The increased number of killings in Iraq is prompting the Bush administration to accelerate the transition between occupation and Iraqi self rule.
I worry about what can happen if the transition is too quick because of the number of home grown and imported terrorists. If we leave Iraq before Saddam Hussein is captured or pronounced dead, is there anyone who believes he won’t attempt a comeback and bring the world’s terrorists with him?
Our enemies have a clear strategy. They know we are impatient while they have all the time in the world to achieve their objectives. And they have a sufficient number of fanatics who are willing to kill themselves and plenty of our people in order to achieve those goals.
The question is: are those Iraqis who want to be free of Saddam ready for self-rule? We won’t know until it happens, but we had better be right about this hurried timetable when it does happen or Iraq’s future could be worse than its immediate past.
I’m Cal Thomas in Washington.
