The sport of boxing and our U.S. foreign policy, in our third year of an Iraq war, have a lot in common. The idea in boxing is to win the match against your opponent, while hopefully suffering as little damage to oneself as possible. Our current Foreign policy works much the same way and as in boxing, there are many ways to win and lose. In boxing you can win a match by knocking your opponent out, beating them until they are unable or unwilling to continue (technical knock-out or TKO), or by a majority decision of the judges.

The first gulf war, contrary to popular opinion, was not a knock-out victory. It was a draw in my opinion. In August of 1990, the ring for the match was set up. Saddam invaded Kuwait and President Bush Sr. declared the invasion will not stand. Up thru mid-January both opponents spent time digging in and fortifying positions. Beginning January 17th 1991, with an Apache air strike, the U.S. pummeled Iraqi forces until March 3rd of the same year when Saddams generals surrendered to our own General Schwarzkopf. We never went to Baghdad after Saddam, electing instead to follow the then General Colin Powells advice of theres nothing for us in Baghdad but a bunch of empty body bags we will fill with American soldiers before leaving. June 8th America celebrated with a victory parade in Washington.

We claimed victory. One could argue it was a TKO instead of a draw but with Saddam still in power as the acting president/dictator of Iraq it simply was not a knock-out victory. Saddam finished the first gulf war with everything he started with, minus one small outdated air force. In fact, Saddam also declared victory and held parades.

The rematch was scheduled shortly after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. March 20th 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq claiming Saddam had illegal weapons of mass destruction. By April 9th Iraqi forces had thrown in the towel and the U.S. forces were cruising thru fallen Baghdad streets. May 1st 2003, President George W. Bush, son of the previous Bush, declared the end of major combat operations. In December of the same year Saddam Hussein was captured.

This March 20th, marks our third year in Iraq. After two rounds of free elections there is even an official Iraqi government in place that has Saddam Hussein currently on trial. The fight is apparently long from over but a quick check of the score card shows the U.S. with just over 2300 dead soldiers and almost 17,000 wounded in combat. This has been a terrible loss for our country, though our President vows to push forward. Flipping the card over, the United Nations estimates that Iraqi civilian casualties are sitting at an even 100,000 dead.

In comparing our current foreign policy to boxing, one obvious difference should be noted; boxing is a contest with a limited number of timed rounds. Our current foreign policy unfortunately takes the unfavorable stance of, as stated by President Bush three years ago, we will accept no outcome but victory. This has not been the war of quick decisive victory many envisioned. Further, it has been one without definitions. How can we claim victory and bring our troops home when the mark for victory keeps changing? Saddam was ousted from power, no weapons of mass destruction were found, free elections for a provincial government were held, Saddam was captured and is at trial, and a second round of elections was held, when will it all end?

Going to war without a reasonable time table and a clearly defined exit strategy harkens to another stinging bout in American political history, that of the Viet Nam era. Were of course much better prepared militarily this time and I doubt this will reach the 57,000 killed or missing in action numbers of that war. Unfortunately, I dont see us as a nation gaining anymore from Iraq than we did from Viet Nam, when our boys finally come home what will have changed? I keep thinking back to the first Gulf War and thinking, theres nothing for us in Baghdad but a bunch of empty body bags we will fill with American soldiers before leaving. I dont know if the U.S. military is running out of bags yet but I, like many Americans, am running out of patience.

It is one thing to lob bombs at a country and its quite another to commit our sons and daughters to the daily task of guerrilla warfare on the streets of the freedom loving Iraqi people. Personally, if they love freedom so much, they should be willing to fight for it. Im not opposed to helping finance their dedication to freedom, but to paraphrase another president, I wont ship American boys around the world to do a job Iraqi boys ought to be doing for themselves.

I sincerely hope our third anniversary in Iraq is our last. If not, we may find ourselves handed a TKO lose due to being unable or unwilling to continue. Right now Im all for calling it a draw and throwing another victory parade.