearly.

24 July 2008

Yesterday we spoke with Major-General Jim Molan.

His is a name that you may not know. That’s because he is a behind-the-scenes type of guy. But in his case behind-the-scenes refers to deciding strategy for the war in Iraq. You see, he was the Operations Commander for the US, British, Iraqi and Australian troops in Iraq after the coalition invasion. Among the many operations he organised was the deadly in cursion into Fallujah.

The first thing that hits you about Jim Molan is the light in his eye. Here is no idealist or ideologue. He was simply a man doing his job and trying to stop the killing. He has no regrets. He admits that his decisions caused the deaths of his own troops, but he says he sleeps well.

Now this might make him sound at best harsh, and at worst like an uncaring thug, but from what I saw of Jim Molan yesterday, he is a sensitive man who doesn’t really care for the Iraq invasion, or for war in general. After all he, more than most, has seen the worst of war. He has seen friends die. He has almost been killed himself. Like with so many people who have been to the brink, he appreciates life.

He also had a few predictions for the region. He says, first of all, that the war in Iraq will go on for at least ten years. He also says that in Afghanistan they are making the same mistakes that the invaders made in Iraq all those years ago.

Perhaps the adage is true: we learn from history that we don’t learn from history.

Hope not.
– Phil