Now We're Alone

The British and Australian troops have left Iraq, leaving the United States as the only country with an occupying force in that nation. Although the American military has left the cities and has given more control to the Iraqi security forces there, the U.S. isn't leaving until the end of 2011, thanks to a deal negotiated by President Obama's undistinguished predecessor. The bright side is that the worst of the fighting is (apparently) behind us, and the violence in Iraq is not as bad as it used to be. It's bad enough, though, for one commander - Colonel Timothy Reese - to voice support for leaving now and saying our mission really was accomplished. In short, declare victory and retreat. I don't know what Obama will do about Colonel Reese's position. Maybe he'll discuss it with him over a beer.

Meanwhile, three Americans vacationing in Iraq - yes, vacationing there - have been arrested and detained in Iran. there is a perfectly logical explanation for this . really. These three Americans went to the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, where the fighting is over, to hike in the picturesque mountains along the Iran-Iraq border. The woman and two men - neither one of whom apparently asked for directions - got lost and crossed the border, leading to their detention at the hands of the Iranians.

So, while we Americans are foolish enough to go to Iraq for a pleasure trip and are stupid enough to accidentally wander into a neighboring country where the locals take a pretty dim view of us, we are not so insane that we would actually want to visit Iran on purpose. I mean, I'm certain that if I went to Tehran deliberately, I would immediately get seized upon arriving at the airport for espionage!

Joe Klein was lucky to get out of there after reporting on the demonstrations there. But at least he was representing Time magazine. And, trust me, I don't think he would have gone there as a freelancer. An American freelance journalist, Cynthia Dwyer, got arrested in Iran in the early eighties and was freed only months after the 52 embassy hostages got out.