Deteriorating Situation in Iraq Casts Doubt on U.S. Ability to Win Military Victory

Interview with Andrew Ruben, director of International Coalition of Academics Against Occupation, conducted by Scott Harris

As the presidential election campaign heats up, the war in Iraq is emerging as a defining issue which could determine the winner this November. An escalation of insurgent attacks, suicide bombings and kidnappings and executions of civilian hostages is focusing public attention on a deteriorating situation for U.S. forces in Iraq. This, despite continuing tit-for-tat controversies surrounding both candidates' Vietnam-era military service -- and a recent scandal at CBS news about questionable documents from President Bush's National Guard service.

Although President Bush is upbeat about what he calls progress in Iraq, a national intelligence estimate given to the White House in July predicts continued violence and chaos in Iraq as the better of several scenarios -- the worst being civil war. Large areas of central Iraq, including major cities like Falluja, are now under the control of insurgents. The U.S. military is reported to be planning a major, potentially bloody offensive in these areas after the U.S. election. Prominent Republican Senators Chuck Hagel, Richard Lugar and John McCain have begun to publicly question Bush's Iraq policies. Meanwhile, Democratic candidate John Kerry has stepped up his criticism of the president's decision to go to war and his current handling of the conflict.

Andrew Ruben, is a professor of English Literature at Georgetown University and director of the International Coalition of Academics against Occupation, a group which has worked to bring public attention to the assassinations of more than 250 college professors, academics and intellectuals in Iraq. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Ruben about the current conditions in Iraq and the options for the U.S to extricate itself from what many are now calling a quagmire not unlike the Vietnam War.

Contact the Coalition of Academics against Occupation by calling (202) 492-3291 or visit their website at www.icaao.org

Related links:



Military Families Speak Out at www.mfso.org

Bring Them Home Now at www.bringthemhomenow.org

Iraq Veterans Against the War at www.ivaw.org

United for Peace and Justice at www.unitedforpeace.org

Veterans for Peace War Resisters League

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"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://www.btlonline.org

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