ProgressOhio

Wow, things are going so well in Iraq, Al-Maliki’s Iraqi government has decided to tear a page out of George Bush’s first year as President as they announce they’ll go on a 2 month hiatus. Sure, there may be no Crawford in Iraq, but I’ll bet they’ll find something to do while they’re away. Heck, even when Bush is 7 miles down Prairie Chapel Road he finds time to cut brush, ride a bike, talk to dignitaries all while he compassionately ignores war dead moms and families.

But if you’re an Iraqi government official, where exactly would you go to relax, unwind and decompress?  Sure, you’d probably want to take the family where they can kick-back and have a safe and fun time. You want to keep your American dollars working in Iraq, but you’re concerned that staying in-country may not be the safest and most fun place for your family to unwind. I mean let’s face it, you do know that a Civil War raging around you, right? So what’s an Iraqi government official supposed to do?

There has to be somewhere for a tireless Iraqi Parliamentarian to vacation in Iraq. I guess Fallujah, Ramadi, Tikrit are out because they are already have too many people there on holiday or holy war… or whatever. So why not vacation in Bagdad? It looked pretty safe when John McCain traveled there recently (so long as you have the troops with you). You and your family could stay in the Green Zone, grab some sun, do some shopping and enjoy some fine cuisine. From the media reports, there sure does seem to be a lot of opportunities to spend those green backs in the Green Zone.

But what about the Parliamentary leader who wants to take the vacation to be with his or her people.  While it might not be exactly like our congressional leaders coming home to show us where they spread the pork, surely you could go back to your district and talk up all the good things that are going on in the country. Hell, take this opportunity to prove Tony Snow right. He keeps complaining that the US media doesn’t cover all the “good things” that are happening in Iraq, so here’s your chance to rectify the situation.

Hey, why not hold Town Hall meetings, go on editorial board visits, and or enjoy a ribbon cutting or two at all those businesses, schools, social service agency that Bush and Company tell us have opened from one town to the next. I’m sure you’ll want to let the world know how well the spending of hundreds of billions of dollars has gone in Iraq. Now’s your chance, take it.  

But for those who want to leave the country while they are on vacation, or those who want to “find a way forward,” here’s my checklist of things I think the Iraq government might want to work on while they are away on vacation:

1)      Train Iraqi safety service and armed forces. Note to Iraq Parliament and Prime Minister, please find a way to “Stand-up so we can stand down.” Check, next.

2)      If you can’t stop the ethnic cleansing, please refer to Bush’s new model of success in Iraq which call for us (that now means you) to identify an “Acceptable level of violence.” Once you identify that level, please let us know and make a concerted effort to curb the ethnic cleansing and destruction. If you would please define the level then get the violence below that level, we “win” and we’ll get outta your hair. Check, next.

3)      Work to re-establish reliable electricity and clean/safe water for Iraqi families. Check and check, next.

4)      Maybe figure out how to protect the oil wells then come up with a realistic plan to share the oil revenue. Check, next.

Boy, vacations can be fun. Maybe when you get back, you could tell us “what I did on my Iraq Parliament vacation.” I’m sure it’ll be a good read, and will have the mullahs rolling in the aisle when you return. Be safe, and have fun while you’re away. And for goodness sakes, don’t worry, our sons and daughters will continue to deal with what those naysayers in the media call “chaos” and “civil war” while you are away.