Jim Moran: Iraq Will be Another Iran -- Let's Get Out

Congressman Jim Moran speaks to the Hill regarding the future of Iraq. He argues that the country is a mess, that Baghdad has been ethnically cleansed, that the Baghdad police is a major source of sectarian strife and ought to be disbanded, that the country will likely wind up a Shia theocracy aligned with Iran, and... we ought to withdraw as soon as possible.

Moran's prediction is incredibly depressing. A Shia theocracy aligned with Iran... would be incredibly destabilizing to the region and a threat to Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kurdistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other regional allies. For better or for worse, Saddam Hussein served for years as a check on Iranian attempts to project power. Do we really want to withdraw from Iraq and create a second Iran?

Imagine how quickly Iran and Iraq might develop nuclear arsenals that threaten a far greater number of countries. Imagine how they might use their resources in alliance to step up the terror war against the West. Imagine how they would bring the region under their influence, and end our efforts to promote western values and interests in southern Asia.

If Moran really believe Iraq will become a Shia theocracy aligned with Iran, the only responsible course of action is to maintain our presence there. If he thinks it's useless to try to promote a pluralistic democratic regime, then he ought to be advocating the use of our influence to ensure that Iraq have a leader that we can 'work with.'

To be clear, this is not what I believe or advocate. But if Moran thinks that Iraq will become another Iran and that we should stand aside and let it happen, then he doesn't understand the threat posed by Iran.