Adding 20,000 more troops to the currently-run war in Iraq only means more soldiers will die and a push back the inevitable day helicopters are ferrying civilians out of the green zone as we flee the country.

Honestly, if I somehow became president of the United States overnight, I would bring more troops into the war (yes, I said that) but I would change their role significantly. It would go from trying to win a war to trying to have as few people die after we left. There is no chance of winning or even tie-ing the war as President Bush is now desparate to pretend. It’s now a slew of wars and the best thing that could be done for all involved is try to cordon off fighting bodies, let somewhat organic borders form and give Iraqi citizens a chance at growing new roots.

That’s an awful poor result, but much better than pretending that if some cities and streets are safer, then the civil war will dissipate and the ruling council will become a respected body with citizen lining up to ask what they can do for their new country.

We must stop pretending an Iraqi governement and populace can possibly ’stand up.’ They can’t stand up because they are war-devastated, horrifically vulnerable and without options. They are hiding and running and ducker from cover. They have no safe place, no money and assuredly a crippling sense of no future. The best we can do before that inevitable retreat is to try and cordon off areas of like-minded citizens so they can reinforce their own defenses and try and create their own safe areas.

Dear Mr. President. You have to stop lying to yourself and ignoring generals and advisors who do not agree with your demands. This war will never be won. We will never get the upper hand again. The Iraqi populace cannot stand up in the form of a powerful, respected government. They are too devastated, fractured and exhausted. Nor can we prop them up. If we can do anything to make their future less worse it would be to try and secure their zones and make it hard for the lunatic militias to destroy their country while they are so vulnerable. But know know know that we will never win this war and it will be a political and social disaster no matter the outcome.