18 Days to Freedom

The citizens of Egypt accomplished in 18 days what the United States military has been trying to do for eight years; they ousted a dictatorial leader and reformed their nation.  What's more, they did it without firing a single shot.  Something our government cannot brag about.


While the Egyptian uprising was largely peaceful, no revolution is ever entirely so and toppling the leadership of the Egyptian government has come at a cost of human lives.  The exact number is not known at the moment but it is certainly at least 2 and possibly as high as 300.  Some might even go as high as 1,000.  The loss of even one life is tragic but here in the United States, we have always believed that one thing worth dying for is freedom.


Compare this figure with our war in Iraq where 4,436 American soldiers have given their lives (as of January 26, 2011).  Added to this are the estimated 1,421,933 Iraqi citizens who have lost their lives (according to JustForeignPolicy.com).  Even if the Egyptian dead total 1,000 it doesn't compare to the number who died in Iraq.


Added to that is the cost of the Iraq war.  Since its inception on March 19, 2003 the United States has spent more than $3 Trillion dollars on this war.  I'm sure the numbers in Egypt aren't in yet but I would venture to guess that like their dead, the cost will be far less than we have paid.


What is the lesson to be learned here?  That toppling a dictatorial regime does not take military strength but the strength of conviction.  The power borne of a desire to be free.  It must come from within and be lead by those who have finally reached their breaking point, not by a military beyond their borders.  We could have assisted the Iraqis to topple Saddam Husein if we had merely enacted economic sanctions against Iraq.  If we had refused to buy oil and requested our allies to do the same.  If we had ended any monetary contributions and again, made this request of our allies.  


The Iraq war was never necessary.  George W. Bush was wrong.  4,436 American soldiers have paid dearly for a war that should not have been.