Think you know the facts about Iraq War? Think again.
Source: McClatchy Newspapers
A decade after the beginning of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, myths and distortions persist about how the conflict evolved into the current incarnation of Iraq as a fragile, highly sectarian state with a domestic political crisis that’s only exacerbated by volatile neighbors Syria and Iran.
... They’re repeated in Washington policy circles and on political talk shows, still accepted as truths long after the press corps became more vigilant in challenging official lines than it was in the run-up to and early days of the war.
Here’s a reality check on some of the most commonly repeated myths of the Iraq War:
– Myth: Iraqis greeted U.S. troops as liberators.
– Myth: At least women’s rights have improved with Saddam gone.
– Myth: Sovereignty was restored in 2004, with the U.S. occupational authority handing over power to interim leader Ayad Allawi.
– Myth: The “surge” strategy of sending 20,000 additional U.S. forces to Iraq in 2007 was the catalyst for a turnaround in the war, bringing enough calm to the country for the U.S. military to stay on schedule for withdrawal.
– Myth: As of the end of 2011, there’s been a full U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/19/186350/think-you-know-the-facts-about.html
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